Entrepreneurial leadership, human capital management, and global competitiveness: An empirical study of Taiwanese MNCs

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships among top management teams' (TMS) entrepreneurial leadership, international human capital management (IHCM), and global competitiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Given the exploratory nature of this research, the authors adopted a purposive sampling process and targeted companies headquartered in Taiwan but with foreign subsidiaries. In addition to in‐depth interview, a questionnaires survey was administered to secure information from either top managers or human resources professionals. Altogether, 114 companies took part in the study.

Findings

The results indicated that entrepreneurial leadership of TMS not only had direct positive influences on a firm's IHCM, but also had indirect positive influences on a firm's global competiveness through the meditating effects of IHCM.

Originality/value

One contribution of this study is the development of appropriate metrics to measure a firm's “IHCM” practices that enhance a firm's global competiveness. A second contribution is the development of metrics of a firm's global competiveness and to explain a firm's global competiveness from a human capital management perspective. Additionally, this study contributed to the literature by empirically investigating the mediating effect of IHCM on the relationship between TMS entrepreneurial leadership and global competiveness relationship.

Citation

Ling, Y. and Jaw, B. (2011), "Entrepreneurial leadership, human capital management, and global competitiveness: An empirical study of Taiwanese MNCs", Journal of Chinese Human Resource Management, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 117-135. https://doi.org/10.1108/20408001111179168