HPWPs, HR COMMITMENT ATTRIBUTIONS AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: CONSIDERING POWER DISTANCE ORIENTATION

In an experimental and a field study, we examine the influence of employee power distance orientation on the relationships between High Performance Work Practices (HPWPs), employee explanations regarding management’s motivation that Human Resource (HR) practices are designed to enhance employees’ commitment, also known as HR commitment attributions, and employee engagement. Results of the experimental study (n=171 undergraduate students) show that power distance orientation weakens the relationship between HPWPs and HR commitment attributions, and weakens the relationship between HR commitment attributions and employee engagement. The field study (n=255 employees) replicates the experimental study and shows similar results. Our contribution addresses an important gap in existing research by including employee power distance orientation as a contingency factor in the HR process research. The results offer novel insights into how organizations can use HPWPs to promote employee engagement via HR commitment a...