Slash and burn or nip and tuck? Downsizing, innovation and human resources

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Author(s)
Mellahi, Kamel
Wilkinson, Adrian
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2010
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Workforce downsizing has become a popular human resource practice by management over the last few decades. But surprisingly its impact on a number of organizational outcomes remains ambiguous. In this study we examine the link between different types of employee downsizing and organizational innovativeness. Our results, based on a survey of UK firms, indicate that the impact of workforce downsizing on innovation is contingent on the speed of implementation and the motive for downsizing. Contrary to expectations, the results reveal that the size of the workforce reduction has no significant impact on innovation.Workforce downsizing has become a popular human resource practice by management over the last few decades. But surprisingly its impact on a number of organizational outcomes remains ambiguous. In this study we examine the link between different types of employee downsizing and organizational innovativeness. Our results, based on a survey of UK firms, indicate that the impact of workforce downsizing on innovation is contingent on the speed of implementation and the motive for downsizing. Contrary to expectations, the results reveal that the size of the workforce reduction has no significant impact on innovation.
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Journal Title
International Journal of Human Resource Management
Volume
21
Issue
13
Copyright Statement
© 2010 Routledge. This is an electronic version of an article published in International Journal of Human Resource Management Vol. 21(13), 2010, pp. 2291-2305. International Journal of Human Resource Management is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com with the open URL of your article.
Subject
Business systems in context not elsewhere classified
Marketing
Policy and administration