Human resource management practices and project success, a moderating role of Islamic Work Ethics in Pakistani project-based organizations

•Significant relationship exists between the IVs (ERS, EPA & ECS) and DV (PS) in Pakistani Project-based Organizations.•ETD( IV) has no significant impact on PS(DV) in Pakistani Project-based Organizations.•Similarities exist in “IWE” and “PWE”.•IWE is significant as moderator in case of relationship of ERS and PS in Pakistani Project-based Organizations.•The moderating effect of IWE on relationship of ETD, EPA & ECS with PS was found insignificant.

Research on the relationship amongst “HR practices” and perceived “project success” in project-based Pakistani organizations is stimulating. Islam deliberates on ethics as a vital factor in day to day life. This study builds direct and moderating hypotheses for the relationship between four selected HR practices (Employees Recruitment & Selection, Employees Training & Development, Employees Performance Appraisals and Employees Compensation System), “project success” (PS) and “Islamic Work Ethics” (IWE) in project-based Pakistani organizations. The hypotheses have been confirmed using survey data collected from “4” major cities of the country using cross sectional design. The findings suggest that less “ETD” all other three HR practices influence PS in project-based Pakistani organizations; moreover, they reveal moderating effects of IWE only on the relationship between practice of “Employees Recruitment & Selection” and PS as perceived by employees in the organizations. The significance, implications and limitations of results have also been deliberated for further research.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide