IHRM practices in multinational corporations: Developing an IHRM integrative framework

The focus of this dissertation is on the International Human Resource Management (IHRM) policies and practices of multinational companies (MNCs). Within the context of the suggested IHRM integrative framework, an attempt was made to explain the variance in IHRM practices used by MNCs by a number of exogenous and company-specific variables, original as well as those discussed in the literature. Because of the broad issue-oriented nature of this dissertation, the research falls within a number of academic domains, such as economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and political science. I attempt to draw upon a variety of theoretical viewpoints to support my propositions. Statistical analysis of two data sets (a primary data set that allows examination of the IHRM practices used by large U.S. law firms, and a secondary ISSP data set that helps explain cross-cultural variance in individual work values by a number of country-level variables) was performed. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the dissertation. In Chapter 2 I look at certain factors influencing IHRM practices (in particular, staffing) in the MNCs. Based on the sample of 202 international offices of 69 of the largest U.S. law firms, I show that the variance in the choice of the firm\u27s approach to international staffing is explained by the firm\u27s history and orientation. In Chapter 3 I look at the effects that cross-cultural and cross-occupational differences have on the work values of employees. In Chapter 4 the focus is on the individual work-related outcomes of having values deviant from one\u27s cultural norms. A number of practical implications of the findings for the IHRM of MNCs are presented. In Chapter 5 I discuss some of the implications of my dissertation and highlight the directions for future research within the integrated framework of IHRM

IHRM practices in multinational corporations: Developing an IHRM integrative framework

The focus of this dissertation is on the International Human Resource Management (IHRM) policies and practices of multinational companies (MNCs). Within the context of the suggested IHRM integrative framework, an attempt was made to explain the variance in IHRM practices used by MNCs by a number of exogenous and company-specific variables, original as well as those discussed in the literature. Because of the broad issue-oriented nature of this dissertation, the research falls within a number of academic domains, such as economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and political science. I attempt to draw upon a variety of theoretical viewpoints to support my propositions. Statistical analysis of two data sets (a primary data set that allows examination of the IHRM practices used by large U.S. law firms, and a secondary ISSP data set that helps explain cross-cultural variance in individual work values by a number of country-level variables) was performed. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the dissertation. In Chapter 2 I look at certain factors influencing IHRM practices (in particular, staffing) in the MNCs. Based on the sample of 202 international offices of 69 of the largest U.S. law firms, I show that the variance in the choice of the firm\u27s approach to international staffing is explained by the firm\u27s history and orientation. In Chapter 3 I look at the effects that cross-cultural and cross-occupational differences have on the work values of employees. In Chapter 4 the focus is on the individual work-related outcomes of having values deviant from one\u27s cultural norms. A number of practical implications of the findings for the IHRM of MNCs are presented. In Chapter 5 I discuss some of the implications of my dissertation and highlight the directions for future research within the integrated framework of IHRM

Understanding Compensation Practice Variations Across Firms: The Impact of National Culture

With operations spread worldwide, firms that find themselves competing in a global marketplace are looking at the implications of the admonition, “When in Rome. ...” This raises the question: “Do cultures of countries have an impact on the generally accepted methods of managing human resources?” The answer to this question is the focus of this article. By developing culture-specific propositions for four categories of compensation practices based on status, performance, social benefits and programs, and employee ownership plans, we seek to determine the extent to which Hofstede's four dimensions of culture are associated with specific compensation practices. Support is found for most of the propositions. The implications of the finding for the management of human resources by multinational firms are discussed.© 1998 JIBS. Journal of International Business Studies (1998) 29, 159–177

Health in Restructuring (HIRES). Recommendations, National Responses and Policy Issues in the EU

Restructuring has become a daily practice in both private and public sectors in the EU. But often restructuring processes fail to produce the intended effects of secured or increased organizational profi tability. On the contrary restructuring puts the physical and psychosocial health of all organizational members at risk. To limit the risks of enterprise restructuring effectively, several groups of actors at the individual, enterprise and societal level have to collaborate towards the implementation of healthier change procedures and to create a ‘social convoy” in occupational transitions for workers affected by dismissal. The European Expert Group HIRES on Health in Restructuring was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Thomas Kieselbach from the University of Bremen and supported by DG Employment of the European Commission. It presented with its report a concise overview of the effects of enterprise restructuring and the social frameworks and change procedures that should be considered for ‘healthier restructuring”. With its policy recommendations and the case studies of innovative approaches on a company and regional level the report addresses policy makers, governmental structures like labour inspectorates or federal institutes, unions, managers, occupational health and safety personnel, shareholders and workers alike. The public reception of the HIRES recommendations on Health in Restructuring was impressive all over Europe and across different institutions, stakeholders and professions. They were conceived before the economic crisis started but the development of the economies increased public awareness for the problems addressed in the HIRES report. It was disseminated on an international level within several scientifi c communities as well. The success of HIRES led to the follow-up project HIRES Plus (co-ordinated by Dr. Claude Emmanuel Triomphe (ASTREES, Paris) and Prof. Dr. Thomas Kieselbach, Bremen), which organized in 13 EU countries national workshops in order to increase awareness of main actors, discuss HIRES conclusions and to test them in the light of the national consultation process, discuss possible ways to include health as an issue when restructuring takes place and to develop networks at national and European levels.enterprise restructuring, health, social convoy, European frameworks, healthier change procedures, case study reports

