Developing and Integrating HRM Practices in MNC Subsidiaries in China

Whilst previous research on Human Resource Management (HRM) in subsidiaries of multinational companies (MNCs) has focused extensively on the HRM practices that exist in foreign subsidiaries and the extent to which they resemble MNC home country and/or local host country practices, considerably less attention has been directed at the question of how these practices come to exist. Accordingly, this thesis aims to shed light on the processes that shape HRM practices and capabilities in MNC subsidiaries. The main contribution of the thesis is the focus on how; how HRM practices are integrated in MNC subsidiaries, and how subsidiary HRM capabilities are developed through involvement in social networks. Furthermore, this thesis includes a time aspect which, despite not being purely longitudinal, provides an indication of the ongoing changes in HRM in MNC subsidiaries in China. Data for this study were collected in 2005-2006 through structured face to face interviews with 153 general managers and HR managers in 87 subsidiaries of European MNCs located in China. Five of the six thesis papers build on this questionnaire data and one paper builds on qualitative data collected at the same time. Two papers build on dual data sets, meaning that they in addition to the abovementioned data include quantitative questionnaire data from 1996 and 1999 respectively. The thesis focuses on the following four sub-questions i) To what extent do subsidiary HRM practices resemble parent MNC and host country practices? How has this changed over time and why? ii) How are HRM practices integrated into MNC subsidiaries and why are certain integration mechanisms used? iii) How does involvement in internal and external social networks influence subsidiary HRM capabilities? iv) What factors influence the strategic role of the subsidiary HR department? Regarding the first sub-question the findings indicate that the HRM practices of MNC subsidiaries in China are converging with both local company practices and parent MNC practices. This is interesting in the sense that it suggests that the isomorphic pressures the subsidiary faces from the MNC and from its local host environment are not always in conflict with each other. Concerning the question of how HRM practices are integrated into MNC subsidiaries and why certain integration mechanisms are used, the thesis provides a fine-grained examination of four mechanisms that MNCs use to integrate HRM practices in subsidiaries. The findings suggest that MNCs use a variety of different integration mechanisms as complements rather than as substitutes for each other. Furthermore, it is apparent that different contextual factors in the subsidiary and the subsidiary-headquarters relationship influence why certain mechanisms are or are not used. The most interesting contribution of the thesis in regard to the third question is that it highlights the importance of network involvement for learning about HRM practices in the Chinese context. Networks with other MNCs in China clearly emerged as particularly important contributors to enhanced HRM capabilities. Finally, concerning the fourth sub-question the findings indicate that the role of the HR department in MNC subsidiaries in China had become more strategic between 1999 and 2006.

Worksite Fitness Policy in an Intellectual Capital Framework

In a framework of Intellectual Capital (IC), the effects and interactions of a Worksite Fitness Program (WFP) policy was studied with a multidisciplinary approach. In a preliminary study, indicators for physical activity (PAI), physical fitness (PFI), activity in WFP on a regular (WFPI) and on a events basis (WFPE) were created in line with positive findings regarding the associations between physical activity and fitness patterns and sick leave, perceived health, and self-assessed work ability. The intensity of physical activity was found to be the most important variable to predict positive associations with the above mentioned wellness parameters. In four case study follow-up settings, the effects and interactions of physical activity and fitness patterns and the company’s WFP-policy on different elements of IC were studied. Qualitative methods were applied in constructing indicators and a descriptive IC measure for each case company. In cross-sectional and follow-up settings, several findings with respect to IC were found regarding physical activity in general and activity in WFP in particular. Findings were relatively strong in health and wellness related indicators in Human Capital, where, as also in Structural Capital indicators such as the company climate and employee-superior relationship, revealed positive associations. Physical activity patterns were found to act in minor role in Relational Capital. Overall, WFP was seen to be an integrated part of Structural Capital. From the viewpoint of Worksite Fitness Program as a phenomenon, this study positioned WFP as an active element of Intellectual Capital. The literature in the field of WFP emphasizes the role of WFP as an instrument to activate employees in physical activity, and thus promote their health and wellbeing. With the wider perspective the active and long range WFP policy can support a company’s Structural and Relational Capital in line with the fundamental role it has on Human Capital.

