Relational spaces for knowledge management in multinational companies

Mayrhofer, U., Management of Multinational Companies: A French Perspective, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013 1 A Capsule Summary of the Book and Its Review Management of Multinational Companies: A French Perspective is the collaborative work of junior and senior researchers from IAE Lyon (Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University). At the same time, it is the English version of Le management des firmes multinationales, published in 2011 at Editions Magnard-Vuibert. Edited by Ulrike Mayrhofer, Professor of Management at IAE Lyon, this volume treats questions of how Multinational Companies (MNCs) deal with increasing complexity and rapid changes in today's global economy. While these aspects are relevant for any MNC, this book adds a contextual perspective, particularly focusing on French multinationals and MNCs operating in France. This combination reflects the authors' awareness "that the management of MNCs remains highly contextualized, and that it is necessary to renew concepts and tools likely to guide managers" (p. xvii). It thus grants insights into current challenges of international management as well as into the often-omitted group of French global players. This review is supposed to provide the information and critique necessary for judging the adequacy, usefulness and value of the proposed object of investigation-the modern MNC--and the French perspective on it. 2 Objective and Targeted Audience As stated in Alan Rugman's foreword and Ulrike Mayrhofer's introduction, it is the declared goal of this book to analyze the nature, strategies, practices and future plans of multinational companies active in the French economy. Focusing on the MNC as the central unit of analysis, this volume aims at putting forward an object of study that has not yet attracted exuberant attention in French academic research. It is the main objective of this book to fill this gap by providing empirically grounded insights from a variety of corporate contexts. The targeted audience is not explicitly stated. However, due to its "French perspective" and interest in MNCs' strategies and practices, Management of Multinational Companies addresses all those studying international management (IM) with special interest in France. By means of its contextual perspective, cross-cultural management students and researchers are equally targeted. Compared to its prior French edition, the English version of this "'journey' to the heart of French MNCs and foreign MNCs located in France" (p. 248) makes its reflections accessible to an even larger audience. 3 Structure and Contents Management of Multinational Companies: A French perspective starts with a foreword by Alan Rugman and an introduction by the editor, Ulrike Mayrhofer. The main part of the book contains three chapters of approximately the same length: part I discusses New challenges of Multinational Companies in a Rapidly Changing Global Environment, part II contains articles regarding The Complexity of International Management: Headquarters-Subsidiaries Relationships, and part III focuses on Management of Multiple Partnerships Formed By Multinational Companies. Each of those parts contains five contributions. The compilation ends with a conclusion also written by Ulrike Mayrhofer, the editor. 3.1 Part I The first part of the book focuses on the new challenges MNCs face in today's global economy. It deals with a variety of meta-trends (e.g. diversified geographic expansion, fragmentation of the value-chain, the rise of new MNCs etc.) and the consequential need for persistent organizational (re-)configuration. Thus, this part connects the subsequent contributions focusing on MNCs in France (part II and III) with existing research on MNCs and their regional nature: Chapter 1 by the editor, Ulrike Mayrhofer, discusses the ontological question "What is the nature of MNCs?", their role in the context of economic globalization as well as the (evolution) of managerial coping and internationalization strategies. …

Davit Katamadze E-mail: qatamadze.davit@bsu.edu.ge Associate Professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2992-9326 Indira Davitadze E-mail: idavitadze91@gmail.com PhD student, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6506-5273 Abstract: Human resource management in modern multinational companies is characterized by certain difficulties, because such companies employ people of different nationalities, religions, cultures, different mentality and ethics, who prefer different forms of communication and management. The desire to manage with a different approach to organizational structure, culture and strategy creates problems in the management of human resources of multinational companies, these problems need proper research and solutions. The purpose of the study is to determine the challenges in the field of human resources management by multinational companies, to fairly evaluate the activities of expatriates and managers working in foreign companies and to protect their rights. Methods of data collection and observation were used in the development of the paper. The data collection method is mainly used to evaluate the human resources activities of multinational companies, and the observation method is used to identify the challenges and potential in the activities of expatriates, based on which the ways to solve the challenges in the field of human resources management of multinational companies were determined. As a result of the research, the factors affecting the management of human resources in multinational companies were identified, the elimination of which will help to increase the competitiveness of multinational companies and raise the level of qualification of the personnel employed in them. In order to eliminate the problems arising during the management of human resources in modern multinational companies, we have developed recommendations, the consideration of which significantly improves the process of human resources management in multinational companies. Keywords: Human resources management, multinational companies, expatriates, performance evaluation of managers. JEL classification: J53, J6, F22, F23

This article examines a cross-section of the problems associated with human resources management in multinational companies that HR department managers face in their practice. Since the second half of the 20th century, transnational corporations began to enter foreign markets and face the challenges posed by culturally diverse staff at subsidiaries. Until now, the problems of human resource management in a cross-cultural environment have not lost their relevance. The authors cover the issues of human resource management policies standardization/ adaptation in multinational companies, cultural differences as a necessary condition for human resource management, intercultural communications. This study aimed to help managers of human resource management departments of multinational companies to remove obstacles and see new opportunities for HR management in an intercultural environment.

