The effects of high-performance work practices and job embeddedness on flight attendants’ performance outcomes Osman M. Karatepe * , Sanaz Vatankhah 1 Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazimagusa, TRNC, Via Mersin 10, 95, Turkey Keywords: Flight attendants High-performance work practices Iran Job embeddedness Performance outcomes abstract This paper proposes and tests a conceptual model that investigates job embeddedness (JE) as a mediator of the effects of high-performance work practices (HPWPs), as manifested by selective staffing, job se- curity, training, empowerment, rewards, teamwork, and career opportunities, on creative performance (CP) and extra-role customer service (ERCS). Data obtained from flight attendants with a time lag of two weeks in Iran were used to test the aforementioned relationships through structural equation modeling. The results suggest that JE functions as a full mediator of the joint effects of HPWPs on performance outcomes. Specifically, HPWPs jointly enhance JE. JE in turn leads to elevated levels of CP and ERCS. Implications of the results are discussed and future research directions are offered. Ó 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction In today’s intense competitive air transport market environ- ment where there are increased price pressures from low-cost carriers and continuously evolving demands of discerning pas- sengers, delivery of service quality and service recovery as well as retention of loyal passengers are keys to success and survival. Flight attendants play a critical role in this process (Fu, 2013; Hvass and Torfadóttir, 2014; Nget al., 2011). Such employees are expected to contribute to their organization by making constructive sugges- tions for service improvements and offering creative solutions to passenger problems. Taking advantage of new service ideas pro- vided by flight attendants is important among airline companies such as Singapore Airlines and JetBlue (Lages and Piercy, 2012; Wirtz et al., 2008). With this stated, it appears that creative per- formance (CP) becomes a requirement for in-flight service jobs. CP refers to the amount of new ideas generated and novel behavior displayed by employees in carrying out job-related tasks (Wang and Netemeyer, 2004). Despite this realization, flight attendants are confronted with stressful and demanding situations associated with long hours, role overload, jetlag, emotional dissonance, aggressive and unruly pas- sengers, and burnout (e.g., Chen and Kao, 2011; Hsu and Liu, 2012; Ng et al., 2011). Under these circumstances, airline companies should find ways to establish and maintain a work environment where flight attendants are motivated to perform their jobs suc- cessfully and significantly contribute to an effective management of passenger services. This means that expecting flight attendants to display positive performance outcomes requires a work environ- ment where there are high-performance work practices (HPWPs). Human resource activities which are performance-enhancing are regarded as HPWPs. The availability of HPWPs such as training, selective staffing, empowerment and rewards increases the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the potential and current em- ployees and motivates them to enhance their performance in the service delivery process and remain in the organization (Combs et al., 2006; Rhoden et al., 2008; Wirtz et al., 2008). Employees with HPWPs that are relevant and significant for in-flight service jobs are likely to be embedded in their jobs. Such employees in turn display CP and extra-role customer service (ERCS) which refers to “discretionary behaviors of contact employees in serving customers that extend beyond formal role requirements” (Bettencourt and Brown, 1997 , p. 41). Job embeddedness (JE) is a relatively emerging concept in the current literature that centers on the combined forces keeping employees embedded in their jobs. Links, fit and sacrifice are the dimensions of JE. Links are defined as “formal or informal con- nections between a person and institutions or other people”, while fit refers to “an employee’s perceived compatibility or comfort with an organization and with his or her environment” (Mitchell et al., 2001 , p. 1105). Finally, sacrifice refers to “the perceived cost of * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ90 392 630 1116; fax: þ90 392 365 1584. E-mail addresses: osman.karatepe@emu.edu.tr (O.M. Karatepe), sanazvatankhah@yahoo.com (S. Vatankhah). 1 Tel.: þ90 392 630 1682; fax: þ90 392 365 1584. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Air Transport Management journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jairtraman http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2014.01.008 0969-6997/Ó 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Journal of Air Transport Management 37 (2014) 27e35