Exploring training issues of multinational companies in Asia

Effective employee training is important to organisations as it improves quality of human resources, which in turn help achieve better organisational outcomes. The literature on education, training and other aspects of human resource development (HRD) among multinational companies (MNCs) in Asia is quite limited. This paper intends to explore training expenditure, training programs offered and training concerns indicated by companies, using a survey of 529 MNCs operating in six Asian countries (namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan). The findings show that the majority of MNCs surveyed recognised the benefits of employee training and invested heavily on training different types of employees in local subsidiaries. Organisational variables such as size, industry, parent source and proportion of international activity also affected training practices of MNCs. The paper identified some quality and relevance issue related to formal and externally-conducted training programs.

Training practices of multinational companies in Asia

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore a range of training practices adopted by multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Asia. It investigated the level of training expenditure, the nature of training programs offered and the concerns about training in MNCs.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through a survey of 529 MNCs operating in six Asian countries to examine the average cost spent on training and the type of training programs offered to different groups of employees. The respondents were also asked to indicate their perceptions on the training provided and how effective the training has on firm performance.

Findings – It appears that MNCs invested significantly in training. Training was found to be more widespread in service organisations than manufacturing organisations operating in Asia. The majority of training emphasised managerial and professional staff development; and was generally conducted externally. Respondents were concerned mainly with the quality and relevance of training programs offered externally.

Originality/value – The results provide MNCs, especially those headquartered in European and other Western countries with insights into designing and offering more relevant and better quality training programs to their employees located in Asian subsidiaries.

Towards an extended international HRM model for emerging multinational enterprises

This paper critiques several exiting strategic international human resource management (SIHRM) frameworks and discusses their limitations to apply directly to emerging multinational enterprises (EMNEs), especially those generated from China and other BRICS nations. To complement the existing SIHRM frameworks, key variables relevant to emerging economies are identified and the extended model with particular reference to EMNEs is developed with several research propositions. It is believed that the extended model would better capture the recent development of MNEs in transition, and alert emerging international managers to address several human resource management challenges in the global context

A needs based methodology for classifying construction clients and selecting contractors : comment

This note is a comment on Chinyio, E.A., Olomolaiye, P.O., Kometa, S.T. and Harris, F.C. (1998) A needs based methodology for classifying construction clients and selecting contractors, Construction Management and Economics, 16(1), 91± 8, which describes research aimed at classifying clients by their needs rather than by the traditional public/private/developer approach. The paper also proposes a new method of selecting contractors by matching clients’ needs to contractors’ ability to satisfy them. The note offers constructive criticism of some aspects of the analysis.

Environmental incidents in a developing country and corporate environmental disclosures : a study of a multinational gas company

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the environmental disclosure initiatives of Niko Resources Ltd – a Canada-based multinational oil and gas company – following the two major environmental blowouts at a gas field in Bangladesh in 2005. As part of the examination, the authors particularly focus on whether Niko’s disclosure strategy was associated with public concern pertaining to the blowouts.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors reviewed news articles about Niko’s environmental incidents in Bangladesh and Niko’s communication media, including annual reports, press releases and stand-alone social responsibility report over the period 2004-2007, to understand whether news media attention as proxy for public concern has an impact on Niko’s disclosure practices in relation to the affected local community in Bangladesh.
Findings – The findings show that Niko did not provide any non-financial environmental information within its annual reports and press releases as a part of its responsibility to the local community which was affected by the blowouts, but it did produce a stand-alone report to address the issue. However, financial environmental disclosures, such as the environmental contingent liability disclosure, were adequately provided through annual reports to meet the regulatory requirements concerning environmental persecutions. The findings also suggest that Niko’s non-financial disclosure within a stand-alone report was associated with the public pressures as measured by negative media coverage towards the Niko blowouts.
Research limitations/implications – This paper concludes that the motive for Niko’s non-financial environmental disclosure, via a stand-alone report, reflected survival considerations:
the company’s reaction did not suggest any real attempt to hold broader accountability for its activities in a developing country.
Originality/value – This is the first known paper that investigates a multinational company’s disclosure behavior in relation to environmental incidents which occurred in a local community.

The impact of client attitudes on the selection of contractors

This research is concerned with identifying prequalification criteria that both clients and contractors believe are good indicators of future construction performance. Criteria used in the past have been developed by clients in a largely idiosyncratic manner with little or no consultation with the contractors affected. The methodology chosen for the research was a survey which probed stakeholder attitudes to commonly used prequalification criteria. This was carried out via a postal questionnaire involving contactors and clients across Australia. The data was analysed using Discriminant Analysis, which is a multivariate statistical approach that determines the differences between groups. The research is structured around 39 criteria that were developed as part of a whole-of–government task force into best practice in procurement. The findings identified the most important criteria from both a client’s perspective, and a contractor’s perspective. The purpose was to discover if those differences reduce the effectiveness of the procurement process. This paper contributes to a more clarified understanding of the impact or contrasting views between the stakeholders involved in the prequalification process. This work is innovative because it is one of a few pieces of research that showed that clients and contractors do actually have divergent opinions on the importance of some criteria currently relied upon in the decision making process. The most important prequalification criteria are identified and possible reasons for these differences are discussed.

Theoretical contexts of managing people in emerging Chinese multinational enterprises

 This article aims at reviewing existing theories relevant to human resource management (HRM) and providing theoretical contexts to explain the importance of managing people across borders for emerging Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs).

Assessing the practice of project-based JV between local and international contractors in the UAE

This paper is about assessing the practice of Project-Based Joint Ventures formed between local and international contractors in the UAE construction industry. This common practice nowadays, provides the means for contractors to quickly add resources to enhance project acquisition. Studies indicate that JVs are among the tools that contractors will need to get together in the face of increasing market demands. Specifically, Project-Based JVs are often used in the UAE Construction industry with an exceptional growth in an attempt to diversify from Oil and Gas. The UAE is very business friendly which makes it attractive for such kind of alliance or partnership for local contractors to get the necessary experience and for international contractors to minimize the risks associated with entering new markets. In this context, studies that evaluate this alliance phenomenon in the UAE construction industry are limited. The few industry-related studies have primarily focused on large, international JVs; yet, many JVs are formed on small and medium-sized projects within the UAE. The paper aims to assess the current practices and understand the many factors involved with forming, managing, and controlling JV partnerships. The research methodology adopted a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches. First, a closed question survey was disseminated to construction professionals in the UAE in light of the literature findings. Second, two case studies were demonstrated and analysed, then triangulated with the literature and survey findings to remove possible bias and improve the confidence in the collected data. The paper concluded that the JV in the UAE construction industry is mostly formed on project-basis rather than continuous collaboration. The management control mostly used in the UAE construction industry is shared management of activities in a venture with the operations shared between parents. The paper addressed major factors that lead to successful JV in the construction projects of the UAE which are namely trust, correct structure, communication, and partner’s commitment. Partners’ common objectives do not affect the JV success or failure. Willingness to adapt eliminates conflicts and enhances the JV success prospect.