Purpose– The HRM literature provides various typologies of the HR managers’ roles in organizations. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the roles and required competencies of HR managers in Slovenian multinational companies change when these companies enter the international arena.Design/methodology/approach– The authors explored the total population of 25 Slovenian multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Serbia. In these companies the authors conducted interviews with 16 expatriates working in branches in Serbia, sent questionnaires to the CEOs, and conducted a survey of 50 HR managers and interviews with 15 of them. The authors used a triangulation approach and analyzed the results by multivariate methods and content analysis.Findings– The authors found that the complexity of HR managers’ roles, and expectations of their competencies, increases with an increasing level of internationalization of companies. Orientation to people and conflict resolution are seen as elementary competencies needed in all stages of internationalization. The key competence is seen to be strategic thinking that, according to CEOs and expatriates, goes hand in hand with cultural sensitivity, openness to change and a comprehensive understanding of the international environment and business processes.Practical implications– These results can potentially be used for assessing the HRM roles and competencies in different stages of company internationalization, especially MNCs operating in the ex-communist states of Europe, and will help HR managers to support expatriates, CEOs and other employees working in branches abroad more efficiently.Originality/value– This study contributes to the review and evaluation of the quite limited research on HR managers’ roles and competencies in MNCs. It focuses on MNCs and outward internationalization in the Central and Eastern European region. It contributes to studies of the HR managers’ roles and competencies and is the first study to establish a set of roles and competencies for HR managers in Slovenian MNCs.

Due to increasing doubt regarding the ability of multinational companies to recruit the right manager for complex company tasks, this paper describes and analyses the general approaches and administration strategies exercised by expatriate and local managers in multinational companies. Descriptive research is performed by analysing questionnaires administered to 705 employees across 25 multinational corporations in three large cities in China, including Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. The results reveal that local managers are strongly correlated with lateness, while expatriate managers are correlated with time off. However, the results also show the pros and cons of recruiting expatriate and local managers in multinational companies. The research shows that expatriate and local managers’ management practices have outstanding value for multinational business success. The concept of differences in the management practices of expatriate and local managers in multinational corporations is an innovative notion. The paper highlights that both expatriate and local managers have a positive impact on multinational growth and success.

The importance of language management in multinational companies has never been greater than today. Multinationals are becoming ever more conscious of the importance of global coordination as a source of competitive advantage, and language remains the ultimate barrier to aspirations of international harmonisation. The article reviews the solutions open to multinational companies in term of language management. Before that, however, it discusses the aforementioned trend to globalisation outlines the dimensions of the language barrier and illustrates its consequences.

Under the background of globalization, multinational companies not only quantity increased obviously, but also plays a more and more important role in the world. In different cultural environments, it is very important for multinational companies to use human resource management effectively to promote their operation. By analyzing the current situation of human resource management of Hilton Hotels, this paper explored the universal management experience, hoping to provide reference for the development of China’s multinational hotels.

