Journal article
The definition and measurement of human capital resources: A content and meta-analytic review
Journal of applied psychology, Vol.108(9), pp.1486-1514
09/2023
DOI: 10.1037/apl0001088
PMID: 37036689
Abstract
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 (
= 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 (
= 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 (
= 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. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The definition and measurement of human capital resources: A content and meta-analytic review
- Creators
- Liwen Zhang - University of MacauChad H Van Iddekinge - Tippie College of Business.Robert E Ployhart - Darla Moore School of Business.John D Arnold - Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business.Samantha L Jordan - G. Brint Ryan College of Business.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of applied psychology, Vol.108(9), pp.1486-1514
- DOI
- 10.1037/apl0001088
- PMID
- 37036689
- ISSN
- 0021-9010
- eISSN
- 1939-1854
- Grant note
- UNSW Sydney
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 04/10/2023
- Date published
- 09/2023
- Academic Unit
- Management and Entrepreneurship
- Record Identifier
- 9984391226902771
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