International Human Resource Management Research Articles

DETERMINANTS OF STANDARDIZATION AND LOCALIZATION OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM) PRACTICES IN MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES’ SUBSIDIARIES: A REVIEW AND IMPLICATIONS

Standardization and localization are two debatable concepts in human resource management of Multinational Companies (MNCs) subsidiaries. Standardization involves conducting subsidiaries HRM practices in similar ways as conducted at headquarters of Multinational Companies while localization is adaptation of subsidiaries HRM practices to ways used by local firms in the host countries of subsidiaries. The objective of this paper was to explore determinants associated with standardization and localization of HRM practices in Multinational Companies’ subsidiaries. Method used was a review of literature retrieved from Google, Google Scholar and Jstor as electronic data bases. Interpretation of findings from the literature showed that there were various determinants associated with standardization and localization of HRM practices in Multinational Companies’ subsidiaries and mostly included: cultural and institutional factors, country-of-origin dominance and HRM approaches adopted by Multinational Companies for overseas subsidiaries. It was concluded that the national contexts of the parent and host countries as reflected in the individual determinants had a huge role to play in standardization and localization of HRM practices such as staffing, training and development, compensation, communication, job design, promotion, recognition, job security, industrial relations, and performance management among MNCs’ subsidiaries. The paper also provided implications to international human resource management practitioners. KEY WORDS: HRM practices, Localization, Standardization, Subsidiaries

Analysis of relevance between international HRM and industry demand: A review of scientific literature

This article attempts to analyze how the relevance of international human resource management and the demands of the world of work through an in-depth study of the evidence findings from the studies of global HR governance and employment experts. In short, we search the literature utilizing an online search. Our analysis involves coding, evaluating, interpreting systems under a phenomenological approach to obtain correct, valid, and reliable answers. So the results of our study can conclude that there is a relevance between international human resource management and the needs of the world of work between countries. The use of international-level human resources to achieve business targets without national borders is known as international human resource management. Thus this input is an addition to the parties involved in the world of international human resources management.

Host country language proficiency and identity: Spanish self-initiated expatriate nurses in Germany

PurposeDespite over 50 years of expatriation research, the implications of expatriation for identity remains an under-researched topic in mainstream international human resource management (IHRM) literature. Expatriation can cause disruption to expatriates' familiar sociocultural environment, which can often pose challenges to their self-concept and identity. The study underpinned by identity and social identity theories explores the perceptions of Spanish self-initiated expatriate (SIE) nurses living in Germany and other Spanish nurses who repatriated from Germany to understand the influence of expatriation on their self-concept and identity.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with Spanish SIE nurses in Germany (n = 20) and others who had repatriated from Germany (n = 10). Data analysis was assisted by NVivo software.FindingsThe study identified that low proficiency in the host country language (HCL) and the problematic workplace interactions that ensued, challenged the participants' self-conceptions as competent professionals and prompted their reliance on social networks of fellow Spaniards for social validation.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough focused on a specific context, the study not only enhances practical understanding of Spanish SIE nurses in Germany but also offers valuable insights to organisations working with SIEs. It adds to extant knowledge on language and identity in the expatriation context and discusses the implications for global HRM related to underutilisation of SIEs' knowledge and skills within organisations.Originality/valueThe study contributes to theory building on the under-researched link between expatriation and identity, while adding to the growing literature on SIEs.

Conflict and socio-cultural adaptation: the mediating and moderating role of conflict communication behaviors and cultural intelligence

Interpersonal interactions of global employees are critical for Socio-Cultural Adaptation (SCA) and effective human resources management in the international environment. To date, research examining the impact of interpersonal process of conflict in effective socio-cultural adaptation in the global environment is limited. In this study, we argue that conflict is pervasive in interpersonal interactions and is likely to impact the success of global employees’ SCA. We propose that employees’ communication and cultural intelligence play important mediating and moderating roles in the link between conflict and SCA. Findings from 241 global organizational employees from over 30 countries suggest that conflict and communication are directly related to SCA. Additionally, aspects of employees’ communication behaviors mediated the link between conflict and SCA, while aspects of cultural intelligence moderated the link between conflict communication behaviors and SCA. These findings extend the literature on SCA and contribute to the further development of the concept of cultural intelligence in relation to human resource management. The implications of our findings for international human resource management are discussed.

