Collectivism-oriented human resource management on team creativity: effects of interpersonal harmony and human resource management strength

Abstract

This study examines the mechanism through which collectivism-oriented human resource management (CHRM) promotes team creativity and how this relationship differs across interpersonal harmony. Drawing on social exchange theory, we investigate 177 research and development teams across China. The findings indicate, as expected, that CHRM, which in China relates to guanxi, has a positive effect on radical creativity. Harmony enhancement partially mediates the relationship between CHRM and radical creativity. Meanwhile, disintegration avoidance fully mediates the relationship between CHRM and incremental creativity. In addition, HRM strength positively moderates the relationship between CHRM and harmony enhancement. Finally, HRM strength moderates the mediating effect between CHRM and radical creativity. This study helps unpack the ‘black box’ between culture-specific HRM and team outcomes, providing important implications for human resource managers.

Keywords:

• Collectivism-oriented human resource management
• interpersonal harmony
• HRM strength
• team creativity
• social exchange theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by Self-determined Research Funds of CCNU from the Colleges’ Basic Research and Operation of MOE [CCNU19QN007; CCNU19TD009]; Humanities and Social Science Fund of China Ministry of Education [19YJA630108]. Western Sydney University Academic Development Program Funding 2018; Western Sydney University School of Business Professional Development Funding 2018; Western Sydney University School of Business Priority Research Initiatives 2019.