Introduction (Michel C. Moral, Geoffrey Abbot and Daniele Darmouni) Section 1: International Coaching Frameworks and Tools 1. Considerations on the Emergence of Organizational Coaching: International Perspectives (Michel C. Moral and Sabine K. Henrichfreise) 2. Integral Coaching: Cultivating a Cultural Sensibility through Executive Coaching (Hilary Armstrong) 3. Coaching to Hidden Frames: Facilitating Transformational Change in Complex Environments (L. Michael Hall, Michelle Duval and Omar Salom) 4. Identity, Liminality and Development: An Intrapersonal View of Intercultural Sensitivity (David B. Drake) 5. Ontological Coaching: Intercultural Coaching and Trust (Julio Olalla and the Newfield Community) 6. Coaching for Emotional Intelligence in International Business Environments: Challenges and Opportunities (Geetu Bharwaney and Ari Jokilaakso) 7. Coaching International Leaders to Succeed Collectively: The Re-Genesis of Collective Intelligence, Our Genuine Capacity of Collectively Creating our Future (Sabine K. Henrichfreise) 8. The Heart of Cross-Cultural Creation: Inclusion and Presence that Produce Something Greater (Daniele Darmouni and Margaret A. Krigbaum) 9. Stimulating Adversarial Growth in Cultural Uncertainty: A Survival Guide for International Executives and their Coaches (Eddie Lievrouw) 10. Fostering Individual and Collective Development Using the Cultural Orientations Framework (COF(TM)) Assessment (Philippe Rosinski) 11. Intercultural Coaching Tools: A Constructivist Approach (Monika Verhulst and Rebecca Sprengel) Section 2: Organizational Challenges and Opportunities - Individual 12. Coaching Expatriate Executives: Working in Context across the Affective, Behavioral and Cognitive Domains (Geoffrey Abbot and Bruce W. Stening) 13. Couples Coaching for Expatriate Couples: A Sound Investment for International Businesses (Andrew L. Miser and Martha F. Miser) 14. Coaching Women Managers in Multinational Companies (Katrina Burrus) 15. Coaching Managers in Multinational Companies: Myths and Realities of the Global Nomadic Leader (Katrina Burrus) Section 3: Organizational Challenges and Opportunities - Collective 16. When Far East Meets West: Seeking Cultural Synthesis through Coaching (Ho Law, Leon Laulusa and Grace Cheng) 17. Executive Team Coaching in Multinational Companies (Michel C. Moral) 18. Coaching with Global Virtual Teams: An Action Research Perspective (Geoffrey Abbot) 19. Interactive Consulting with Corporate Ventures (Jean-Marc Loeser and Katrina Burrus) 20. Executive Coaching through Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions: A Powerful Yet Under-Utilized Intervention (Geoffrey Abbot) 21. International Coaching: A Global Human Resources Perspective (Marie-Brigitte Bissen, Judith Chapman, Paul-Michael Schonenberg and Rita Knott) 22. Choosing Coaches for International Business Leaders?: Qualities and Characteristics (Geoffrey Abbot and Chip McFarlane) Conclusion (Michel C. Moral and Geoffrey Abbot)

Managers in multinational companies have to deal with the same problems as the manager in the home country and many more. First, they have to adapt to a new country's language and culture, and learn how to fit in with the people. Second, they need to learn the country's laws concerning ownership, taxes, and banking. Third, they have to be very careful in the way they train the workers, so as not to be too assertive. If the manager moves too fast, the workers may resent it and consider the approach imperialist. So the manager has many things to deal with, and the success of the business depends on how the manager handles them.

This paper investigates corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy management in multinational companies (MNCs). The focus is on examining the relationship between subsidiaries and headquarters in the management of CSR, in terms of the commonplace notion of ‘think global, act local’. Primary and secondary data was collected in one MNC and a case study produced. The findings show that the initiative to launch a CSR policy is taken and enacted exclusively by the headquarters, mainly as an answer to the financial and legal pressure felt to accompany the present widespread interest in CSR. Findings are articulated around three major steps used to manage CSR initiatives: the determination of values, the integration of those values in action and the evaluation of the policy. Consistency of policy is driven from headquarters, through adoption of a corporate value framework, while the implementation is to some extent localised. Feedback from subsidiaries is collected and shared by the centre, which also seeks out synergies in pursuit of increased efficiency. Corporate structure is therefore linked to CSR management. Implementation is observed to comprise three parts: the headquarters seek to motivate local actions through reference to the company culture, through directive measures, and by pedagogic action. Pedagogy comes out as necessary in order for the CSR policy to permeate the entire organisation and initiate the right actions and reactions in the variety of situations encountered throughout the organisation. Constant scrutiny and evaluation are considered necessary in order to sustain the credibility of the policy in relation to external stakeholders.

This research aims to identify and analyse the implementation of the Business Judgement Rule principle in the management of multinational company which includes the regulatory position and the application of the Business Judgement Rule principle policy which is the standard and values of the company specifically applied from the leadership to employees at Multinational Company. This research uses normative juridical legal research methods and is conducted with a statutory approach, namely with library materials and secondary data including laws and regulations, legal principles and comparative legal research. This research also takes a conceptual approach, namely analysing the concept of policies and standards in companies using legal logic reasoning. The results of this study indicate that the position and internal management policies of multinational companies, which have implemented general principles in accordance with the principles of the Business Judgement Rule (BJR) as stated in Article 97 paragraph (5) of Law No. 40 of 2007 concerning Limited Liability Companies. In terms of the application of the Business Judgement Rule (BJR) principle, multinational companies have specifically issued comprehensive local standards and guidelines to regulate and drive the expected behaviour of employees from the board of directors to the staff level in making strategic and operational decisions for business continuity in Indonesia.