EXPATRIATION AFTER THE TERROR ATTACK: A QUALITATIVE INQUIRY FROM HR PERSPECTIVE

Introduction and Main Objective: This study attempted to explain the anxieties from the insights of expatriates and their views related to international assignments in Bangladesh after the Holey Artisan attack in 2016, this study also discusses the immediate and current status of expatriation in Bangladesh. Background Problems: The host countries’ environment plays an important role in accomplishing any overseas assignment. Bangladesh with its ethnicity of warm hospitality has always been an ideal place for expatriates from both novel and similar cultures and environments. Conversely, the recent incidents of terror attacks, notably the major attack at ‘Holey Artisan Bakery’ in 2016 have changed many calculations. Research Method: This qualitative research is a combination of narrative situational analysis and longitudinal study. Primary data was collected through interviews. Findings/Results: Research findings revealed some aftermaths of the attack related to the actions taken by the authority of the state. And how this incident hampered the assignments and work-life balance of the expatriates. Novelty: This particular study contributes to the existing literature of international human resource management with the tools and technics of effective crisis management from the real-life experiences of the expatriates. Conclusion: This study suggests that this is high time for organizations to work on their people and culture management strategies to increase interfaith, intercultural, and multiracial harmony.

The Health Enhancement Impact Of Self Assimilation In Academic Achievement Amongst International Students In Malaysian Public Universities

Malaysia is one of the countries that has become a choice of destination for international students to further their studies. Elements such as recognized international higher learning institution system, the intensive effort of student exchange programme, a calibre teaching team, contemporary and quality courses, an international consolidation with some other best learning institutions in the world together with the connection of regional cooperation are among the collected criteria to portray the ability of Malaysia in attracting more international students. Therefore, the objective of this research is to emphasise the factors that differentiate the first-year experience on self-assimilation as well as academic achievement among international students. The qualitative sampling method involved forty international students who participated voluntarily and data collection was conducted through an in-depth interview technique. The result has generated an understanding on international students’ self-reflection through the nature of their excitement, needs and hopes. Among the factors that were identified were (i) education system in Malaysian Public Universities is seen as a prestigious study destination, (ii) education system Malaysian Public Universities are more comprehensive and versatile, (iii) the learning programmes in Malaysian Universities learning are flexible and dynamic, (iv) the development of the programmes are contemporary and market driven (v) the added value on the benefits using English as a learning and teaching medium in Malaysian Public Universities. Therefore, in examining the quality level of education, it is vital to consider the learning satisfaction among international students in order to have a continuum on the health enhancement impact towards self-assimilation in their academic achievement. The findings are valuable and are useful in showing the significant relevance to the international human resource management Malaysian Public Universities which are dependent on international students at high proportions and applicable in formulating various national higher education policies.

International transfer of vocational education and training: a literature review

ABSTRACT The transferability of vocational education and training (VET) systems is a central issue within international comparative VET research. However, scholars working in related disciplines also focus on the international cooperation associated with VET. This literature review presents relevant findings from the field of VET research, but also from the fields of comparative political economy, comparative educational research, and international human resource management. It explores differences and parallels in research about policy transfer between these fields. For example, scholars working in the comparative political economy and educational sciences tend to focus on transfer activities at the systemic level, while those working in international human resource management tend to focus on regional management strategies, and scholars working in VET research focuses on successes and obstacles associated with cooperation. All of these features are interconnected, providing important insights into the transferability of VET systems. The following discussion begins by exploring the rationales underpinning different disciplinary perspectives on policy transfer in VET. Next, it reviews empirical research on the transfer of VET policies from different disciplinary perspectives. It concludes with a critical reflection on the transfer potential – and how scholars in all relevant disciplines stress the need for cultural sensitivity, adaption, and long-term planning when transferring policy from one country to another.

Exploring perceived innovativeness in Central America and the Caribbean: cross-level interactions of perceived camaraderie, organizational camaraderie climate, and organizational gender diversity

We propose a cross-level perspective on the relationship between individual-level perceived camaraderie and organizational-level camaraderie climate which interact to predict employee perceptions of innovativeness. Additionally, organizational gender diversity weakens the cross-level interaction. We tested our hypotheses by conducting a multi-level study with 39,574 employees working in 53 firms in Central America and the Caribbean. The positive link between perceived camaraderie and perceived innovativeness was stronger in firms with higher organizational camaraderie climate, and this interaction was moderated in firms with more gender diversity. We discuss the international human resource management implications of social context for the organizational gender diversity and innovation literature in an often-overlooked region.

