Contemporary Case Studies in HRM Report
Sam1994
IHRM_Part21.pptxInternational Human resource Management (IHRM) – Part 2: Cultural differences in work values and careers
Coverage
Explore a range of challenges associated with expatriate assignment careers
Discuss and explore the gender imbalance issue regarding expatriate assignments
Examine the link between culture and careers
Critically discuss the issues associated with repatriation
Cross-cultural differences in supporting and developing employees
Expatriate careers classification
Global: ‘archetypical’ large global MNC. Expatriation integral to organisational life and success/career planning process
Emissary: establishing overseas markets, but rooted in a particular culture. Expatriate role accepted as part of one’s duty to company
Peripheral: moving into new markets part of expansion strategy for organisation. Expatriate assignment seen as perk by organisation and individuals
Professional: expansion achieved through outsourcing cross-border activity to external professionals
Expedient: emergent approach for newcomers to global arena. Ad-hoc and pragmatic approach to international resourcing and careers Ref: Baruch and Altman (2002) in Baruch (2004: 226)
Expatriate Assignments & careers
Failed expat experience… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COQgJyCpU4A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= KphEXAf4yMA
Female expatriates – myths and challenges
Male expatriates out number female expatriate – 19% in 2007
Myths:
Women not interested in expatriate assignments
Organizational decision-makers do not want female expatiates
Host country gender prejudices
Ref: Lovelace and Chung (2010)
Career management and expatriation
Four key areas of consideration:
Choice of candidate (succession planning and selection)
Pre-posting preparation for individual and family
Career support with home base whilst on international assignment
Planning return position and supporting readjustment on return (Baruch, 2004: 224)
Different forms of mentoring support (Harvey & Wiese, 2001)
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HRM practices to support expatriates
Pre-assignment
Transparent selection processes
Consider personality factors
Match familial situation
Pre-departure training and support
On-assignment
Mentoring support, networks
Post-assignment
Clear career plan – so the skills acquired on international assignments are utilised in next role
Dual-career mentoring
Benefits of ‘dual-career’ mentoring:
Faster adjustment of expatriate to new organisational and cultural setting – facilitate socialisation and acculturation
Faster adjustment of ‘trailing spouse’ to new cultural setting and their new role/situation
Minimise stress levels amongst expatriates, ‘trailing spouse’ and family
Minimise effects of spill-over
Minimise risk of expatriate assignment failing
Facilitate repatriation process
Ref: Harvey and Wiese (2001)
Phases and key support in mentoring relationship (Harvey & Wiese, 2001)
| Phase | Expatriate | Trailing spouse |
| Pre-expatriation | Reaffirm organisation commitment to career Identify expectations of mentoring relationship Expatriation planning | Identify career orientation Discuss alternate career options Review relocation options Establish communication channels |
| During expatriation | Inculcate in host country culture Inculcate in host country organization | Facilitate re-establishment of household Assist in re-establishing career |
| After expatriation | Help in finding new position in organisation Provide information of organisational change | Assist in re-establishing career Support and advice on resettlement of household in home country |
Repatriation and implications for careers
Cannot assume that expatriates and family will readjust to home culture. They can experience a number of reverse culture shocks:
Experience developed on international assignment not valued and utilised when return to organization
Loss of autonomy
Organisation has changed - restructured, taken over
Issues readjusting to home-country working practices
‘Black holes’ of knowledge in work and social networks
Ref: Baruch (2004)
Alternative ways of supporting international careers
Task forums
Temporary, short-term, single international assignments
Hiring of local managers and socialise into corporate culture
Dual-career and ‘family friendly’ assignment policies: .
Employment search assistance for spouse/partner
Career development support
MNC networking
Intra-company employment opportunities
Ref: Harris, Brewster and Sparrow (2003)
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Culture and careers
How does culture affect careers?
Khapova et al (2012) suggest two key influences:
Individual values regarding work and careers
Centrality of work for individuals
Importance of specific job characteristics
Organizational values embedded in HRM practices
Practices such as job enrichment, empowering supervisors and performance management
World Values Survey
Study by Inglehart and Baker (2000) to identify cross-cultural world values, including those relating to careers and work
Data categorized into two broad clusters:
traditional/secular – religion has a key influencing factor
survival/self-expression – transitioning economies, to post-industrial societies
Key differences in ‘work centrality’
Inglehart (2000) study identified:
Work more central to men than women
Differences amongst those working part-time and workers aged 25-44 (age women typically work part-time)
Workers in communist countries rated work more highly than those in protestant countries
Implications of world values on HRM practice
Kats et al. (2010) indicate HRM practices that are most likely to be culturally sensitive:
Employment security
Reduction of status differentials
Selective hiring
Performance appraisal
Career planning
Shared understanding of career success?
Career definitions (objective):
Evolving sequence of work experience (Arthur et al., 1989)
Sequence of positions occupied by a person (Super, 1980)
Career definition (subjective):
Positive psychological or work-related outcomes
Individual’s own sense of accomplishment and satisfaction with career (Hughes, 1937; Judge et al., 1995)
Factors that influence career success
Research by Briscoe et al. (2012) that covered a global sample of 226 individuals in 11 countries.
Three dominant categories relating to careers success:
Achievement (promotion, financial) – universalist category? Mentioned in 9 out of 11 countries
Satisfaction(work/job satisfaction) – engaging in work one desires to do
Job/task characteristics – responsibility, scope and variety of tasks, challenge, opportunity to work with others
Implications for HRM practice
Scepticism of universalist – ‘one-best-way’ – approaches to career management
Despite ‘war for talent’ mantra – career transitions often self-initiated – individuals ‘masters of own career’
HR - needs to ensure employees have a voice in the career planning decision-making process
Flexible career management systems required by MNCs – support ‘self initiated/mastery’ concept (e.g. IBM, GE, Shell)
Integrated HR activities – job rotation, job enlargement, employer exchange, expatriation
Implications for HRM practice contd.
Use organizational learning as a means to identify and support different needs for career achievement and career satisfaction
Integrated management practices –
Strategic assignment of talent, focus on employability, diversity, building a development culture, transparent communication
HR professionals – boundary-spanning leadership?
Making connections in host country, home country, HQ, other networks
Ref: Hall et al. (2012) in Briscoe et al (2012)
References
Briscoe, H. P, and Gall, D.T., Mayrhofer, W. (2012) Careers Around the World. Individual and Contextual Perspectives. Oxon: Routledge.
Harris, H., C. Brewster and Sparrow (2003), International Human Resource Management, London: CIPD.
Harvey, M. , N. McIntyreb, J. Thompson Heames and M. Moeller (2009) Mentoring global female managers in the global marketplace: traditional, reverse, and reciprocal mentoring. The International Journal of HRM, 20(6,). 2009, 1344–136.1
Harvey, M. and M.M. Novicevic (2001), Selecting expatriates for increasingly complex global assignments. Career Development International, 6(2), 69-86.
Lovelace, K. J and Chung, Y. (2010) An Integrated Set of Exercises for Increasing Student Awareness of Issues Facing Female Expatriates, Journal of Management Education, 34(5), 746-774.
