شیوه های منابع انسانی با تعهد بالا، رابطه اشتغال و عملکرد شغلی: آزمون یک مدل میانجی  High commitment HR practices, the employment relationship and job performance: A test of a mediation  model

1. Introduction Recent decades have seen a burgeoning of research and writing on human resource management (HRM). It has been argued that for the field to progress, we need good theory about the nature of HRM, relevant outcomes and the relationship between HRM and outcomes (Guest, 1997). Much of the research attention has focused on the relationship between HRM and performance, and their outcomes concluded that there is evidence of a positive association (Boselie, Dietz, & Boon, 2005; Combs, Liu, Hall, & Ketchen, 2006). However, the studies noted a failure to fully consider the process whereby HRM and outcomes might be linked. Subsequent research has begun to explore this linkage process, dominated by the use of the AMO model that explores how human resource (HR) practices affect the ability (A), motivation (M) and opportunity to contribute (O) of employees. Some studies have shown evidence to support the mediating role of these variables (Jiang, Lepak, Hu, & Baer, 2012:; Subramony, 2009). Despite the significant focus of the AMO model on employee behaviour, this approach fails to explain the process whereby HR practices affect employee behaviour. In order to understand this, as Wright and Gardner (2003) have argued, we need to incorporate the role of employee perceptions and employee attitudes. The analytic framework that may be best able to incorporate perceptionsDespite the significant focus of the AMO model on employee behaviour, this approach fails to explain the process whereby HR practices affect employee behaviour. In order to understand this, as Wright and Gardner (2003) have argued, we need to incorporate the role of employee perceptions and employee attitudes. The analytic framework that may be best able to incorporate perceptions. There has been a steadily growing body of research exploring employee perceptions of HRM. For example, Nishii, Lepak, and Schneider (2008) and Van de Voorde and Beijer (2015) studied employees’ perceptions of HRM and the attributions they make about management motives for utilizing HR practices. Social exchange theory focuses more specifically on the employment relationship and the implied exchanges in that relationship. In so doing it draws attention to different perceptions and their impact. Three sets of perceptions closely associated with social exchange form the focus of this study, namely perceived organizational support (POS), the psychological contract and job security. The proposition is that these perceptions determine whether there is a positive employment relationship and it determines levels of satisfaction, motivation and performance. It is these issues and this process of linking HRM and performance that is explored in this study. The first part of this study explains why we need to study employees’ individual perceptions of high commitment HR practices and how these can, in turn, develop perceptions of organizational support, fulfilment of the psychological contract and higher job security, which we characterize as central features of a positive employment relationship from an employee perspective. We then consider how those perceptions are related to job satisfaction and employees’ performance. Subsequent sections set out the methodology for the study, report the findings and discuss the implications of the results.