Comparing different international HRM strategies

Comparing different international HRM st numbergies tender-hearted Resources precaution is a planned draw near to managing people efficaciously for per deceaseance. It aims to establish a more(prenominal)(prenominal) than aerofoil, limber trouble style so that module will be motivated, developed and managed in a way that they good deal give their egressgo to support sections missions. siz competent HRM rules ar instrumental in helping departmental acc applys and enhance productivity. For the purpose of sharing expeience and providing commendation in launching HRM initiatives.HRM Good PracticesSince launching HRM movement in 1994 in the civil suffice, Civil serve well Bureau has sponsore and mortal departments create introduce mixed HRM initiatives. In taking HRM forward, we need strategicalal and coordinated approach in managing people effectively for performance. In taking a strategic and integrated approach, HRM is linked to the department strategic dir ection in a systematic way. Such an approach is often reflected in the fol broken ining consecrates clarifying a department strategic direction by way of articulating its Vision, Mission and Values statementestablishing the strategic linkage and integrating HR programmes by a HRM Planproject its short to long term homo resource need through a Manpower Plan.At the same sentence, tout ensemble motorcoach essential adopt a more open, flexible and motorcaring style in managing their staff. Such an approach is reflected in number of ways. The three most putting surface practices argon managing people effectively for performance through an open make for Management System that call for singular objectives tied to departmental objectives, firm coaching, and developing staff on jobenhancing staff competencies to perform collapse through effectively training people to achieve departmental objective and resultsLITREATURE REVIEW1)Similarities and Differences in valet Resource Man agement in the atomic number 63an yokeSources Thunderbird International Business Review, Vol. 45(6) 729-755 November-December 2003 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com).European authors wipe out acknowledged that HRM originally developed in the linked States.. European author Hendry Pettigrew, be possessed of been critical of apply American HRM views to other countries, especially Europe.Such denunciation is entirely valid. A theoretical or practice HR modeling developed in the ethnic context of one country should non indiscrimiately applied to another country without interrogatory the cultural biases of its assumption..While the U.S. influence in HRM has been criticized, on that point is withal a particular fondness among some European HRM academician writers to comp be and contrast European with U.S. HRM. Brewster and Bournois posed the following question as a point of departure to respectableify such(preno minal) a comparison, To what finish there is sufficient similarity in Europe to require us to question whether there may not be large inconsistency between HRM in Europe as a whole and the United States of America? The comparison point out that in Europe, HRM is less dependent,companies have less autonomy and freedom of action, handle unionism is more measurable, the kind partners have more influence, licit regulations be more important, and there is a stronger customs of employee affair. Brewster and Hegewisch push the comparison between European and American HRM even set ahead and justify the existence of a European HRM model based on these differences.They conclude that, there argon identifiable difference between the way in which HRM is conducted in Europe and that of the United States, a difference which allows us to cover of a European form of HRM . Brewster and Bournois withal speak of two stupid trends that run through HRM in Europe. On the one hand there be clear country difference that can be understand and explained in the context of severally national culture and its manifestations in history, laws, institutions, and employee organizations. On the other hand, there is an difference between the ways in which HRM is conducted in Europe vs the United States Brewster has made important contribution in pioneering the persuasion that there is a European HRM tradition distinct from others.He mustiness be credited with being the premier to attempt to develop a European model of HRM distinct from existing U.S. model. His European HRM model locates organizational issues within sectorial and national influences.However, according to Clark and Mallory , Brewsters European model has four of import problems. First, talking abut European HRM is an example of reductionism that fails to arrest into account the cultural diversity of the European nations. Second,Brewster overestimates the level of autonomy enjoyed by HR manager and organizatio ns in the United States. Third, his model is potentially culturally conditioned and inherently ethnocentric.2) Changes in HRM in Europe A longitudinal comparative field of battle among 18 European countriesSources http//www.emeraldinsight.com/ To examine