Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

Abstract In the literature, evidence is to be found of the positive effect of high-performance work systems (HPWSs) on innovation in firms. However, innovation is enabled by not only human resources but also digital technology, and scholars have called for further investigation into the interplay between digital technology and HRM systems. Drawing on signalling theory and HPWSs research, the purpose of this study is to explore the moderating role of digital technologies in the relationship between HPWSs and innovation in the firm and consider employee participation as an additional conditioning factor. This study uses data from the European Company Suvery 2019 administered in a sample of more than 20,000 European establishments and applies logistic regression with a three-way interaction. HPWSs underpin product and process innovation. Moreover, this study shows that in firms with low levels of employee participation, digital technology enhances the effect of HPWSs on innovation, while in firms with high levels of employee participation, this effect is reduced. This study enriches the scholarly discussion about the link between HPWSs and innovation in the firm, by investigating in theoretical and empirical terms the moderating effect of digital technology, underlining that either positive or negative synergistic effects are possible. By adding employee participation to the analysis, the authors cast light on an important boundary condition for understanding when the synergic effects become more prominent. This intends to respond to recent calls from scholars and practitioners for more insight into the precise nature of the synergies between HPWSs and digital technology on innovation in the firm, with important implications for management.

Nel lavoro ibrido, le competenze richieste non sono solo quelle ‘tradizionali’, cioè conoscenza e saper fare tecnico-specialistico, nel senso di strettamente legato al tipo di mansione svolta e all’area aziendale specifica nella quale tale lavoro si inserisce e quindi quelle tipiche che definiscono e danno identità a una specifica occupazione. Altrettanto, se non più rilevanti, diventano anche competenze nuove, cioè non tradizionali o tipiche della posizione o occupazione, come le capacità informatiche e digitali e le soft skills. Tali competenze possono essere formate e sviluppate in tanti modi diversi, ma tra di essi certamente l’apprendimento on the job ossia l’esperienza lavorativa quotidiana, per cui il lavoro in sé e il contesto nel quale si svolge diventano esperienza formativa e contesto di apprendimento stimolato anche dalla trasmissione intergenerazionale, occupa un ruolo centrale. È anche per questo che i sistemi di performance management – tradizionalmente intesi come strumento di valutazione di come il lavoratore svolge il proprio lavoro – possono essere (ri)letti e (re)interpretati come strumento a supporto dell’investimento in capitale umano da parte sia delle imprese che si stanno digitalizzando, sia dei lavoratori che stanno sperimentando l’ibridazione delle loro tradizionali attività lavorative con le nuove tecnologie digitali. Nonostante le numerose call che invitano ad approfondire sia dal punto di vista teorico che empirico il tema del performance management, soprattutto in relazione alle sfide che la trasformazione digitale pone all’organizzazione del lavoro, alla leadership e alla gestione delle risorse umane, in diversi settori, la questione di come si configurino e stiano cambiando, nella percezione di imprese e dipendenti, e in un contesto di lavori ibridi, i sistemi di valutazione e gestione della prestazione e se e come questi possano promuovere l’investimento in capitale umano “ibrido” è ancora largamente inesplorata. L’articolo si propone di colmare questa lacuna, utilizzando i dati raccolti dall’Osservatorio sul Performance Management di Modena e Reggio Emilia.

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The literature has recognized the key role of the HRM practices for enhancing firms’ innovative performance. At the same time, scholars have consistently demonstrated open innovation to be an effective approach for boosting companies’ innovative outcome. Nevertheless, academics have largely overlooked to investigate the complex relationship between HRM practices, open innovation and organizations’ innovativeness. Using the AMO framework as analytical lens and data drawn from the European Company Survey 2019, a large-scale representative dataset at European level, this study investigates the direct and indirect relationship between the ability, motivation and opportunities-enhancing practices and firms’ innovation capacity, hypothesizing a potential mediating role of open innovation. The results show that companies that motivate workers and give them the opportunity to contribute with their skills, knowledge and abilities not only have higher probability to innovate, but also are more inclined to collaborate with external partners. Moreover, open innovation not only enhance the innovation capacity of the firm, but also partially mediates the relationship between HRM and organizations’ innovativeness. These results shed further lights on both “the human side” of open innovation, as well as in the mechanisms linking HRM practices with innovation.

This paper analyses local development in Modena, with an economy based on SMEs, and Ivrea, dominated by one big company. The different industrial structures deeply affected urban development: the municipality of Modena created an “Artisan Neighbourhood” – special areas for SMEs – whereas Ivrea developed the “Industrial City” designed by Adriano Olivetti. In recent years, the formation of large brownfield sites have prompted important redevelopment projects in both cities.