The Definition and Measurement of Human Capital Resources: A Content and Meta-Analytic Review

• 成果类型: Review
• 署名作者: Zhang, Liwen; Van Iddekinge, Chad H.; Ployhart, Robert E.; Arnold, John D.; Jordan, Samantha L.
• 署名单位: University of Macau; University of Iowa; University of South Carolina System; University of South Carolina Columbia; University of Missouri System; University of Missouri Columbia; University of North Texas System; University of North Texas Denton; University of Macau
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0021-9010
• DOI: 10.1037/apl0001088
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 1486-1514
• 关键词: human capital resources; strategic human resources; firm performance; Content analysis; Meta-analysis

摘要

Although human capital resources (HCR) can be important for organizational performance, researchers have defined and measured HCR in various ways. Consequently, it is unclear whether existing measures provide valid inferences about HCR or their relations with other constructs. We conducted this three-study research to address these issues. In Study 1, we reviewed HCR definitions (k = 84) and found that most definitions focus on collective knowledge, skills, and abilities. Recent definitions also tend to include other characteristics (e.g., personality). In Study 2, a content analysis of HCR measures (k = 127) revealed that only 23.6% of the measures focused solely on HCR and they tended to assess only one or two dimensions of the construct (i.e., were deficient). Many measures (46.5%) assessed both HCR and other constructs (i.e., were partially contaminated), and other measures (29.9%) assessed only non-HCR constructs (i.e., were fully contaminated). In Study 3 (k = 94), we found that HCR measures that were less deficient demonstrated stronger criterion-related validity for predicting unit and firm performance. Interestingly, partially contaminated measures were somewhat more predictive than uncontaminated measures (? = .35 vs. .25, respectively), mainly because they assessed both HCR and other constructs that are related to performance. Both types of measures demonstrated stronger validity than fully contaminated measures. Overall, findings suggest that extant HCR measures often are deficient and/or contaminated. We discuss implications, as well as offer guidance for measuring HCR in future research.