HRM strategies and practices and HRM piazza within organizations in various cultural, sparingal and sociopolitical contexts from a longitudinal perspective.Findings The overall picture is that the 18 countries form two major(ip) bundle ups. Countries in Europe can be systematically clustered in a North/West-South/East distinction, regarding HRM practices. There is no indication of convergence between the major clusters. However, movement from one cluster to another was observed, with Italy and East Germany moving to the North-western cluster.Research limitations/implications The level of analysis, which is HR practice at a national) and regional level, is a methodological limitation of the impart study. Analysis at this lev el conceals qualitative differences between countries, which ar important in the contextual paradigm.Practical implications The issue of convergence in HR practices has important implications for HR managers in multinationals who operate in Europe and the transferability of HR practices.Originality/value This paper addresses the issue of whether over time there is an increase Europeanisation (convergence) of HRM practices in Europe or not, by studying HR practices in 18 European countries.3) Employers Find An Innovative Way To Escape The increment Expense Of Providing ReferencesSourceswww.workpass.co.uk/calculatorUK Unemployment is at its highest for over a decade and until now rising fast. One unexpected impact of this trend has been to increase the administrative essence on Human Resource departments, whose staff are inevitable to provide elongations for the rising number of former employee who are try oning jobs.Added to that is the exploitation scrutiny of landlord an d lending organisation seeking to authenticate the salary decimal point of current employees, in the wake of late scandals about irresponsible lending. It is all making managing fibers unacceptably time-consuming and lively for HR team, at a time when most argumentes are seeking to find new efficiencies and but currency.As a result, more and more employers are choosing to entrust reference management to the specialists at WorkPass. Using WorkPass is one of those rare things in concern a genuine no-brainer. Its an innovative, online solution thats able to handle all kinds of reference requests relating to both previous employees expressioning for work and current ones looking for, say, a bank loan or to rent a property.WorkPass is a on the whole owned subsidiary of Verifile Ltd the UKs leading provider of pre-employment screening wait ons. Its services are all-inclusivey compliant with the info Protection Act -which means that using WorkPass helps businesses pass the co mmon compliance challenges associated with providing references over to WorkPass, thereby reducing their risks.Ben-Cohen continues We understand data protection really in earnest. Thats why we make sure that distributively employee has control over who can overture their data by let them generate consent codes which provide controlled access to their details on our site.As well as effortlessly maintaining high levels of compliance, clients can provide a platinum service that enhances the good reputation of their organisation, while freeing up costly HR resource, helping them to deliver real and rapid cost savings.Uniquely on the market, WorkPass is strikeered as a free service to employers and employees. Reference-seekers preferably pay a small access fee for the returns of acquire accurate and speedy responses to their online queries, often within seconds saving them time and money as well.Employers can offer a flexible choice of reference though WorkPass. These include p roviding basic references, confirming only dates of employment and rank held detailed references of the sort usually sought by financial institutions requiring check mark of salary and customised references, such as those required under compromise agreements.4) The Human Resource Development function the ambiguity of its status within the UK human race serviceSource http//ras.sagepub.com/cgi/contentImproving performance thrugh better employee education practice is a recurrent theme within the UK state-supported sector. Human Resource Development is seen as playing a pivotal authority in this process. This article will review the role, structure and status of HRD with in the UK public service. It will consider the apparnt paradox that exists. On the one hand, the HRD function is reported to have a vital role in the developent of those on the job(p) within public service organizatons. On the other hand, some stomach the view that the reshaping the function is diminishing its s tatus and influence. The article draws on the findings of the first phase of study examining the role, structure and status of the HRD function in UK public sector organization. Findings suggest that how the HRD function is presented and represented is problematic.5) The Unique Recruiting and Human Resources Practices in japanSOURCESThe Unique Recruiting and Human Resources Practices in lacquerBy Ames swinish and Larry HewesSpring 1997Published in International HR Journal executive director SUMMARY Foreign firm attempting to enter the Japanese market must first acquaint themselves with Japans labor laws and human resource practices in enact to be successful. Although not required by statute, in Japan, workers populary have living employment with a single company. In Japan, furtherances and increaes in responsibility are usually based on seniority, rather than solely on merit, and the promotion of a younger employee over more senior co workers can cause discomfort in the workpl ace. While Japan does have a national health system, many unknown company enroll their workers in a occult health insurance plan, which are offered by opposed insurance companies.As matter of background, the Japanese parsimony is now retrieve from a long period of recession and stagnation. It is a huge economy in world term, second only in power and size to that of the United States. In many way, Japans economy is superior to that of the United States for example, Japan is the worlds largest creditor nation while the United States is the largest debtor nation. Japan run a betray surplus while the United States has a deficit, and the savings rate of Japans citizens far that of the United States. Japan has a race of 130 millions people, and its partnership which has been for centuries, and even during several decades, closed is opening up more and more to foreign commerce. For example, there are many more foreign car in Japan now than there were just 10 geezerhood ago, and hundreds of U.S. and European company now do business in Japan. assumption the size of its market and its sparing power, it behaves almost any U.S. business to look seriously at doing business with Japan. For some companies those whose products are so funny or who simply do not have the resources to establish a physical presence in Japan rigorously exporting may work, however, setting up an office in Japan and, of course, recruiting and hiring staff are the best way to go. However, one cannot do this successfully without understanding what the human resources issues and labor laws in Japan are, and how the written and unwritten traditions governing business and employment operate in that country.The purpose of this article is to provide foreign employer with some guideline on this subject. Recruiting, hiring, firing, termination, out placement, salary, title, and other basic subjects are covered.6) The transferability of Japanese HRM practices to ThailandJun OnishiHirosaki Univ ersity, Aomori, JapanThis research examined the transferability of Japanese human resource management to Thailand. Attitude toward life-time employment, seniority system, consensual decision-making, fiber circle, and house unions were considered. The sample include 560 managers and staff of Japanese companie in Thailand. The results indicate that all five practice except seniority are transferable. The Thai employees have more affirmatory attitudes toward consensual decision-making, quality circles and house unions than the Japanese managers in the Japanese manufacturers in Thailand. Some Japanese managers think that consensual decision-making and quality circle are not appropriate or accepted in Thailand. This belief may limit the implementation of these practices. Regarding seniority, both the Japanese manger and the Thai employees concur that performance should be evaluated by achievement, but years of service should be part of evaluation criteria.OBJECTIVES1.To study HRM prac tices in Europe2. To study structures operate within international companies crossways Europe.3.To study the structure and operation of the European Union4.To study the corporate culture in Europeenquiry METHODOLOGYResearch would be undertaken through secondary data.The data equanimous from1.Journals2.Magazines3.Internet4.BooksHR PRACTICES IN EUROPEHR in perspective across EuropeA brief look at the economic and societal context of the fifteen longer-established EU member states.Austria conjugate the EU in 1995. It has benefited greatly from both physically and linguistically close to Germany and it holds key state of affairs on transalpine transport routes. This small, but exceedingly efficient, central European state has well-developed system of motor relations, a high level of employee involvement and a welfare system that, although generous, nevertheles incorporates a sufficient incentive to rest in work.Denmark has driven up its prosecute level to be the highest in the world by heavily taxationing employees and relying heavily on embodied bargaining to regulate pay and employment condition. However, it has one of the most virtuoso(prenominal) workforce in Europe and has been a pioneer in flexible working methods. This has helped Denmark to achieve high, sustained productivity level in recent years.Finland joined the EU in 1995. It has few natural resources and a hard language that could easily have develop a barriers to international trade. However, it has been able to take full advantages of EU and eurozone membership to achieve a low level of price inflation and invest in its human metropolis to produce a highly skilled workforce. The Finnish economy has also benefited by employers being able to tap into ready supply of lying-in from the Baltic states.France has low level of unionisaton, but highly militant trade unions. The official stance towards foreign-owned multinational enterpries has often been hostile and there has been a tendenc y to overreact to corporate restructuing by the application of penal sanctions. The 35-hour hebdomad has not been a success and the French govenment is now trying to undo it self from many of its past policies.Germany is the biggest and by far the most succesful of the older EU states. During the last two decades it has achieve a difficult transition in its eastern states from a system of state-run monopolie to a modern market economy. acquit integration has not, however, been fully achieved and a 20% wage gap shut up exists between eastern and western states. Neither has Germany been able to significanly narrow the compare pay gap between male and female employees.Greece joined the EU in 1981. It continues to be a country with many small employers, broadly speaking vile poke relations and government that have frittered away much of the economic gain from EU accession through unprodutive public set down and early retirement schemes. Statutory work obligations are commonly f louted, paricularly in leading sectors such as construction. Government employment data is for the most part weak, out of date and uneliable. Greece relies very heavily upon its tourism and agricultural industries and has not been successful at attacting a sustained volume of major self-whispered enthronisation projects. Moreover, it has never fully expited its physical location close to major external markets in the Middle East.Ireland provides the best ex within the EU of a small country overcoming its lack of natural resources and peripheral geogaphical position to become a true tiger economy. This has largely been achiev through a low rate of corporation tax, a sustained inward investing strategy and an open-door policy towards immigants from central and eastern Europe. Ireland has not commissioned on being a low-wage location, but has concentrated on minimising bureaucratic burden and keeping overhead such as genial credential cost to a minimum.Italy has overcome many of its past economic and political im agreement problems, and its most recent reform have helped to advertise flexibility and open up the comprehend market. However, it has still not overcome its major north-south economic divide, reduced the bureaucratic burden that it continues to place on employer, or decide the inconsistent application of its complex employment laws.Spain joined the European Union in 1986 and was at first country burdened by poor hollow productivity, tight employment protection laws and wage indxation. Although these problems have not entirely disappeard Spain is now western Europes second tiger economy, with rapid economic expansion driven by a property boom and a plentiful supply of low cost labour frm north Africa.Sweden joined the EU in 1995. During the 70s and 80s, Sweden had to undertake a major economic restructuring exercise to deal with a decline in it forestry and iron ore mining sectors. Its highly sophisticted and extensive welfare system helped to make this exercise a success. Since accession, however, the Swedish economy has underperformed. This is primarily due to the high tax burden oblige on ordinary workers to sustain the generous welfare provisions, the creation of a dependency culture, and the narrownes of pay differentials.The United Kingdom operate a very different corporate and work culture from the European continent. It has virtualy abandoned sectoral incarnate bargaining and has been reluctant to embrace formalised systems of employee participation. It has tended to take a minimalist approach to all EU kindly and employment Directives and has refused to join the eurozone. Although this has helped to encourage the growth of new enterprises, much of the UK advantage in attracting inward investment has been gained through its cultural and linguitic links with the USA. Labour costs, however, remain high by EU ensample and productivity is well below the level that this arcdegree of economic freedom should have achievd.Comparison between employment characteristics in EU15 and new EU states (averages)Employment characteristicEU15 StatesNew EU StatesEmployee cannot spay own working methods29%37%Employees working on shifts12.1%23%Employees working on Sunday6.5%11.7%Employees with fixed-term/temporary job10.5%8.7%Employees working at night4.4%5.4%Employees with a second job1.8%5.2%Length of time in present job10.9 years13.4 yearsLength of working workweek38.2 hours44.4 hoursLanguage training in workplace (av/yr)4 hours11 hoursManagement training in workplace (av/yr)12 hours7 hoursThe HRM concept ashes undeveloped in many of established EU member states such as France and Germany. This is largely due to over-reliance on administrative procedures and company rules, the codetrmination powers of kit and boodle councils, the prevalence of sectoral collective bargaining, and widespread union resistance to workplace innovation. It thereof remains uncertain how far HRM method will become the ave rage for managing personnel issues in the new member states.European HR trendsEurope accounts for one-tenth of the world population. Two-thirds of Europeans live in countries that are member of the economic federation known as the European Union (EU). The proportion of the population (aged 15-64) who are employed in the EU is just 66.0%, compaed to 69.3% in Japan and 71.5% in the USA.The average employee in the EU plant for 38.5 hours per week, 18% of the EU working population works part-time, 14.8% are on temporary train and 5.1% of employees started their job in the last 3 months. 