Finnish Business Repatriates' Coping Strategies

This thesis explores Finnish business repatriates’ coping strategies. Managing repatriation has been recognized as a demanding task for companies and an important issue in international human resource management. However, we still know relatively little about how repatriates respond to the demands of the return. This thesis addresses this problem by applying a process approach to coping with repatriation. The focus is on identifying repatriates’ coping strategies and the various forms of them. This study also aims to investigate what might influence the use of repatriates’ coping strategies and forms of coping. The background of this doctoral study is provided by earlier research that identified factors influencing repatriates’ adjustment, either positively or negatively. The empirical material of this doctoral thesis comprises twenty-two Phase I semi-structured interviews and ten Phase II follow-up interviews conducted for the purposes of verification. The main findings of the study are formulated as propositions. For instance, it was suggested that repatriates are likely to use different forms of problem-focused strategy more often than various forms of emotion-focused strategy. Moreover, they also are likely to use a larger range of problem-focused strategies than emotion-focused strategies. In addition, in contrast to specialists, repatriates occupying managerial positions are likely to use a greater number and a greater variety of different forms of problem-focused strategy than of emotion-focused strategy, especially in the context of preparing for their return and in different work role changes. This thesis contributes to research on repatriation, expatriation, coping and identifies implications for management.

Microfoundations of HRM effects: Individual and Collective Attitudes and Performance

Previous research on Human Resource Management (HRM) has focused extensively on the potential relationships between the use of HRM practices and organizational performance. Extant research in HRM has been based on the underlying assumption that HRM practices can enhance organizational performance through their impact on positive employee attitudes and performance, that is, employee reactions to HRM. At the current state of research however, it remains unclear how employees come to perceive and react to HRM practices and to what extent employees in organizations, units and teams react to such practices in similar or widely different ways. In fact, recent HRM studies indicate that employee reactions to HRM may be far less homogeneous than assumed. This raises the question of whether or not the linkage between HRM and organizational outcomes can be explained by employee reactions in terms of attitudes and performance, if these reactions are largely idiosyncratic. Accordingly, this thesis aims to shed light on the processes that shape individuals’ reactions to HRM practices and how these processes may influence the variance or sharedness in such reactions among employees in organizations, units and teams. By theoretically developing and empirically examining the effects of employee perceptions of HRM practices from the perspective of ‘HRM as signaling’ and psychological contract theory, the main contributions of this thesis focus on the following research questions: i) How employee perceptions of the HRM practices relate to individual and collective employee attitudes and performance. ii) How employee perceptions of HRM practices relates to variance in employee attitudes and performance. iii) How collective employee performance mediates the relationship between employee perceptions of HRM practices and organizational performance. Regarding the first research questions the findings indicate that individuals do respond positively to HRM practices by adjusting their felt obligations towards the employer. This finding is in line with the idea of HRM as a signaling device where each HRM practice, implicitly or explicitly, sends signals to employees about promised rewards (inducements) and behaviors (obligations) expected in return. The relationship was also confirmed at the group level of analysis. What is more, variance was found to play an important role in that employee groups with more similar perceptions about the HRM system displayed a stronger relationship between HRM and employee obligations. Concerning the second question the findings were somewhat contradictory in that a strong HRM system was found negatively related to variance in employee performance but not employee obligations. Regarding the third question, the findings confirmed linkages between the HRM system and organizational performance at the group level and the HRM system and employee performance at the individual level. Also, the entire chain of links from the HRM system through variance in employee performance, and further through the level of employee performance to organizational performance was significant.

Yhteistoiminnallinen menetelmä ja oikeudenmukaisuus. Kuntatyöntekijöiden kokemuksia työkonferenssimenetelmästä.

