Theoretical approaches to studying International Human Resource Management

Module: International Human Resource Management INDU-1130

Assessment 1: Essay
Module Leader: Dr Scott Tindal
Student ID Number: 00010…

Introduction

[Do not copy this introduction verbatim, use it as a guide to think about how you might structure a
short introduction].

This essay is structured in two sections, with each section considering an important idea within the
study of International Human Resource Management (IHRM).

The first second examines the three different approaches academics can take when examining
IHRM. This section of the essay provides a brief overview of the cultural, institutional, and global
approaches to studying IHRM. It outlines and critiques some of the theories used by scholars
adopting these approaches and examines empirical evidence which supports and challenges those
theories.

The second section of this essay is a discussion of the claim that “globalisation means that
eventually HR policy and practice will converge into a single ‘best practice’ everywhere in the world”.
This statement hints at the convergence-divergence debate within the IHRM, and this essay will
evaluate this statement considering the empirical literature as it does so.

Three approaches to studying IHRM

In this section you should briefly outline the three approaches to studying IHRM: cultural,
institutional and global HRM. You should illustrate these with specific theories. For example, when
discussion cultural approaches you might choose to talk about Hofstede, Hall, OR Trompenaar’s
theories of culture and its impact on HRM. Alternatively, you may focus on institutional approaches,
citing the work of Brewster (2004) or Rosenzweig & Nohria (1994). The strongest answers would not
just summarise these theories, but critically analyse them. This means to outline the strengths and
weaknesses of these approaches to exploring HR policy and practice. Your analysis should be
supported by empirical evidence from the literature. You can use the sources of Moodle as a starting
point.

Make sure that each paragraph starts or ends with a ‘claim statement’, and that the rest of the
paragraph presents evidence as ‘supporting statements’. Each paragraph should contain a single
substantive point.
The convergence-divergence debate

In this section you will evaluate the statement that “globalisation means that eventually HR policy
and practice will converge into a single ‘best practice’ everywhere in the world”. This should examine
the view that globalisation, technology and competition will eventually force similar HR policy
towards a single ‘best practice’. You should find a journal paper which shows evidence for this view.
You should then consider the opposing view, that cultural, institutional and other national
differences means there will always remain divergences between different countries and companies
in how they do HR. You should cite a journal paper which shows evidence for this opposing view.

You will not be able to cover every single theory or every single paper in such a short essay. That is
impossible. Instead, you should simply choose one or two papers / theories / concepts that you think
are important, and explore those in depth, rather than trying to spread your work too thinly.

Your answer should not only describe these different viewpoints, but critically analysing them: taking
them apart and showing the reader the strengths and weaknesses of each.

You will then offer your own judgement as to whether or not you agree that globalisation will mean
there will be an ultimate convergence on ‘best practice’.

Conclusions

There should be a short conclusion summarising your claims/argument, and telling the reader what
the arguments you presented in these two sections means. In other words, what does this
knowledge, which you have argued in this essay, help academics and practitioners understand and
describe the complexity of doing HR in a global context.

References

In the Harvard Style:

Book:

Wintersberger, D. (2016) International Human Resource Management. London: KoganPage.

Journal paper:

Frijns, B., Gilbert, A., Lehnert, T. and Tourani-Rad, A. (2013) Uncertainty avoidance, risk tolerance
and corporate takeover decisions. Journal of Banking & Finance 37 (7): 2457-2471.