The Impact of Human Capital Development and Strategic Human Resource Management on Sustainable Competitive Advantage Based on Mediating Role of Organizational Commitment

Background and Purpose: Attention to the issue of human capital development and strategic human resource management (SHRM) and their impact on sustainable competitive advantage through the mediating role of organizational commitment is important and necessary from several perspectives: (1) human capital development enhances employees’ knowledge, skills, and abilities, thereby increasing organizational innovation capacity, productivity, and adaptability; (2) strategic human resource management, by aligning human resource management practices with organizational strategies, provides an effective foundation for the development of human capital; (3) these two factors, in turn, strengthen employees’ organizational commitment by fostering perceptions of organizational support, justice, and career development opportunities; (4) high levels of organizational commitment lead to reduced turnover, increased extra-role behaviors, improved safety, and higher quality performance; (5) based on the resource-based view, developed human capital and aligned human resource management systems create valuable, rare, and inimitable resources; and (6) ultimately, this causal chain contributes to the formation of sustainable competitive advantage through sustained human performance. Accordingly, the present study aims to investigate the effects of human capital development and strategic human resource management practices on sustainable competitive advantage, considering the mediating role of organizational commitment in companies operating in the oil industry of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Methodology: This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive–survey in terms of methodology. The statistical population consisted of experts and managers working in companies active in the oil industry of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample of 272 respondents was selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire comprising four main constructs and 17 components. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through content validity and confirmatory factor analysis, while its reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS and LISREL software, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the research hypotheses.
Findings: The results indicated that human capital development and strategic human resource management practices have a positive and significant effect on sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, these two variables exert a stronger influence on sustainable competitive advantage through enhancing employees’ organizational commitment. In other words, organizational commitment plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between human capital development, strategic human resource management practices, and sustainable competitive advantage.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, simultaneous attention to the development of employees’ competencies and the implementation of strategic approaches in human resource management, through the enhancement of organizational commitment, can provide a foundation for achieving sustainable competitive advantage.