Sven Hauff

Triggers of HR outsourcing decisions – an empirical analysis of German firms

This paper takes an explanatory approach to the triggers of Human Resource (HR) outsourcing decisions and evaluates them empirically. Our data show that many German firms have never explicitly considered outsourcing of HR functions. Obviously, explicit outsourcing decisions do not come into being automatically but have to be triggered. We analyze theoretically and empirically which triggers are relevant. In our definition, HR outsourcing includes a broad range of internal HR functions and the respective, externally procured personnel services (e.g., temporary agency work, payroll accounting, interim management, outplacement services, HR consulting, placement services and others).

HRM systems between control and commitment: occurrence, characteristics, and effects on HR outcomes and firm performance

In the literature, it is often assumed that traditional, control-oriented HRM systems are increasingly being replaced by commitment-based HRM systems because the latter generally result in higher firm performance. However, an HRM systems effectiveness may depend on an organisations external and internal context, and neither control nor commitment HR systems are without disadvantages. Thus, the empirical validity of this claim is not clear ex ante. This paper analyses the empirical diffusion and determinants of control and commitment HRM systems in Germany as well as their impact on HRM outcomes and firm performance. The findings indicate that between the two extreme forms of high-control and high-commitment HRM systems, there are two hybrid forms (long-term-oriented control system and regulated commitment system) that combine elements of both ‘pure’ systems. Commitment HRM systems outperform the high-control HRM system concerning many HRM outcomes and firm performance measures. However, in direct comparison, the high and the regulated commitment HRM systems do not show substantially different outcomes, indicating that there is no one best way.

Power distance and its moderating role in the relationship between situational job characteristics and job satisfaction: An empirical analysis using different cultural measures

Purpose – Power distance describes a central facet of national culture, because it influences the acceptance and endorsement of job characteristics related to status and power. This has major implications for international human resource management, because the importance of different situational job characteristics for employee job satisfaction should differ across cultures. The purpose of this paper is to analyse if and how national power distance levels moderate different situational job characteristics’ influence on job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The authors refer to three approaches to culture: the frameworks of Hofstede and GLOBE as well as to current scores provided in a meta-analysis. The empirical findings are derived using regression analyses on a sample covering 16 nations. Findings – The results are convincing regarding the basic job satisfaction driver model not involving culture. However, the results on power distance’s impact as well as its moderating role are strongly depe...

Make-or-buy decisions regarding temporary agency work - an empirical analysis of the decision process and expected effects

Although the use of temporary agency work (TAW) in firms is heavily debated in the literature, the decision processes and motives behind using or not using TAW are often neglected or only analyzed in rough categories. We address these issues using a theoretical framework for HR outsourcing decisions. Specifically, we ask what triggers the decision about usage of TAW, whether firms have internal alternatives to using TAW, and what their expectations were when they made the decision. We focus on detailed expectations about the effects and analyze how users an d non-users of TAW differ in their respective expectations. Our analyses show that TAW is not a personnel service used by the majority of firms. Besides monetary costs, quality, and flexibility effects, stakeholder and transaction cost effects are relevant for the make-or-buy decisions. Users and non-users of TAW differ significantly in their expectations about some of the effect categories.

Outsourcing HR functions: Development of an explanatory approach to firms' (non-existent) demand for personnel services

This paper develops a comprehensive explanatory approach to the outsourcing of Human Resource (HR) functions and the resulting demand or non-demand for personnel services by companies (e.g., interim management, outplacement services, consulting in the field of HR management). Starting from the deficits of approaches that currently dominate the outsourcing debate (cost accounting approach, transaction cost approach, resource-based view of the firm), a modified and expanded framework to explain outsourcing HR management/functions is presented which includes other theoretical approaches as well. On the one hand, potential costs and benefits of outsourcing HR functions are systematically analysed, incorporating so far neglected aspects. On the other hand, triggers as well as situational and structural factors which potentially influence the outsourcing decision via the perceived alternatives or via the expectations that are formed concerning cost and benefits of outsourcing HR functions are also included in the analysis.