Home sweet home: Creating a sense of place in globally mobile working lives

AbstractGlobalization has transformed spatial relations, increasing the demand for mobility. Literature tends to see the de‐emphasizing of national identity and the foregrounding of a cosmopolitan identity as central to an individual's ability to navigate this global landscape. For individuals who are constantly moving the question is how do globally mobile workers navigate the intersection of identity, meaningfulness and place? This interpretivist study explores this question through an analysis of 68 semi‐structured interviews with individuals engaged in different forms of global mobility, ranging from traditional expatriate assignments through to global commuting and business travel. Our findings highlight how a complex interplay between national and cosmopolitan identities influences the search for meaningfulness in the lives of these workers. Drawing on notions of meaning and place, we argue that employers should provide opportunities to access identity narratives though networking and other international human resource management (IHRM) practices that enable these workers to create a sense of meaningfulness in their lives. Thus, we offer a contribution to identity studies and the field of global mobility.

Benefits and challenges for Malaysian hotels when employing foreign workers and interns

PurposeIn Malaysia, globalization has increased the number of multinational hotel chains and independent five-star hotels employing foreign professionals, interns and labourers. This study aims to explore the benefits and challenges for hotels of the many foreigners working in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with Malaysian hotel managers concerning employment of foreign workers.FindingsThe results indicate that the employment of foreign workers benefits customers, enlarges the hotel’s network of industry contacts and enhances the knowledge, professionalism and service culture of the hotel workforce. This study identified challenges for the foreign workers such as culture shocks and problems with learning the Malay language.Research limitations/implicationsThis is an exploratory qualitative study conducted prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. The unemployment issue is worsened as COVID-19 spreads globally. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first study to examine the positive and negative impacts of foreign workers employment in hotels in Malaysia.Practical implicationsThe employment of foreign workers reduces the availability of jobs for locals. Recommendations are provided for locals to improve their employability and for hotels to better host international interns.Social implicationsThis study highlights the need for balance between the benefits of foreign workers employment, and its challenges such as local unemployment.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is among the first in the international human resources management literature to provide a first-hand perspective of employment of expatriate managers, foreign labourers and interns in hotels in a Southeast Asian developing country.

How Multinational Companies Entrust Digital Applications in Upgrading Employees' Human Resources

Background: The problem of International Human Resources management is inseparable from cultural factors. Due to the cultural differences of each country, it is necessary to adjust the differences with modernization solutions and changing patterns of technological solutions. 
 The purpose of the study: Finally, we set the goal of this study to gain a new understanding of how and why international HR can be solved with digital applications
 Research method: We have analyzed with the help of the Google translation application if there are difficulties in understanding terms and content, then examine the data and evaluation and conclude based on valid and reliable information accuracy. Because we found this data from the results of previous studies, we say our study is secondary data following experts' opinions. Then we also process this study as a qualitative and descriptive study.
 The results of the study: digital technology can convince companies to train their HR; among others, companies can easily prepare their HR upgrades when they apply their digital technology applications. Furthermore, technology also has an essential role in implementing and corporate human resources training, including international companies. Digital has also been proven to be able to transform human resources for international companies. Our findings hope that they will become essential inputs and contributions for further studies and corporate policy issues
 Conclusion: we come to our conclusion that the understanding that we get from the study of many papers published in well-known journals is that the purpose of our study has been obtained, which, among other things, we conclude that digital applications can increase the human resources of international companies because digital applications are indeed an essential element so that companies can easily believe in its superiority.