Opinnäytetyössä tarkastellaan pienen kuntaliitoskunnan työntekijöiden asennoitumista työkonferenssiin. Työkonferenssi on keskustelutilaisuus, jonka keskeisiä periaatteita ovat demokraattisuus ja edustuksellisuus. Menetelmä on kehitetty erityisesti hierarkkisten raja-aitojen purkamiseen työyhteisöissä, ja sitä voidaan luonnehtia myös työyhteisöön kohdistuvaksi interventioksi. Työkonferenssimenetelmä on ideaalinen konstruktio, jonka periaatteet edustavat oikeudenmukaisuuden objektiivista ihannetta. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena on selvittää, miten työkonferenssia arvotetaan työskentelymenetelmänä ja etenkin, miten oikeudenmukaisuus konstruoituu työkonferenssia arvotettaessa. Oikeudenmukaisuutta tarkastellaan sosiaaliselle toiminnalle osoitettuna hyväksyntänä tai paheksuntana. Oikeudenmukaisuudesta puhuminen on puolestaan argumentatiivinen teko, jossa keskeistä on vastuun osoittaminen koetusta epäoikeudenmukaisuudesta. Tutkielman teoreettisena viitekehyksenä on kategorioinnin näkökulma oikeudenmukaisuuteen (Ambrose & Kulik, 2001), moraalisen vastuun näkökulma (Folger, 2001) ja yleinen oikeudenmukaisuusteoria (Folger & Cropanzano, 1998) ja tutkimusnäkökulmana retorinen asenneteoria (Billig, 1987/1996). Asennoitumista tarkastellaan laadullisen asennetutkimuksen menetelmällä (Vesala & Rantanen, 2007) tuotetun ja analysoidun aineistonäytteen kautta, joka koostuu kahdeksan kuntatyöntekijän yksilöhaastatteluin tuotetusta argumentatiivisesta puheaineistosta. Haastatellut osallistuivat syksyllä 2008 työkonferenssiin, jonka tarkoituksena oli määritellä pienen kuntaliitoskunnan hyvät palvelut – mitä ja miten. Haastattelut tehtiin syksyllä 2008. Aineiston analyysin perusteella työkonferenssia arvotetaan sekä tasavertaisuuden että hyödyn näkökulmasta. Pääosin haastatellut suhtautuvat työkonferenssiin myönteisesti. Myönteinen suhtautuminen liittyy erityisesti työkonferenssimenetelmän eettis-moraalisiin periaatteisiin ja koettuun ryhmätoimintaan. Hieman kielteisempi suhtautuminen liittyy työkonferenssin mahdollisuuteen toimia tehokkaasti yksityiskohtaisten tavoitteiden saavuttamisessa. Tutkimuksen tulokset antavat olettaa, että työkonferenssinmenetelmän mahdollisuus toimia työyhteisöön kohdistuvana interventiona paranisi sen periaatteellisemmalla käytöllä ja vuorovaikutuksellisia näkökulmia korostavilla tavoitteilla. Keskeisimmät lähdeteokset: työkonferenssista Lehtosen (2004) Työkonferenssi Suomessa; oikeudenmukaisuudesta Ambrosen ja Kulikin (2001) artikkeli How do I know that’s fair?, Folgerin (2001) artikkeli Fairness as deonance, Folgerin ja Cropanzanon (1998) Organizational justice and human resource management; retorisesta asenneteoriasta Billigin (1987/1996) Arguing and thinking; laadullisesta asennetutkimuksesta Vesalan ja Rantasen (2007) Argumentaatio ja tulkinta.

El sistema sanitario público, sus servicios y sus responsables: creación y pilotaje de su imagen

[ES] Actualmente, el sistema sanitario público en España se encuentra en una etapa de modernización, marcadamente orientada hacia los destinatarios de sus servicios, es decir, el conjunto de los ciudadanos. Entre el amplio conjunto de acciones que se están implementando, destaca la implantación de nuevas fórmulas organizativas, la instalación de tecnologías avanzadas en información y comunicación, la gestión estratágica de los recursos humanos o la aplicación de técnicas de calidad total.

Costes potenciales ante el déficit de señalización en la Licenciatura de Ciencias Económicas para la Empresa

[ES] El desempleo existente entre los recién licenciados en España ha alcanzado un nivel récord comparado con el resto de los países en la Unión Europea. A su vez no hay ningún país en la Unión Europea que cuente con tantos estudiantes y licenciados como España. Este artículo no muestra los altos costes para los recién licenciados y el estado en general, sino se centra en los potenciales costes para las empresas en este país que conllevan estas circunstancias. Como base teórica este artículo aplicará los resultados de la Teoría de la agencia para hacer ver que las titulaciones tanto universitarias como no universitarias pueden sufrir una deflación permanente del valor. Con ayuda del ejemplo de la situación de los recién licenciados en Ingeniería y Empresariales en España frente a Alemania este artículo muestra como la deficiente señalización de las titulaciones puede provocar los ya mencionados costes.

