From systems to success: how high-performance work systems foster entrepreneurial orientation in the UAE

Purpose This study examines the mechanisms by which high-performance work systems (HPWSs) affect employees' entrepreneurial self-efficacy and orientation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While previous research has demonstrated a link between management practices and entrepreneurial behavior, the mediating processes remain underexplored, particularly in non-Western settings. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) framework, the study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze data collected from 834 participants through time-lagged surveys. The model tests the direct and indirect effects of HPWSs on entrepreneurial self-efficacy and orientation, incorporating knowledge sharing and relational psychological contracts as mediators. Findings Results confirm that HPWSs are positively and significantly associated with entrepreneurial self-efficacy and orientation. Moreover, knowledge sharing and relational psychological contracts both positively and significantly mediate the relationship between HPWS and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, thereby clarifying the underlying mechanism by which management practices promote entrepreneurial outcomes. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by integrating the AMO framework with entrepreneurial behavior theory in the under-researched context of the UAE. It provides empirical evidence for the dual mediating roles of knowledge sharing and relational psychological contracts, elements rarely examined together in relation to HPWSs and entrepreneurial orientation.