INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

XLRI
XAVIER SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
Term 4 2017

Class Time: TBD

Class Room: TBD
Instructor: Richard Sibbernsen
Office: TBD
E-mail: rdsibb@att.net
Telephone: 404-216-3940
Office hours: as requested by students

Course Learning Goals

The primary learning goal of the course is to elevate students global thinking, multi
cultural sensitivities, and leadership capability to drive the planning, design, and delivery of
talent management investments and practices in the highly complex multi - national
environment.
Assigned readings, reflections, and case study exercises will deepen participants
awareness of multi cultural issues, diverse stakeholder interests, and cross border
communication challenges which need to be analyzed and addressed through system thinking
and robust HRM governance. They will grow in their professional appreciation for business
driven management of the constant, often conflicting, interplay between global standardization
and local adaptation of HRM policies, practices, and communication approaches. They will
perceive the need to acknowledge cultural differences and take steps to make them discussable
and useable.
The course content will build a platform on which each student can deepen and broaden
his/her perspectives on the global - local talent management decision making process. The
study of global company approaches will sharpen their ability to analyze situations from diverse
viewpoints and to communicate effectively across different cultures and countries strategy
driven values, norms, and HRM choices. Students will come to realize that ones own peculiar
way of managing people is neither universally better nor worse than others - just different and
likely to exhibit strengths and weaknesses, particularly abroad. They will also come to realize
that a companys foreign subsidiaries may prefer other ways to manage people ways that are
neither intrinsically better nor worse, but possibly more effective locally.
Applying proven global people management models to various business dilemmas
during the course, students will gain self confidence in their ability to team with line leaders to
identify global performance opportunities, prioritize global / local HR investments, and build
high return people development and engagement systems in all geographies.
They will become familiar with the technical tools, functional processes, and social
mechanisms utilized by successful global organizations to manage the people risks and
opportunities associated with 21st century talent markets, comparative industrial systems, and
country specific business realities.

Required Reading
Dowling P.J., Festing, M and Engle, A.D.SR , International Human Resources
Management: Managing People in Multi-national Context (6th edition) Thomson South-
Western
Other articles and readings as provided by the instructor

Participation
The critical part of this course is what we can learn from each others diverse work and
life experiences as well as academic research and the lived management experience of
global organizations.

The participation component of the course requirements is taking an active role in class
discussions and case study problem solving. This includes preparing cases; carefully
reading the assigned readings; and sharing your own professional, cultural, and
intellectual experiences.

Attendance

This course is a large investment in time and money for each participant. In order to
best assure the maximum return on the investment, attendance at every class is
expected.

Grades and Grading Philosophy

Your final grade for the course will be determined as follows:
Class participation and case exercises 30 points
Exam #1 20 points
Board of Director Presentation Project 30 points
Exam # 2 20 points
TOTAL 100 points

Ethics
School policy will be observed

Course Learning Metrics

Class participation and case study exercises will be evaluated on the following
criteria:
 Level and quality of student participation in solving assigned global
people challenges with an emphasis on communications, managing multi
cultural issues and addressing various stakeholder needs.
Persuasiveness of assigned business memos to senior leaders analyzing
and recommending HRM solutions to specific business contexts.
Quality of recommendations on the selection and management of
personnel for cross border assignments.
Ability to facilitate HRM decision making forums wherein global managers
diagnose, design, and agree upon people projects and practices (and,
later measure success).
Professional and business driven application of system thinking, global
insights, and global local decision models to HRM choices confronting
presented multi-national corporations.

Exam #1 and Exam #2 will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Quality of the student proposed people management solutions to the

presented global business problems.
Specific identification and addressing of relevant cultural issues,
communication challenges, stakeholder expectations, and
implementation risks involved.
Business memo styled communication with strong attention to situation
analysis, issues identification, and demonstrated fit of
recommendations as pragmatic business solutions to presented global
problems

Board of Directors Presentation Project will be evaluated on the following

criteria:

Quality and innovation in team presentations communicated to the Board

of Directors (rest of class) recommending a set of HRM investments and
tools needed to execute the assigned global business plans.
The depth of systems thinking in the identification of business issues and
recommended people solutions for these issues.
Involved multi cultural issues, desired global mindsets, and necessary
cross cultural communications highlighted as shapers of the solutions in
the presentations. Design and delivery of necessary control and
Coordination mechanisms, including cultural controls, to achieve desired
Outcomes.
 COURSE LEARNING MAP

DFE: Dowling, Festing & Engle

MODULE TOPIC Textbook. HO:
Handouts
DFE : Chapter 1
Introduction to strategic Global
5/7 Job # 1
HRM; systems thinking; Role of HR
T2T Case introduction
DFE: Chapter 3
Global HRM Integration;
8/7 Job # 2 / Job # 5
Organization Context
T2T priorities
Cultural Questionnaire Article
10/7 Culture and HRM
Job # 3 DFE : Chapter 2
DFE : Chapter 5 HO:
Global Staffing; Work Systems; &
12/7 Floundering Expatriate Article
Planning
Job # 4
DFE : Chapter 5
17/7 Expatriate Management HO: Expat Policy Model
Job # 6
DFE : Chapter 7
HO: Leadership development system
19/7 Global Training & Development
T2T University
Job # 6
Expatriate Re-entry; DFE : Chapter 7
24/7
Global Skill set HO: T2T personnel assignments
Global Compensation; Pay-for- DFE : Chapter 8
26/7 performance; Salary levels; HO: Compensation Models
Benefit Programs Job # 9

DFE: Chapter 9
30/7 IHRM in Host Country Review of Culture and HRM
Performance Management HO: Labor Articles & Country Matrix
Job # 8
1/8 Performance Management & DFE : Chapter 6 HO:
 Performance Management Tools
Development
Job # 7

3/8 EXAM 1
HO: Workforce Management Tools
Global Workforce management;
5/8 HO: Global Company Mahindra case
engagement; and communications
Job # 10
Exam 1 Review
HO: Change Acceleration Program
7/8 Global Labor Relations;
Job # 10
Global change management
Global Labor Standards; Security
9/8 DFE : Chapter 9
Issues
DFE Chapter 4
HO: M & A model
11/8 Global Alliances / Mergers
Job # 11
Cooper Tyre Case
14/8 Exam #2
16/8 Board of Directors Presentation
19/8 Board of Directors Presentation
21/8 Board of Directors Presentation
DFE: chapter 10
HO: Global HRM study
23/8 Global HRM 4.0 : Class summary
Job # 12
Your Role as Business Leader