Managing Human Resources Globally
Presented By : Apra Chordia
Trend toward Expansion into Global Markets
Tap New Markets with large numbers of global customers Capitalize on lower labor cost
Build a 24 X 7 follow the Sun Model for development and support
HRM in a Global Environment
Global activities are simplified and encouraged by trade agreements among nation like GATT , NAFTA
Increasing international competition accentuates the need of manage HR effectively Organizations need employees who understand the customers and suppliers in foreign countries. Organizations need to understand the laws and customs that apply to employees in other countries.
Employees in an International Workforce
Parent-country national employee who was born and works in the country in which an organizations headquarters is located Host-country national employee who is a citizen of the country (other than parent country) in which an organization operates a facility Third-country national employee who is a citizen of a country that is neither the parent country nor the host country of the employer Expatriates An employee sent by his or her company in one country to manage operations in different country
Employers in the Global Marketplace
International organization An organization that sets up one or a few facilities in one or a few foreign countries Need to have HRM practices conforming to host countrys laws Multinational company An organization that builds facilities in a number of different countries in an effort to minimize production and distribution costs Need to select managers capable of functioning in a variety of setting, give them necessary training and flexible compensation Global organization An organization that chooses to locate a facility based on the ability to effectively, efficiently, and flexibly produce a product or service using cultural differences as an advantage
Transnational HRM System
Transnational HRM system:
makes decisions from a global perspective includes managers from many countries based on ideas contributed by people representing a variety of cultures
Decisions that are the outcome of a transnational HRM system balance uniformity with flexibility. Transnational Scope+ Transnational Process + Transnational Process ---> Cultural Synergy
Factors Affecting HRM in International Markets
Education
Economic Systems PoliticalLegal Systems
Culture
Global HRM
Culture
Set of important assumptions that members of a community share Culture can greatly affect a countrys laws. Often determines the effectiveness of various HRM practices. Influences what people value, so it affects peoples economic systems and efforts to invest in education. Affect a countrys economy through their promotion of individual work ethics and incentives for individuals to increase their human capital Organizations must prepare managers to recognize and handle cultural differences. Recruit managers with knowledge of other cultures Provide training
Hofstedes Five Dimensions of Culture
1. Individualism/Collectivism Describes the strength of the relation between an individual and other individuals in the society. Concerns the way the culture deals with unequal distribution of power and defines the amount of inequality that is normal.
2. Power Distance
3. Uncertainty Avoidance
4. Masculinity/Femininity
Describes how cultures handle the fact that the future is unpredictable.
The emphasis a culture places on practices or qualities that have traditionally been considered masculine or feminine.
5. Long-term/Short-term Orientation
Suggests whether the focus of cultural values is on the future (long term) or the past and present (short term).
Education and Skill Levels
Companies with foreign operations locate in countries where they can find suitable employees. The educations and skill levels of a countrys labor force affect how and the extent to which companies want to operate there. In countries with a poorly educated population, companies will limit their activities to low-skill, lowwage jobs.
Economic System
The economic system provides many of the incentives or disincentives for developing the value of the labor force. In developed countries with great wealth, labor costs are relatively high. This impacts compensation and staffing practices. Income tax differences between countries make pay structures more complicated when they cross national boundaries.
Political-Legal System
The countrys laws often dictate the requirements for HRM practices: training, compensation, hiring, firing, and layoffs. An organization that expands internationally must gain expertise in the host countrys legal requirements and ways of dealing with its legal system. Organizations will hire one or more host- country nationals to help in the process.
Managing Expatriates: Selecting Expatriate Managers
Expatriate managers need technical competence in the area of operations. In addition, many other skills are necessary to be successful in an overseas assignment:
Ability to maintain a positive self-image and feeling of well-being Ability to foster relationships with host-country nationals Ability to perceive and evaluate the host countrys environment accurately
Topics for Assessing Candidates for Overseas Assignments
Motivation
Resourcefulness
Health
Adaptability
Language ability
Career Planning
Family Considerations
Financial
Managing Expatriates: Preparing Expatriates
Pre-assignment site visit Job orientation Country orientation Culture orientation Language training Compensation / benefits / taxes counseling
Housing counseling Health care / schools / shopping / recreation counseling Counseling by returning expatriates Local sponsorship from host country
Compensating Expatriates
Balance sheet approach this approach adjusts the managers compensation so that it gives the manager the same standard of living as in the home country plus extra pay for the inconvenience of locating overseas. This approach involves an effort by the global organization to ensure that its expatriates are made whole.
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