Abstract

Our aim consists of understanding the process of innovation from a fourth perspective: (1) identification of the most appropriate competitive strategy; (2) the mediating role that human resources development has; (3) the decisive role of human resources in the development of organizational commitment; and, finally, (4) the effect of organizational commitment on organizational results. We test the model in Biotechnology Canadian companies. The results of the structural equation model proposed show that companies with a first-mover strategy have more successful innovation results and that human resource practices exert a key influence in generating organizational commitment. These results allows us, first, to ensure that human resource practices are a critical mechanism through which organizations generate flexible working philosophy and, second, align behaviours and skills of employees to achieve commitment. Implications for biotechnology managers are analyzed and future streams of research are provided.

Key words:  Innovation strategy, commitment, human resource practices, biotechnology.