How HRM control affects boundary-spanning employees' behavioural strategies and satisfaction: the moderating impact of cultural performance orientation

Abstract

This study examines how cultural performance orientation moderates the influence of human resource management (HRM) controls on boundary-spanning employees' behavioural strategies and satisfaction. Based on primary data obtained from 1049 salespeople in six countries (France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States of America) and secondary data on cultural performance orientation, multilevel regression analyses show that national culture has a strong effect on the way boundary-spanning employees allocate their effort in response to HRM control. In particular, our results suggest that the more behaviour controls are used with boundary-spanning employees, the less attention they pay to customers and the more emphasis they place on their supervisors and non-selling tasks. Specifically, cultural performance orientation is shown to moderate significantly those relationships. Furthermore, results indicate that cultural performance orientation heightens boundary-spanning employees' job satisfaction resulting from behaviour control. Preliminary explanations for the differing impact of HRM control efficiency across cultures can be proposed.

Keywords:

• boundary-spanning employees
• HRM control
• national culture
• performance orientation
• sales force control systems
• salespeople

Acknowledgement

This paper is dedicated to the memory of Erin Anderson who provided moral, technical and financial support for the field work.