The productivity puzzle, management practices and leadership

cover, The productivity puzzle, management practices and leadership, Eda Aral
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Dissertation on the impact of management practices, CEO leadership, and human resources on productivity differences between firms, with specific attention to contextual factors, their role in export performance, and the integration of multidisciplinary insights.
This dissertation investigates the variation in productivity across firms and the role of management practices, leadership, and human resources in explaining these differences. It consists of three empirical studies, each addressing a specific aspect of productivity and management. The first study examines the effectiveness of people management practices across fourteen countries, finding that the effectiveness of these practices is positively associated with a firm's human capital, without significant moderation by cultural or legal factors. The second study focuses on the role of CEO leadership and demonstrates that both CEO leadership behaviors and management practices independently contribute to firm productivity.

The third study explores the relationship between management practices, productivity, and export performance in Dutch manufacturing firms. The findings show that better-managed firms tend to have higher productivity and export revenues, indicating a link between management practices and the heterogeneity of firms' export performances. This dissertation provides valuable insights for both academics and practitioners on the impact of management on firm outcomes, with implications for how firms can optimize their management strategies to achieve better performance at both the national and international levels.

Aral, E. (2024). The productivity puzzle, management practices and leadership. Dissertation, University of Groningen, doi:10.33612/diss.881529833.