04 June, 2019

What human resource systems, policies, and practices of firms are linked to motivationally-relevant human capital attributes, such as employee-managers’ job satisfaction, commitment to their organisation, and willingness to change, and what are the implications for public policy?

Questions addressed in the latest publication from the Hincks Centre, co-authored by Prof Helena Lenihan (University of Limerick), Dr Helen McGuirk (Hincks Centre) and Prof Kevin Murphy (University of Limerick) was published this month in Research Policy. This is the leading journal in the field of innovation studies and is ranked 4 elite (4*) in the ABS rankings. The article can be downloaded by clicking the following:

Lenihan, H., McGuirk, H., & Murphy, K. (2019). Driving innovation: Public policy and human capital. Research Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2019.04.015

Article highlights

• Knowledge does not fully capture human capital as a driver of firm-level innovation

• Motivationally-relevant human capital supports firm-level innovation

• Human resource systems in firms support motivationally-relevant human capital

• Policy interventions help firms develop and monitor human resources for innovation

• Proposes a new policy program to support human capital as a driver of innovation