¿Cómo gestionan las empresas emprendoras los recursos humanos? El caso de REDUR

[ES] En este trabajo se analiza la dirección de los recursos humanos en una empresa familiar y emprendedora, REDUR. En concreto, analizamos las características y los principales problemas en esta área a lo largo de la vida de la empresa. Actualmente REDUR se encuentra en su etapa de crecimiento. El estudio realizado nos ha permitido saber que la gestión de recursos humanos va adquiriendo un carácter más formal y que la formación y la contratación son las prácticas más importantes. Precisamente, en lo que se refiere a estas prácticas, destaca la utilización de la grafología, como técnica para seleccionar al personal, y la importancia de la socialización. Esto se puede deber a que las empresas en crecimiento priorizan el ajuste persona-organización.

Implementation of a nursing competency assessment system in public hospitals

Numerous problems are frequently observed when nursing competency assessment systems (NCAS) are implemented. How to effectively implement a nursing competency assessment system, according to academic and practical contributions, is poorly reported in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a set of recommendations for public hospitals and nursing management in order to facilitate the implementation of a NCAS. To achieve this objective we have revised the existing literature and conducted a Delphi study with nursing managers and human resource managers of the public hospitals of the Basque Health Service. The results are that the implementation of a NCAS requires a well-planned strategy that managers must consider before implementing any NCAS. This strategy must include, at minimum, the following aspects: communication, training, leadership, and content where the NCAS is concerned. The context of the organisations and the cultural dimensions may also influence the results of the application of the system.

Un análisis empírico de las competencias directivas necesarias en la identificación de los empleados clave

[ES] El presente estudio analiza empíricamente de qué forma la composición de capital humano de los equipos directivos favorece el desarrollo de una de las fases más relevantes en la formulación de la estrategia de recursos humanos: la identificación de los empleados clave. Basándonos en las recientes llamadas de atención en la literatura en dirección de recursos humanos, este estudio parte de una perspectiva de "proceso" frente al clásico análisis de "contenido", con el fin de ir un paso más allá en la dinámica interna de estos procesos estratégicos. La aplicación del análisis de ecuaciones estructurales a través del procedimiento Partial Least Squares (PLS) sobre una muestra de 120 empresas españolas, reveló que la identificación de recursos humanos críticos requiere de habilidades cognitivas mixtas, tanto racionales como creativas, para completar eficientemente cada una de las etapas del proceso. Consecuentemente, la combinación de estas competencias se alcanzará en entornos de trabajo de carácter colectivista, favoreciendo la toma de decisiones cooperativa y colaborativa. En este contexto, el responsable de recursos humanos participará enriqueciendo con su poder experto las actividades más técnicas del proceso, para posteriormente integrar la información de recursos humanos en el proceso de deliberación estratégica con el resto de miembros del equipo. Asimismo, estos resultados ponen de manifiesto interesantes implicaciones profesionales relacionadas con la presencia de diversidad cognitiva de los equipos de alta dirección.

Proposta de implantação de telhado verde para captação e uso de águas pluviais em área de relevância ambiental: Ilha Grande/RJ.

Visando minimizar os impactos causados pelas ações antrópicas sobre o meio ambiente, mais especificamente sobre os recursos hídricos, torna-se imprescindível a busca por fontes alternativas para suprir as crescentes demandas de água para os mais diversos fins. Medidas como o reuso da água e a captação e aproveitamento de água das chuvas são fundamentais no contexto atual de busca por modelos sustentáveis de gestão dos recursos hídricos. No presente trabalho foi realizada extensa pesquisa bibliográfica sobre como o uso de telhados verdes pode contribuir para o uso racional da água potável e para a redução da ocorrência de enchentes. A área de estudo em questão foi Ilha Grande, localizada no litoral sul do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, uma Área de Preservação Permanente que, dentre outras Unidades de Conservação da Natureza, abriga o Parque Estadual de Ilha Grande. Para se analisar a viabilidade de implantação de um telhado verde na região, mais especificamente na Vila Dois Rios (23o11S, 44o12W), foi realizado o levantamento das séries históricas de chuvas da última década na região. Espécies vegetais compatíveis para uso em telhado verde foram encontradas na Ilha e, além disso, foram identificadas as premissas construtivas e operacionais relevantes. Para promover a conscientização dos visitantes e moradores locais foi elaborada uma cartilha informativa ilustrativa. Por fim, concluiu-se que existe a viabilidade de implantação de um telhado verde para captação e aproveitamento das águas das chuvas em Ilha Grande.