Identifying work value patterns: cross-national comparison and historical dynamics

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to identify and characterize different work value patterns empirically. Furthermore, it is analyzed how these patterns are distributed in different countries and how they change in the course of time. Design/methodology/approach - – Latent class analysis as an advanced clustering procedure was applied. The empirical analysis is based on data from the International Social Survey Program from three time periods (1989, 1997 and 2005), covering five countries (USA, Great Britain, West Germany, Norway and Hungary). Findings - – The analysis reveals four distinct work value patterns among employees: “moderate demanders”, “high demanders”, “post modern demanders” and “income and security demanders.” The affiliation to these patterns depends on gender, generational membership, education, occupation and nationality. The historical analysis reveals considerable variety in cross-national developments. Practical implications - – The work value patterns identified have implications for recruitment, employee motivation and international HRM strategies. Management needs to be aware of work value patterns in the workforce in order to avoid mismatches and their negative consequences. If mismatch is unavoidable, the paper highlights the need to proactively manage mismatches between work value patterns and workplace situation. Originality/value - – The authors argue that different work values are not independent of each other. Instead, they seem to have systematic interrelations and exist in specific patterns. Accordingly different segments within the labor force can be characterized by specific combinations of work values. This is highly relevant because it could help to customize HR instruments and incentives.

Wer nutzt HR-Outsourcing? Zentrale Strukturvariablen und ihr Einfluss auf die Nachfrage nach Personaldienstleistungen **

Bis heute fehlen in der empirischen Forschung zum HR-Outsourcing umfangreiche verlässliche Daten hinsichtlich der Nutzung von Personaldienstleistungen durch Unternehmen. Anhand der Auswertungen unserer Befragung von 1021 Unternehmen untersuchen wir die Charakteristika der Nachfrager nach Personaldienstleistungen und versuchen, mit dem vorliegenden Beitrag die Wissenslücke zu schließen. Wir untersuchen den Zusammenhang zwischen Unternehmenscharakteristika wie Größe, Branche, Region, Tarifbindung und Existenz eines Betriebsrats und dem HR-Outsourcing. Unsere empirischen Analysen zeigen, dass Unternehmensgröße einen großen Einfluss auf die Nutzungswahrscheinlichkeit jeder einzelnen Personaldienstleistung und zudem auch einen positiven Einfluss auf die Anzahl der genutzten Personaldienstleistungen hat.

Changes in workplace situation and work values. Relations and dynamics within different employment regimes

Workplace situation as well as work values have apparently changed in the last decades. However, up to now we do not know how these changes are related. This article considers both, workplace situation and work values, together and analyses theoretically and empirically how different developments can either lead to match or mismatch between workplace situation and work values. It refers to the employment regime approach to analyse the potential influence of different institutional frameworks. Findings have revealed various change patterns where developments regarding different dimensions of work life follow different logics: If employment becomes less secure, job security becomes more important. With respect to other dimensions (income, career opportunities, interesting job, and independence at work), an adaptation can be observed. The existing employment regime theory helps little in explaining the dynamics between workplace situation and work values.

Further Exploring the Links between High Performance Work Practices and Firm Performance: A Multiple-mediation Model in the German Context

In order to improve our understanding of the relationships between high-performance work systems and firm performance, several studies have analysed the mediating effects of motivation-related or human capital-related variables. However, most of these have concentrated on single aspects and are US-focused. We extend previous human resource management research by simultaneously analysing the relevance of four general mediating mechanisms: human capital, employee attitudes, employee performance and operational performance. We apply structural equation modelling with formative constructs to data of 1099 German firms. While our findings support the assumption of positive relationships between high-performance work practices, the four mediating mechanisms and firm performance, they also reveal some peculiarities attributable to the German context. Using formative constructs, we were also able to show that single high-performance work practices have different effects on firm performance.

Culture's Role in the Job Characteristics and Job Satisfaction Relationship: An Empirical Analysis Using Globe's Culture Scores

Many studies have analyzed the influence of either situational job characteristics or culture on job satisfaction. To date, the interrelationships between these two aspects – situational job characteristics and culture – have received very little attention. Assuming that culture is an overarching framework, we analyze if and how it moderates different job characteristics’ influence on job satisfaction. When testing culture’s moderating effect, we refer to all dimensions of culture defined in the most current conception, namely the GLOBE project. We analyze these relationships based on a sample from 23 nations. Findings indicated that the impact of some job characteristics on job satisfaction is indeed significantly moderated by culture, but the explanatory power is fairly negligible.