The impact of HRM strength on employee innovation: a conservation of resources and innovation path model perspective

Abstract

With the acceleration of globalization and rapid technological change, innovation has become a critical driver for enterprises to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage in the fiercely competitive market. How to stimulate employees’ innovation potential through effective human resource management (HRM) practices and, in turn, enhance the overall innovation performance of enterprises has gradually become a highly concerning issue in both academia and the business world. This study focuses on exploring the mechanism of the impact of HRM strength on employee innovation. It aims to clarify how the three dimensions of HRM—Salience, Consistency, and Consensus—indirectly affect employee innovation through psychological safety and psychological capital. This study further verifies the applicability of the Conservation of Resource (COR) theory and the innovation path model in the field of HRM, attempting to provide theoretical support for enterprises to build a more effective management model. This study employed a questionnaire survey method, collecting data from employees of six technology-based enterprises in the western and southwestern regions of China. These enterprises are distributed across different industries, and the sample has a certain degree of representativeness. By constructing a structural equation model (SEM), the data were quantitatively analyzed, revealing how HRM strength promotes innovation by enhancing employees’ psychological resources. The study adopted rigorous hypothesis testing and path analysis to ensure the scientific validity and credibility of the research conclusions.