MN5421: MANAGING PEOPLE IN GLOBAL MARKETS

Transcription

1 MN5421: MANAGING PEOPLE IN GLOBAL MARKETS MODULE TYPE/SEMESTER: Option (20 credits), Semester One MODULE CO-ORDINATOR: Dr Andrew Timming CONTACT DETAILS: MODULE TUTORS: CONTACT DETAILS: Office Hours: Monday, 10am-12pm, Rm401 Gateway Mr Martin Dowling TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of the module, students should be able to: *understand the complexities of managing people in global markets and organisations; * critically assess the processes of globalisation and internationalisation in relation to HR processes; * classify HR strategies and be able to utilise them in the context of multinational organisations; * determine the key differences between human resource management and international human resource management READING AND TEXTBOOKS: Key Readings: The main textbook is: Dowling, P.J., Festing M. and Engle A.D., (2013), International Human Resource Management, 6 th ed, Andover: Cengage Learning. It is strongly recommended that students purchase this textbook or at least have ready access to a current edition. The course uses case studies drawn from the book and the general outline of the book is followed in the series of lectures. Please note, though, that at postgraduate level students are expected to consult a wide range of sources both for broadening knowledge of the area and for specific assessment exercises. Other books which provide detailed and analytical perspectives on strategic and international HRM and related topics include:

2 Atzeni, M. (ed) (2014) Workers and Labour in a Globalised Capitalism. Palgrave. A series of critical readings focusing on the position of workers in societies affected by increasing globalization. Boxall P. & Purcell J., (2008) Strategy & Human Resource Management, 2 nd edn, Palgrave. This text adopts a critical approach. Branine, M. (2011) Managing Across Cultures, Sage. This comprehensive text reviews international HRM issues from a worldwide/country perspective. Bratton, J. & Gold, J. (2012) Human Resource Management: Theory & Practice, 5th edn. Palgrave. A good text on the general aspects of HRM with a useful chapter on international HRM. Crawley, E., Swailes, S. and Walsh, D. (2013) Introduction to International Human Resource Management. Oxford University Press. A good text covering all the key areas and a useful chapter on the very contemporary issue of migrant labour. Also has a good set of web-based support materials. Harzing, A-W. & Pinnington, A.H. (2011), International Human Resource Management (3 rd Sage. A lot like the required text, but longer and more in-depth. ed). Legge K. (2005), Human Resource Management: Rhetorics and Realities, Palgrave. A now classic and critically acclaimed text. Lucio, M. (ed) (2014) International Human Resource Management: An Employment Relations Perspective. Sage. Set within a comprehensive theoretical and practical context this text comprises a series of critical chapters covering many aspects of the internal and external features of the subject. Good companion website for students. Students should also get into the habit of regularly consulting leading appropriate journals available in the library. These include, but are not limited to: British Journal of Industrial Relations (BJIR) Work, Employment & Society (WES) Industrial Relations Journal (IRJ) European Journal of Industrial Relations (EJIR) Economic and Industrial Democracy (EID) International Journal of Human Resource Management (IJHRM) Human Resource Management Journal (HRMJ) Human Relations (HR) Human Resource Management Review (HRMR) Harvard Business Review (HBR)

3 Business Strategy Review (BSR) Strategic Management Journal (SMJ) Sloan Management Review (SMR) Journal of Management Studies (JMS) Organization Studies (OS) Of these, the International Journal of Human Resource Management is possibly the most useful. It offers highly appropriate articles based on current research. SOME USEFUL WEBSITES The CIPD, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, is a major professional association for those working and teaching in all aspects of HRM/HRD. Although UK-based and with most of its members in employment in the UK, it has a growing membership around the world. Look at the links on the CIPD s website to various aspects of HRM and global trends in the subject. The ILO, the International Labour Organisation, is a specialized agency of the United Nations that works with employers, government and workers around the world to promote internationally recognized standards of employment practice. The OECD, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, aims to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Also, please note a number of readings will be provided through the course and will be made available on Moodle. TEACHING PROGRAMME Week 1: Introduction to the Module and International HRM Thursday, 18 September, 10am-1pm, LR4 Tutors: Andrew R Timming and Martin Dowling Following a general welcome and introductions, this first session for the module provides an outline of the course and the general area of study known as International Human Resource Management (IHRM). After this introductory material, we will consider a short case study concerning IHRM. We will then discuss the module assessment requirements: Individual Essay:25%; Group Assignment:25%; and Final Exam (two hours): 50%. Finally, we will address any questions you might have about the module content, teaching methods, etc.

