Effect of High-Performance Work Practices on Academic Research Productivity

Abstract

The competitive environment of universities has increased the application of managerial practices such as human resource management. However, little research exists regarding the effects of these practices on knowledge workers. The study attempts to contribute to fill this gap, examining the effect of high-performance work practices (HPWP) on academic research productivity (ARP). A survey was completed by 442 researchers and the analysis supported a positive relationship between the adoption of HPWP and ARP. Specifically, HPWP promoting education, training and autonomy, and teamwork are better antecedents of ARP than practices focusing on performance management, reward systems, and selection.

RESUMEN

El entorno competitivo de las universidades ha aumentado la aplicación de prácticas de gestión como, por ejemplo, la gestión de recursos humanos. Sin embargo, existe poca investigación sobre los efectos de estas prácticas en los trabajadores del conocimiento. Este estudio contribuye a llenar este vacío, examinando el efecto de las prácticas laborales de alto desempeño (HPWP por su sigla en inglés) sobre la productividad de la investigación académica (ARP por su sigla en inglés). Haciendo un análisis sobre una muestra de 442 investigadores se generó evidencia de una relación positiva entre la adopción de las HPWP y la ARP. Específicamente, las HPWP que promueven la educación, la capacitación y la autonomía, y el trabajo en equipo, son mejores antecedentes de la ARP que las prácticas orientadas a la gestión del desempeño, los sistemas de recompensa y la selección.

RESUMO

O ambiente competitivo das universidades ampliou a utilização de práticas de gestão tais como a gestão de recursos humanos. No entanto, há pouca pesquisa sobre os efeitos de tais práticas com trabalhadores do conhecimento. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo contribuir para o preenchimento dessa lacuna pela análise do efeito das práticas de trabalho de alto desempenho (HPWP na sigla em inglês) sobre a produtividade na pesquisa acadêmica (ARP na sigla em inglês). 442 pesquisadores participaram de um levantamento, sendo que a análise corroborou uma relação positiva entre a adoção de HPWP e a ARP. Notadamente, as HPWP impulsionando aprendizagem, treinamento e autonomia, somadas ao trabalho em equipe, são condições melhores para a ARP do que as práticas que enfatizam gestão de desempenho, sistemas de recompensa e seleção.

Keywords:

• Academic research productivity
• AMO model
• high-performance work practices (HPWP)
• knowledge workers

Acknowledgements

This article is the result of research project ID PPTA 00005107- ID PRY 004964 entitled “Talent Management Practices, Organizational Support and the Productivity of the Academic Labors of University Researchers.”

Notes

1 To identify participants, we used the public record of Colombian researchers in the area of management provided by the state entity Colciencias.

2 In Colombia, there is a mixed higher education system with 139 universities. Of these, 58 are public universities (https://snies.mineducacion.gov.co/portal/).

3 CvLAC or Curriculum Vitae of Latin America and the Caribbean is an electronic tool developed since 2002 by the Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation of Colombia and serves to condense all the intellectual production of researchers, innovators, academics and experts of the National Science System, Technology and Innovation (https://scienti.minciencias.gov.co/cvlac/Login/pre_s_login.do)

4 Agreement 023 of 2008, made by the Consejo Superior Universitario.

Additional information

Funding

The project was financed by the Academic Office of the Vice Rector of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana with resources from Banco Santander and the Department of Business Administration.