This qualitative research explores the implications of digital taxation on the financial management practices of multinational companies (MNCs). Employing a systematic review methodology, the study aims to elucidate the impact of digital taxation regimes on MNCs' transfer pricing strategies, profit repatriation decisions, and compliance costs. By analyzing a diverse range of literature from academic databases and reputable sources, the research identifies key themes and insights relevant to the evolving landscape of digital taxation. Findings reveal that digital taxation has prompted MNCs to adapt their transfer pricing methodologies to reflect the value generated by digital activities, ensuring compliance with tax regulations and minimizing tax risks. Moreover, digital taxation influences MNCs' profit repatriation strategies, as they seek to optimize after-tax returns while navigating the complexities of global tax regimes. The study highlights the challenges posed by compliance costs and regulatory uncertainty in the digital taxation landscape, underscoring the need for adaptive strategies and technological solutions to enhance MNCs' financial resilience. Theoretical implications suggest the importance of further research to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms through which digital taxation affects MNCs' financial management practices. Longitudinal studies and comparative analyses across jurisdictions are recommended to inform policy development and managerial decision-making in the dynamic realm of digital taxation. This research contributes to the academic discourse on digital taxation and provides practical insights for MNCs seeking to navigate the complexities of the digital economy.

This paper discusses the impact of globalization processes on models of R&D personnel management in multinational companies operating in Europe. Existing literature focuses on the globalization of R&D activity, on the one hand, and on national systems of innovation, on the other. By contrast, there are few studies of the linkage between the globalization of R&D and its impact on HRM. Drawing on the practices of multinationals in four sectors (pharmaceuticals, chemicals, computer hardware and software), the paper examines whether the hold of national differences in the area of HRM has been significantly weakened in the face of new models of competitiveness and management in multinationals. It focuses on two dimensions: recruitment and mobility. The studies highlight two major trends. The ‘internationalization’ of R&D clearly has effects on HRM models but not as great as might be expected. HRM policies such as recruitment and pay systems continue to be nationally based, reflecting legal and institutional differences. At the same time, in conjunction with new forms of R&D organization such as projects, the standardization of HRM tools may be observed. But this is partial and affects only a limited number of tools, notably individual evaluation.

This study started from the question that discussion on relationship between job characteristics in human resources management and organizational culture has not been much developed. The aim of this study is to explore relationship among organizational culture, job characteristics and organizational commitment. Additionally the study includes exploring if job characteristics can play a mediating role in between organizational culture and organizational commitment. Employees in multi-national companies are selected as proper targets. The multi-national companies have different organizational culture compared to the mother company as well as the local companies having employees from multi-cultural background, and even job designs are affected by the mother company, which can explain relationship of set variable effectively. With concept of an organizational culture coming from the five(5) cultural dimensions of Hofstede(1984), the three out of five cultural dimensions: high uncertainty avoidance, long term-short term orientation, and individualism-collectivism were used in this study, based on factor analysis results of a previous research. Most multi-cultural companies value positive relationship with the local members and organizational commitment. Rather than an external factor such as salary, whether employees are satisfied with the work itself or job characteristics is deemed as an important factor to increase organizational commitment. The job characteristics are classified into 5 sub-factors: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback with which the employees tend to experience motivation and job satisfaction, and consequently better organizational achievement. The multinational companies need to treat the job design in regards to job characteristics in a cultural point of view. Compared to a single organization, multinational companies require much more understanding about language barrier and employees’ culture. As major concepts of variables are presented above, the study was set out. By analyzing the responses of 283 employees of foreign multinational companies in Seoul, the following implications and limitations were found. First of all, the organizational culture multinational companies has a positive effect on organizational commitment and it was found that the bigger the uncertainty avoidance, long term orientation and collectivism, the higher the organizational engagement. The long-term orientation affects on productivity indices such as organizational commitment, meaning that the eastern oriental value with the long-term point of view can work effectively in the multinational companies. This result also found that the Korean members do not prefer uncertain work environment, which the multi-national companies those seek for profit rather than stability and short term achievement rather than long term achievement should consider. It is shown that the collectivism affect more on organizational commitment than individualism, as in other previous researches. These results will provide practical implications to the executives as well as the managers of multinational companies in regards to organizational design and management within Korea. Second, among the organization culture of multinational companies uncertainty avoidance and long term orientation had a positive relationship with the five job characteristics. However, individualism-collectivism gave a positive effect on skill variety only out of the job characteristics while showing a negative effect on feedback, having no significant effect on other three.

This study provides a systematic review of literature on the analytical perspectives and empirical research on human resource policy and practice in multinational companies (MNCs) in Africa. There is a need to ‘take stock’ of research publications on HRM in MNCs in Africa both intellectually and practically. The review identifies modes of analysis and thematic approaches in HRM literature on MNCs in Africa. The results provide support for particular clusters of research literature. These pertain to interests and motivations of MNCs, comparative political economy and institutional theory, labour market and HRM modes of analysis, cultural paradigms of indigenous management thought and clusters of HRM practice research. Areas for further research are identified.