4 Week 2: The Changing Nature of Work Thursday, 25 September, 10am-1pm, LR4 Tutor: Martin Dowling Throughout the world, in both developed and developing countries, work is changing and the changing nature of work throws up major issues of relevance to the employment relationship and for those who have to manage people. Among the main issues, we can identify work intensification and growing insecurity with attendant problems of stress at work and of establishing work-life balance for employees and their managers. More positively, changes at work can provide opportunities for learning and development and enhanced career prospects. Such changes may also provide for enriched work and collaborative, team-based working and its attendant benefits. Week 3: Expatriate Staffing Thursday, 2 October, 10am-1pm, LR4 Tutor: Martin Dowling This lecture will give a general overview of how to recruit and select expatriate managers effectively in multinational corporations. It will pay particularly close attention to best practices in staffing expatriates and on how to identify the best characteristics of an effective expatriate employee. Week 4: Expatriate Performance Appraisal Thursday, 9 October, 10am-1pm, LR4 This lecture will outline the steps for carrying out an effective performance appraisal of international expatriates. The key differences between international and conventional expatriate performance management will be articulated. Week 5: Expatriate Training and Development Thursday, 16 October, 10am-1pm, LR4 This lecture will outline best practices for assessing and meeting the training and development needs of international expatriates. In particulate, we will focus on how to create cross-cultural as well as technical competence to ensure the success of an international assignment. Week 6: READING WEEK NO CLASS on Thursday, 23 October

5 Week 7: Guest Lecture Thursday, 30 October, 10am-1pm, LR4 Tutors: Andrew R Timming and Martin Dowling This lecture will feature a guest contribution from an experienced IHRM practitioner. Details will be announced in due course. Week 8: Expatriate Compensation Management Thursday, 6 November, 10am-1pm, LR4 This lecture examines best practices in international compensation and benefits management. It will look at how HR managers in multinational corporations can create a reward package that motivates expatriates to achieve their goals. Week 9: Strategic IHRM and the Transfer of Best Practice Thursday, 13 November, 10am-1pm, LR4 This lecture will look at the nature of strategic IHRM, the various forces of isomorphism, the concept of benchmarking of best practices as well as the strategy of coercive comparisons. Week 10: International Employment The World of Migrant Labour Thursday, 20 November 10am-1pm, LR4 Tutors: Martin Dowling This lecture will look at migration to and from different regions of the world and within countries. It will consider the globalizing trends that have brought labour migration about its association with pressures to offshore and outsource work to the cheapest suppliers. This in turn may create problems of poor working conditions and potential exploitation of labour. The changing nature of work and its location in a globalized world thus brings to the fore the issue of migrant labour and its tensions, challenges and opportunities. Week 11: Revision Session Thursday, 27 November, 10am-1pm, LR4 Tutor: Martin Dowling There will be no lecture this week. Students can attend this revision session in order to ask questions and prepare for the final examination.

6 ASSESSMENT 1) Individual essay, maximum 2000 words (excluding references). Assessment Weight = 25% 2) One group-based assignment, max words (excluding references). Assessment Weight = 25% 3) Unseen examination, TWO hours. Assessment Weight = 50% INDIVIDUAL ESSAY: To be submitted on Monday 3 November 2014 at 12 noon. One hardcopy to be submitted to the Postgraduate Office on Level 3 of the Gateway and one copy to be submitted electronically via the Module Management System (MMS). Individual essay, maximum 2000 words (+/- 10%), excluding references and appendices. Topic: Pick any two countries and explain how and why human resource management practices overlap and differ between them. GROUP ASSIGNMENT: To be submitted on Monday 24 November 2014 at 12 noon. One hardcopy to be submitted to the Postgraduate Office on Level 3 of the Gateway and one copy to be submitted electronically via the Module Management System (MMS). Step1: Choose a work team of 5 or 6 people. We will start this process on the first meeting. Six people are a maximum. Four people are a minimum. Step2: Pick any (real) British-based company. It must have its headquarters in the UK. It can be a large multinational or a small or medium sized enterprise. Do some background research about the company to understand its market situation and current challenges, especially in relation to the HR function. Now pick and justify any international market to which you plan to expand (either greenfield or brownfield). Step 3: Write a short report for your CEO. In it, you need to justify the need for an international expansion and articulate a clear plan, consisting of best practices, for establishing an effective HR function in the new country. The submission is to be presented in the form of a polished company report, so no academic references are to be included. Presentation and aesthetics will count. Length of the written submission: 2000 words (+/- 10%).

7 Assessment Weight: 25%. Potential Sources: Internet search Interviews with people known in the industry Company databases Company reports Financial and business press, such as Financial Times, The Economist, Fortune, Business Week, etc. But keep the use of popular sources to a minimum! Industry and Trade Journals (to take one example, for airlines, the Journal of Air Transport Management) Specialist industry or sector books eg Bamber G et al (2009), Up in the Air: How Airlines can Improve Performance by Engaging their Employees, Cornell University Press Specialist academic journals, such as those noted above EXAMINATION: Further information and guidance to be provided in due course.