Santé et Restructurations (HIRES). Recommandations, réponses nationales et questions politiques dans l´UE

Dans l’Union Européenne, les restructurations sont devenues un fait quotidien dans le secteur privé comme dans le secteur public. Or, souvent ces processus échouent dans la réalisation de leurs objectifs de sécurisation ou d’amélioration de la profi tabilité. Et, à l’inverse, font courir des risques physiques et psychosociaux à l’ensemble des parties prenantes des organisations qui y procèdent. Pour réduire ces risques de manière effective, il importe que différents groupes d’acteurs (au niveau des individus, des entreprises ou de la société) collaborent pour mettre en place des procédures de changement plus saines et créer un « convoi social » facilitant les transitions professionnelles des salariés licenciés. Le groupe européen d’experts du projet HIRES (Health in Restructuring) a été coordonné par le professeur Thomas Kieselbach de l’Université de Brême et cofi nancé par la DG Emploi de la Commission Européenne. Leur rapport comporte une présentation concise des effets des restructurations d’entreprises avant de se pencher sur les mesures sociales et les procédures de changements qui permettraient des « restructurations plus saines ». Les recommandations et les études de cas présentant des approches innovantes à l’échelle des entreprises ou des territoires s’adressent aux responsables politiques, aux organisations gouvernementales en charge de la santé au travail, aux syndicats, aux managers, aux personnes en charge de la santé et sécurité, aux actionnaires mais aussi aux salariés. Dans toute l’Europe, auprès de nombreuses professions, institutions et parties prenantes, l’accueil par le public des recommandations HIRES en matière de santé et de restructurations a été impressionnant. Conçues avant le démarrage de la crise, ces recommandations ont rencontré, du fait des développements économiques récents, une sensibilité encore accrue de l’opinion aux questions soulevées dans le rapport HIRES. Le succès d’HIRES a conduit à une étape HIRES Plus, coordonnée par Claude Emmanuel TRIOMPHE (ASTREES, Paris) et Thomas KIESELBACH (Brême) qui ont organisé 13 séminaires nationaux visant à ce que les principaux acteurs soient mieux informés, s’approprient les conclusions d’HIRES et en testent la validité. Et ce afi n d’envisager les différentes possibilités d’inclure la dimension de la santé dans la conduite des restructurations ainsi que la constitution de réseaux à l’échelle nationale et européenne.restructurations d’entreprises, santé, transitions professionnelles, cadres d’action européens, procédures plus saines de changements, études de cas, réponses nationales

Health in Restructuring. Innovative Approaches and Policy Recommendations

Enterprise restructuring can no longer be understood as a temporal crisis. Current developments show that for many organizations and even regions or sectors restructuring became a recurrent and continuous process. But often restructuring processes fail to produce the intended effects of secured or increased organizational profitability. On the contrary restructuring puts the physical and psycho-social health of all organizational members at risk. Besides the uncovering of pre-existing health problems, also the chronification of these illnesses had to be documented both for laid-off workers and survivors of the restructuring. But not only increased rates of sick leave and presenteeism of sick employees deteriorate the organizational performance. Some of the irritations that restructuring can cause also directly impede inner-organizational interactions. Therefore, restructuring should be understood as an individual as well as an organizational stressor. To limit the risks of enterprise restructuring effectively, several groups of actors at the individual, enterprise and societal level have to collaborate towards the implementation of healthier change procedures and to create a social convoy in occupational transitions for workers affected by dismissal. The European Expert Group on Health in Restructuring (HIRES) was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Thomas Kieselbach from the University of Bremen and supported by DG Employment of the European Commission. It presents with this report a concise overview of the effects of enterprise restructuring and the social frameworks and change procedures that should be considered for “healthier restructuring”. The results of this project are based on the interdisciplinary expertises from 15 European project partners and 12 external experts. With its policy recommendations and the case studies of innovative approaches on a company and regional level the report addresses policy makers, governmental structures like labour inspectorates or federal institutes, unions, managers, occupational health and safety personnel, shareholders and workers alike. The HIRES recommendations are even more important if we consider the current crisis with its unprecedented effects on employment and the health of employees.enterprise restructuring, health, social convoy, European frameworks, healthier change procedures, case study reports