The future of remote work in Japan: Covid-19’s implications for international human resource management

Objective: The objective of this article is to elaborate how the form of remote work can be hindered in an institutional cultural context in non-Western countries. Research Design & Methods: The article adopts data collection based on public report and news release in reference to the current academic literature of human resource management. Findings: The article finds that the institutional contexts of non-Western countries, unlike those of Western countries, may hinder or limit remote work because of a poor fit between remote work and human resource management (HRM). The article reveals that the cultural context of non-Western countries, such as Japan, may hinder remote work because of collectivism, high context, high power distance, and high uncertainty avoidance. Implications & Recommendations: The article implicates a possible diversity of how remote work can be implemented in relation to the institutional and cultural contexts of both Western and non-Western countries, such as Japan. Contribution & Value Added: The article contributes to future international human resource management by showing that there are some institutional and cultural hindrances to remote work in certain countries. The text contributes to future international business and human resource management by showing that other non-Western countries may have similar problems in terms of the execution of remote work due to contexts that are different institutional and cultural from Western examples.

The nexus of internal market orientation and international HR management

This paper examines Internal Market Orientation (IMO) in the context of international businesses (Multinational Corporations, MNCs) that execute international human resources management (IHRM) to manage their workforce overseas. Grounded in conventional IMO theory, this study suggests a novel iIMO framework that introduces the utilisation of ICTs in IMO and sets business performance metrics as an outcome of iIMO implementation. The viability of the iIMO model was verified following empirical research, which included surveying 650 employees who represent 147 international organisations in the Russian Federation. This paper posits the suitability of the iIMO concept application in the IHRM and affirms its efficacy in the improvement of the MNCs’ business performance.

Flexpatriates: issues and challenges for short-term assignments in the United Arab Emirates

Flexpatriates are sent by their companies to different countries around the globe to execute short-term and important assignments and then immediately return home after completing their project. However, in international human resource management (IHRM) research, attention has mainly been focused on traditional expatriates. Even though alternative arrangements for global mobility, such as flexpatriation, have recently become increasingly popular among multinational corporations (MNCs), this trend seems to have been neglected in previous studies. The present study endeavours to examine the issues and challenges encountered by Western flexpatriates during short-term assignments in the UAE. The results suggest that, with minimal interventions by the human resource (HR) departments, these flexpatriate executives have been proactive while working in the UAE in self-managing their personal and family issues, work-life balance, career issues, and cultural challenges. Finally, the present study provides some suggestions for HR managers in effectively managing flexpatriates and also provides an agenda for future research in this emerging field.

Organizational and comparative institutionalism in internationalHRM: Toward an integrative research agenda

AbstractOver the past two decades, a growing body of research on human resource management (HRM) has analyzed the relationship between international HRM and institutions. This work has primarily been informed by two leading streams of theory—organizational institutionalism and comparative institutionalism. However, these two dominant streams have seen much juxtaposition, but little logical integration. Moreover, scholars have paid little attention to the dynamics of contextualization (more specifically, institutional development and evolution), which limits the relevance of extant research. In this article, we review the extant literatures and their intellectual origins and develop an integrative research agenda that emphasizes the multilevel nature of HRM and evolution under external institutional change.

International HRM in the context of uncertainty and crisis: a systematic review of literature (2000–2018)

This study provides an overview of research on international HRM practices in the context of uncertainty and crisis. With a pool of 72 research articles drawn from 32 journals and published between the years 2000 and 2018, this paper aims to systematically review three distinct research streams within the uncertainty and crisis literature and their effects on international HRM. These three distinct research streams are 1) economic crisis, 2) natural disasters and 3) political uncertainty. In the context of constant economic crisis, we propose further research to explore and integrate high-performance HRM practices and talent management into socially responsible HRM practices. In a natural disaster context, we propose looking into emergency management frameworks within HRM. Finally, in a politically uncertain context, we propose that the development of expatriate assignments and their needs be further investigated. A key contribution of our research is its focus on context and responsiveness in an ever-changing business setting. The importance of boundary conditions and their effect on the implementation of HRM have been overlooked and understudied. A focus on these aspects will provide a nuanced and more realistic understanding of how international HRM unfolds. Relatedly, we consolidate existing research regarding international HRM practices in an uncertainty and crisis context, for our review found it to be scattered and fragmented among disciplines. By doing so, we review existing gaps in the literature and provide a detailed map for future research.

