International HRM With the Context of Global Economy

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International HRM with the context of global economy

It would be very easy to refer to international human resource management as little more than HRM on a national scale with some additional features that indeed similarities in the role of human resource management within national and international organizations; however, there are also some significant differences, not least of which is the development and deployment of staff in different national and regional locations around the world. The somewhat overused maxim encouraging the imperative to ‘think globally and act locally’, if nothing else, illustrates the importance of looking at the management of global organization at two, sometimes distinct, levels. The first of these may take the form of a management strategy based upon the concepts of standardization and universalism where the principal aim is to create a management culture that is recognizable to a specific organization wherever it operates around the globe. The second level of strategy may involve taking different approaches to management in different locations around the world. This second approach may be particularly important where there are significant cultural differences, brought about by national and organizational culture, between one location and another. The role of the international human resource manager is, therefore, that of setting the tone of management for the organization as it conducts business across the globe dependent upon cultural variation and variety and market needs from one region to another. Put perhaps more theatrically, the international human resource manager is the conscience of the international firm. (Wildish,C.2002,pp.207-208)

‘Globalization’ has been defined as the process by wh...

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...ganizations and different sectors will develop in varied ways, each requiring an approach to international human resource management that best reflects their industry or organization practice. The future of international human resource management does; however, appear to be developing around a number of common themes and determinants, each of which may be applied to different organizations in away which suits them best. These common themes include:

The increasingly important role of international management development in developing core skills and competencies

The interdependence of decision making within the transnational corporation

The role of technology as an important aid to the production process, management information systems and general communication processes

The demise of the expatriate manager

The development of cross-cultural teams (PP. 228-230)

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