High-involvement HRM and positive WOM intentions: a mediation model

Purpose - This study proposes and tests a conceptual model hypothesizing that perceived high-involvement human resource practices (HIHRPs) influence organizational members’ positive word-of-mouth (PWOM) intentions, via the mediating mechanisms of perceived organizational support (POS) and positive affect (PA). Design/methodology/approach - Questionnaire data were collected from 194 working individuals and were analyzed by using structural equation modeling and the SPSS PROCESS macro. Findings - The findings of this study are as follows: perceived HIHRPs had a significant positive influence on organizational members’ POS and PA; POS and PA were each significantly and positively related to PWOM intentions; the relation between HIHRPs and PWOM intentions was significantly mediated by POS and significantly mediated by PA; when included in one model, POS and PA together fully mediated the relationship between HIHRPs and PWOM intentions. Originality/value - This study is one of the first to develop and empirically test a model identifying the HR determinants of personnel’s PWOM intentions, an area overlooked within the human resource management and organizational behavior literature. The study is also the first to examine the mediating effects of POS and PA on the relationship between HIHRPs and PWOM intentions.