Market opportunity identification for minor crops for food security through value chain studies

The brochure is to contribute to the overall goal of stimulating the adaptation of pro-poor agri-food systems innovations to improve food security and sustainable natural resource management among rural poor farmers. The paper seeks to identify and exploit opportunities for expanding market access for minor crops and NRM products. The minor crops studied included cow pea, sorghum, groundnut, sweet potato and yam.

管理干部胜任特征评价方法的初步研究

Competency Assessment Method (CAM) is an important technique of Human Resource Management and Development in theory and practice, especially in personnel selection and training. Based on literatures of related fields, the thesis explored the feasibility of CAM in China. The main results found in this study are as follows: 1. Competencies scored in Behavioral Event Interviews (BEI) are not influenced by length of protocol, by performance in the preceding year. Average level and maximal level of complexity correlate significantly with length of protocol. Total competency frequency of outstanding executives is not significantly different from that of typical executives. These results support McCleland's view. But there is significant correlation between length of protocol and competency frequencies, which which is not agreed by McCleland. We found that competency scores using coding standard of average level and maximal level of complexity show more reliability than that using coding standard of competency frequencies. But this isn't confirmed by McCleland. 2. Inter-rater reliability was studied. The results indicated: total Category Agreement (CA) is 55.45%, over 70 percent of 20 competencies of the inter-rater reliability coefficients based on the classical test theory are significantly correlated. G coefficient based on the generalization theory is 0.85697. 3. Study of criterion sample shows that manager's competencies of China's communication enterprise are as follows: Impact and Influence, Organization Commitment, Information Seeking, Achievement Orientation, Team Leadership, Interpersonal Understanding, Initiative, Market Awareness, Self-confidence, Developing Others. This result in similar to the generic competency model of managers presented in Spencer's book. 4. CAM showed more advantages than the method of experts panel judgement.

国有企业管理者裁员决策特征及其对留岗者心理影响的研究

In China, orgnizational change and downsizing are the primary topics studied in I/O psychology and Human Resource Management. Due to the great need in reality, both theorists and practitioners raised the same questions: Does downsizing increase the organizational performance? What is the relationship between organizational downsizing strategies and survivors' psychological reations? Which factors influence managers' downsizing decision-making most? How can managers manage the process successfully? The purpose of this study is trying to answer these questions, and then to establish the downsizing decision-making model of China's SOE (State owned enterprise) managers. The hypothetical model of SOE managers' downsizing decision-making was put forward, based on a tremendous amount of literature on downsizing decision-making, especially on the downsizing decision-making model built by B. Shaw, and also based on the results of the interviews conducted to the SOE managers who have the downsizing decision-making experiences. In order to test and verify the model, 322 SOE managers were investigated by a questionnaire study. And the statistic results supported the hypothetical downsizing decision-making model. Further, 259 survivors (those who are still working in the SOEs) from 7 downsized SOEs and 1 non-downsizing SOE, were also investigated by a questionnaire study. The statistic results also supported the hypothetical downsizing decision-making model. A subsequent case study was performed upon one downsized SOE; and a deliberate focus group interview study within 6 SOE mangers from another downsized SOE was also conducted. Both fundings from the two studies surported the hypothetical model again. Thus, China's SOE managers' downsizing decision-making model was established. This China's SOE managers' downsizing decision-making model suggests the following: Firstly, the characteristics of managers'downsizing decision-making were the center of the model. Those characteristics displayed during the process of the downsizing decision planning, the participation of downsizing decision-making and the communication concerning downsizing events, were influenced by managers' sense of crisis, controlling factors out of the organization and the managing experience within it. Especially, the latter two factors were more important. Secondly, in downsizing decision-making problems, the perceived crisis of China's SOE managers was mainly influenced by the outer factors, esp. the controlling factors from the government or the high authorities, but not by the inner factors including manufacturing management, HRM skills and organizational competition strategies. Thirdly, survivors'psychological reactions (including job satisfaction, job motivation, team working cooperation, etc) were mainly influenced by the characteristics of the managers' downsizing decision-making, at the same time, also by the outer factors (including controlling and social security factors) and the inner factors (including competition strategy and HRM skills). Finally, according to the model and the results from this study, the conclusions were reached in the followings: The stronger the controlling effort upon the SOE managers, the worse the effect displayed during the downsizing process. And in order to improve the effect and quality of downsizing decision-making, SOE managers need a lot of training to ameliorate their competencies such as competition strategies and HRM skills.