Pablo Cardona

The adoption of family‐friendly HRM policies

Several authors have tried to explain the variation across firms in the implementation of work‐family programmes in terms of the employment strategy of these firms and institutional pressures. But most of these studies have been done in the US context. This study replicates these studies in Spain, which has a very different legal, cultural, and labour market context and where the diffusion of work‐family programmes has only recently started. Using data from a sample of 131 Spanish, mostly private firms, tests five hypotheses that may explain the adoption of family‐friendly human resources management policies. Finds that even in this particular context both the employment strategy and some institutional pressures play an important role. The size of the firm, the percentage of female employees, the presence of a high‐commitment work system and the tightness of the labour market are associated with the implementation of a work/family programme. With the increasing participation of female workers and the ageing of the population expects that work/family programmes will continue to diffuse in Spain.

Outcome-based Theory of Work Motivation

This paper introduces an outcome-based theory of work motivation. This theory focuses on the individuals expected consequences of his or her action. We identify four different types of expected consequences, or motives. These motives lead to four types of motivation: extrinsic, intrinsic, contributive, and relational. We categorize these outcomes using two criteria: the perceived locus of causality, which defines the origin of the motivation, and the perceived locus of consequence, which defines who receives the consequences of the action. Individuals generally act based on a combination of extrinsic, intrinsic, contributive, and relational motivations, each one having a particular weight. We use the term motivational profile to refer to the particular combination of an individuals motivations in a certain context. Individuals may experience conflict when different alternatives convey different expected consequences (or motives). Resolution of conflicts among motives results in motivational learning. Specifically, the resolution of conflicts among motives of the same type results in calculative learning. On the other hand, the resolution of conflicts among motives of different types results in evaluative learning. Evaluative learning implies a change in the individuals motivational profile.