Research insights: Global mobility in a post-covid world1

AbstractHow multinational enterprises staff their global operations has been a key question for researchers in international human resource management (IHRM) for a number of decades. It is widely recognised that getting staffing right on the global scale is key in enabling multinational enterprises (MNEs) to deliver on their strategic objectives. However the landscape of global staffing has been evolving considerably over recent decades with a much more complex landscape of global mobility emerging. The COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant challenge for the future of global mobility and amplifies a number of trends already challenging our understanding of global staffing arrangements. In this paper, we reflect on these challenges and the likely future for global mobility. We also identify some critical areas of focus for scholars in researching global mobility moving forward.

Country institutional environments and international strategy: A review and analysis of the research

We review and analyze the growing body of literature that addresses the institutional context of international strategy. By examining articles in eleven major journals from January 2008 to July 2020, we identify six major categories of international strategies and implementation approaches: market entry and internationalization, political strategies, multinational technology and innovation, multinational corporate social responsibility, multinational headquarters and subsidiary relationships, and international human resources management. A parallel analysis of the relevant institutional variables categorizes institutions into eight types: economic institutions, political institutions, regulatory institutions, normative institutions, administrative institutions, cultural/cognitive institutions, demographic institutions, and knowledge institutions. These eight categories allow us to contextualize the institutional environment in which the six international strategies and implementation approaches are employed. Our review identifies important progress in international strategy research that has yielded a greater understanding of institutional impact on multinational activities. Yet, it also reveals that many areas of international strategy research remain fragmented, highlighting the need for future research and suggesting new directions for such investigations. Our analysis concludes by identifying knowledge gaps in each of the six strategy categories and making a series of suggestions for relevant future research.

Work design expectations of Japanese MNCs’ local managers in English-speaking and Far East cultural clusters – USA, Thailand and India

PurposeThe importance of work design to organizational engagement and firm performance is increasingly recognized in management scholarship. For international business, a majority of variation in work design based on national cultures is addressed through cross-cultural management scholarship. However, there is a paucity of qualitative research on the influences international business human resource managers face for work design in the intercultural environment of overseas subsidiaries. The purpose of this interpretivist study was to examine the lived experience of overseas subsidiaries’ local managers to surface a more nuanced understanding of their expectations and related implications for work.Design/methodology/approachEmpirical research was conducted through semistructured in-depth interviews with senior managers of subsidiaries of Japanese MNCs in USA, Thailand and India.FindingsThe findings of the study develop and extend on prior cross-cultural management scholarship on world cultural clusters revealing changed expectations of work in intercultural work environments as instantiated by Japanese MNCs.Social implicationsThrough engaging work design, international businesses can contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 that pertains to decent work.Originality/valueThe study adds to extant understanding of the work design antecedent to engagement by broadening to intercultural environment impacts understanding facilitated by empirical lived experience data and suggesting a modification to extant theory. This study pioneers in taking world cultural clusters as the field for evaluating data.

Skill formation, automation and governance: comparing German and Korean automotive manufacturers in Central-Eastern Europe

PurposeBuilding on neo-institutionalism models of the transfer of human resource management (HRM) practices within multinational companies, this paper aims to analyze the transfer of skill formation concepts using the cases of two automotive OEMs in Slovakia. The purpose of the paper is twofold. First, it aims to explain the differences between the two multinationals. Second, it builds on the empirical analysis to reconsider the neo-institutionalist theoretical framework.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on two qualitative case studies of automotive multinationals in Slovakia. The home country locations of both companies represent different approaches to skill formation: systematic vocational education for blue-collar workers is regarded as crucial at the German manufacturer, while the Korean company relies mainly on on-the-job-training and puts much less emphasis on skilled blue-collar work.FindingsThe paper shows that the differences between the companies are related to different understandings of technology/automation. It argues that the increasing automation and the decentralization of responsibilities for the product-launch processes supported the transfer of German skill formation concepts to the plant in Slovakia, while the Korean manufacturer’s specific engineering-led automation concept and centralization of product launch responsibilities in its Korean headquarters reduced the need to invest in skill formation for blue collars abroad. The paper concludes that theories of the transfer of HRM practices within multinationals must include technological factors and must also develop more specific concepts of the centralization of multinationals.Originality/valueThe paper is to the knowledge the first to include technology as a core variable into the neo-institutionalist theory in the field of international business and HRM. While the relationship between technology and organization has gained huge prominence in the recent discussions about digitalization, it has been so far neglected by scholars of international business.