The paradox of dual orientation in human resource practices and its cross-level effect on innovation

This paper leverages paradoxical theorizing to develop the scale for Ambidextrous Human Resource Practices (AHRP) and contributes to the literature on emerging economies by providing a guide for managers on best practices for implementing ambidexterity within HR. A mixed −methods approach was used. Study 1 generated the item pool for the AHRP scale with the help of extant literature and in-depth interviews conducted with 37 managers from five large Chinese firms, including two Fortune 500 companies. The items generated in Study 1 were tested for validation through a second study with a sample of 216 employees. Study 3 employed multilevel structural equation modeling on data from 257 employees across 64 teams from 31 firms. The AHRP construct was developed with two dimensions: commitment-oriented HR practices (HRP-CM) and cooperation-oriented HR practices (HRP-CO). Analysis of multisource data indicates that AHRPs at the firm level had a strong positive relationship with innovation performance at the team level.