Date of Award

2026

Keywords

human resource practices, public sector HRM, service-oriented HR practices, employee reactions, employee attitudes and behaviour, customer satisfaction

Document Type

Thesis - ECU Access Only

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

School

School of Business and Law

First Supervisor

Pattanee Susomrith ORCID iD 0000-0002-5558-1653

Second Supervisor

Janice Redmond ORCID iD 0000-0001-6142-5844

Abstract

There is a dearth of literature examining whether public sector human resource management (HRM) interventions in Sri Lanka contribute to the satisfaction of service recipients. Accordingly, the current research was conducted to address the overarching research question: ‘What relationships, if any, do service-oriented HR practices have with employee behavioural and attitudinal reactions that potentially contribute to satisfaction of service recipients in Sri Lankan public sector organisations?’. The study was guided by three sub-questions that focused on: (1) the relationship between service-oriented HR practices and employee reactions; (2) the relative effects of the three meta-features of human resource system strength (HRSS) on the relationship between service-oriented HR practices and employee reactions; and (3) the effect of service climate on the relationship between service-oriented HR practices and employee reactions.

The research involved a cross-sectional survey of 100 Sri Lankan public sector organisations. Service-oriented HR practices were operationalised as a bundle comprising employee involvement, service training, and performance evaluations based on employees’ service performance. Employee attitudinal and behavioural reactions studied were affective organisational commitment (AC), positive emotional display (PED), and customer-oriented organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). Data were collected in two phases via postal and online surveys and analysed using hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) and hierarchical multiple regression.

Findings revealed that service-oriented HR practices significantly enhance AC and customer-oriented OCB, but not PED, suggesting boundary conditions in behavioural responses. Among HRSS meta-features, consensus positively moderated the service-oriented HR practices–AC link, while distinctiveness positively moderated the service-oriented HR practices–customer-oriented OCB relationship. Interestingly, high consensus negatively moderated the service-oriented HR practices–customer-oriented OCB relationship. This suggests that uniform expectations may suppress discretionary effort. Consistency showed no significant effects. Contrary to expectations, the study revealed that service climate did not significantly moderate any service-oriented HR practices–employee reaction relationship. This finding implies that service climate does not notably influence how employees respond to HR practices implemented in Sri Lankan public sector organisations. The divergence of this empirical evidence may stem from the characteristics of the Sri Lankan public sector context where hierarchical structures, political influence, and policy volatility can negatively impact the service-driven interventions.

Overall, the study contributes to HRM literature by evidencing that strategically configured service-oriented HR practices can foster AC and customer-oriented OCB. However, the nuanced effects of HRSS and the negligible role of service climate underscore the need for context-sensitive HRM reforms. Future research should incorporate customer-level outcomes and longitudinal designs to better inform responsive, customer-oriented HRM interventions in Sri Lankan public sector organisations.

Comments

Author also known as Chamila Wijekuruppu 

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Access to this thesis is embargoed until 7th November 2031 

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