Scientific Review of Literature Pertaining to High Performance Work Practices

Abstract

Human resources are playing a key role in achieving competitive advantage, and thereby achieving established goals. The primary purpose of this paper is to examine the scholarly literature on high performance work practices (HPWPs) including definitions and components of them. Authors conducted a comprehensive review based on articles published in the past 30 years. The great interest of researchers on HPWPs has caused a variety of definitions. Therefore, the construct of HPWPs does not have an agreed single definition among researchers. The literature review revealed that conceptual confusion exists about the meaning of HPWPs. Therefore, many similar terminologies have been emerged and used interchangeably for the fuzzy notion of HPWPs. Little agreement exists among scholars relating to precise HPWPs that should be included in the HPWP bundle for improving organizational or employee performance.