Strategic Human Resource Management, 2nd Edition

2 Strategic human resource management and performance outcomes

DOI: 10.4324/9781003364276-3

One of the earliest frameworks for exploring the impact of HR practices on performance was the ‘Behavioral Perspective’ outlined by Schuler and Jackson (1987) as noted briefly in Chapter 1. Having its roots in contingency theory, this model was based on the assumption that the purpose of employment practices was to shape or control employee attitudes and behaviours. They suggested that (a) different competitive strategies require different employee ‘role behaviours’, and (b) different HR practices can elicit these different role behaviours. Thus, they suggested that employee role behaviour mediated the relationship between strategy and performance and ...