Abstract

Very little systematic research today has examined synergistic relationships of human capital (HC), strategic human resource management (SHRM) and human resource management (HRM) in relation to the development, utilization, and dissemination of knowledge and learning capabilities in organizations. Findings from a series of in-depth qualitative interviews with 35 nonprofit executives from 22 Australian nonprofit organizations revealed that synergistic relationships of HC, SHRM and HRM created value that was larger than the total sum of all three concepts, and that relationships acted as catalysts in developing, utilizing and diffusing organizational knowledge and learning capabilities. The paper helps to build a nascent body of literature arguing that synergistic relationships exist among the three salient concepts and resources should be invested in the three concepts not only separately, but also synergistically. Also, it assists to clarify the three seemingly very similar and yet different concepts. The paper is considered as a starting point and serves as a milestone for understanding the significance of synergistic relationships of the three concepts in nonprofit organizations. The increased awareness of the synergistic relationships likely generates further research both within and outside the nonprofit sector. Research limitations and future research directions will be discussed.