From external engagement to competitiveness: The mediating roles of knowledge exchange and strategic HRM alignment

This study investigates how external engagement, knowledge exchange, and strategic human resource management jointly shape organisational competitiveness. It addresses three research questions: how external networks influence strategic HRM practices, how external knowledge flows strengthen HR capabilities, and how these dynamics support competitiveness outcomes. Grounded in Strategic HRM and knowledge‑based perspectives, the study positions external engagement as a strategic channel through which organisations access expertise, emerging practices, and global insights that complement internal HR systems. A cross‑sectional survey of HR leaders and senior managers across multiple sectors is combined with secondary data on partnership activity. Partial least squares structural equation modelling is used to examine the relationships between external engagement, knowledge‑sharing practices, HRM alignment, and perceived competitiveness. Key findings show that organisations with stronger outward‑facing relationships report higher levels of knowledge inflow, more coherent HRM alignment with strategic goals, and stronger perceptions of competitiveness. Knowledge‑sharing acts as a central mechanism linking external connections to HR capability development, while HRM alignment serves as a pathway through which external engagement enhances organisational outcomes. The study provides an empirically tested framework that connects the above concepts with HR and show how external networks operate as strategic HR resources to support adaptability, innovation, and long‑term organisational strength.