Meer waarde voor en door medewerkers : een longitudinale studie naar de antecedenten en effecten van peoplemanagement

The linkage between Human Resource Management (HRM) and performance has received a lot of attention in HRM research. Research evidence indicates that HRM is, at least weakly, related to firm performance. Subsequently, research interest has shifted to the mechanisms linking HRM and performance (the mediating variables in the so-called black box). However, very few studies have tried to open the black box empirically. In the dissertation ‘Balanced Value Creation’ the mediating mechanisms linking people management and outcomes are studied. The concept people management it used to emphasise that the focus of this study is not limited to the effects of HR practices as such. It is acknowledged that line managers play a crucial role in the implementation of HR practices and that their leadership behaviour is more important than has been recognised in previous HR studies. Adopting a balanced approach to performance, the focus of this study is not exclusively on outcomes relevant for the organisation, but also includes important employee outcomes. The AMO framework, which argues that individuals perform well if they have the Ability, Motivation and Opportunities to perform, is used to categorise the mechanisms linking people management and outcomes. The research used a mixed-method approach, applying both qualitative and quantitative methods. The quantitative part of the study consists of a two-wave longitudinal survey. The data for this dissertation come from 354 line managers and 3,368 employees. The multilevel data have been analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. Overall, this research and the resulting dissertation do contribute to the literature on the people management/HRM-outcomes/performance link by providing empirical evidence of the linking mechanisms. The main conclusion is that investing in people management activities aimed at supporting employees is worthwhile and will benefit both employees and organisations: that is, balanced value creation