Ananthram And Chan Challenges And Strategies For Global Human Resource
European Management Journal (2013) xxx, xxx– xxx
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/emj
Challenges and strategies for global human resource executives: Perspectives from Canada and the United
States
Subramaniam Ananthram
a,*
, Christopher Chan
b,c
a
School of Management, Curtin Business School, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
School of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University, 4700 Keele Street,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3 c Honorary Research Fellow, Australian Catholic University, Faculty of Business, North Sydney Campus (MacKillop), Level 4,
21 Berry Street, 8-20 Napier Street, North Sydney, New South Wales 2060, Australia b Available online
KEYWORDS
Globalization;
Human resource;
Challenges;
Strategies
Summary This article examines the pressing challenges faced by global human resource executives and the strategies that are used to address those challenges at the macro, meso and micro levels. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with 26 Canadian and
American HR executives. The challenges include the degree of standardization of HR, foreign industrial relations, time zones, cross cultural differences and communication, expatriatesÕ adjustments, inflexibility, and work family balance. To deal with those challenges, the executives encourage stronger partnerships with the subsidiaries, diversity in recruitment, paying closer attention to changes in labor laws, cross cultural training and development, leadership development, and cultural sensitivity.
ª 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Globalization poses various challenges for human resource
(HR) executives. At the macro (or organizational) level, some businesses still struggle with the extent to which human resource management (HRM) policies and practices are standardized while respecting local customs, traditions and needs (Chen & Eldridge, 2010; Tregaskis, Heraty, & Morley,
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/emj
Challenges and strategies for global human resource executives: Perspectives from Canada and the United
States
Subramaniam Ananthram
a,*
, Christopher Chan
b,c
a
School of Management, Curtin Business School, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia 6102, Australia
School of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University, 4700 Keele Street,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3 c Honorary Research Fellow, Australian Catholic University, Faculty of Business, North Sydney Campus (MacKillop), Level 4,
21 Berry Street, 8-20 Napier Street, North Sydney, New South Wales 2060, Australia b Available online
KEYWORDS
Globalization;
Human resource;
Challenges;
Strategies
Summary This article examines the pressing challenges faced by global human resource executives and the strategies that are used to address those challenges at the macro, meso and micro levels. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with 26 Canadian and
American HR executives. The challenges include the degree of standardization of HR, foreign industrial relations, time zones, cross cultural differences and communication, expatriatesÕ adjustments, inflexibility, and work family balance. To deal with those challenges, the executives encourage stronger partnerships with the subsidiaries, diversity in recruitment, paying closer attention to changes in labor laws, cross cultural training and development, leadership development, and cultural sensitivity.
ª 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Globalization poses various challenges for human resource
(HR) executives. At the macro (or organizational) level, some businesses still struggle with the extent to which human resource management (HRM) policies and practices are standardized while respecting local customs, traditions and needs (Chen & Eldridge, 2010; Tregaskis, Heraty, & Morley,
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