12.9% of the population agd 15-64 have undergone third education and almost 10% of the EU population aged 25-64 take part in lifelong learning activitie. EU citizens spend 12.2% of gross domestic product on pension and their average retirement age is 59.9 years.HR policies and strategies checklistThe focus HR strategy over the last decade has been to find an ever-widening mould of methods to cut cost and improve operational performance. These tend to be carried out irrespective of the current stage of the economic cycle or a company relative competitive position. Options which were once regarded as either in or out of fashion are now being assessed purely on their merit, and are being swiftly adopted if they seems likely to succeed.We have entered an era of corporates perfectionism in which almost anything is possible. The prevailing aim of companie is not just to be more efficient and effective than their business rivals, but to be so good that it will be dangerou for competitors to try to emulate their achievements. price savingReduction of operational costs redundancy delayering pay cuts and freezes change magnitude variable pay as percentage of total pay , recruitment freezes outsourcing removing deputy posts gain sharing -,rationalising company car policies maximising grants or subsidies.Control of overheads relocation to lower-cost piths ,use of teleworkers cutt ing benefits rationalising back-office functions outgo account audits trimming expense budgets extending the working day.Limitation of future liabilities changing from be benefit to defined contribution pension schemes removing incremental pay scales curtailing grade creep.Pain sharing board pay cuts, HQ downsizing single status facilities hold top management severance packages ,utplacement counselling.Operational flexibilityJob flexibility job design flexible working hours annual hours contracts time off in lieu (TOIL) time banking ,part-time working ,fixed-term contracts ,multi-skilled work teams.Pay and benefit flexibility profit sharing employee share ownership share options self -service benefits.Operational flexibility time management , improving managerial leverage , the 24/7 workplace use of freelance and temporary staff suggestion schemes.Human capitalEncouragement of lifelong learning individual learning accounts , action learning elearning cpd mento ring.Retention of know-how strategy for older workers staged retirement ,removing age barriers knowledge management developing knowledge banks. procession of equal opportunities removing glass ceiling equality training equal opportunities monitor diversity policies positive action.Promotion of health and fitness in-house fitness centre discounts on external facilities stress counselling company sports teams regular medicals. instruction execution effectivenessUse of performance management methods benchmarking process rengineering management by objectives employee appraisal upward feedback (360 degree feedback) decentralization empowerment delegation quality circle open door policies performance incentive supply set up management HR system integration data mining and warehousing. return of recruitment process student sponsorship on-line recruitment automated scan background checks positive vetting verification of cv data University ratings personality /literacy testing assessment centres head-hunting succession planning.Reduction of absenteeism attendance bonuses- wellness programmes surveillance of those on long-term absence motivational programmes.Prevention of fraud and theft expense claim audits ctv scanning whistleblowing schemes amnesties forensic audits.Further important element in HR management are softer policy concerns and personnel administration, together with legal compliances and the avoidance of litigation. Increased board visibility and accountability have become areas of concern following recent exposures of corporate irregularitie such as the Enron affair. Data privacy and security are also becoming more significant issues and are making the application of HR policies a much more complex task.Corporate cultureFamily-friendly workplace work/life proportionateness childcare eldercare parental leave emergency leave term time working job sharing flexible working arrangements sabbaticals.Corporate disposal annual social and environmental reports remuneration committee independent reviews visibility and accountability of corporate boards.Localisation support for local events service contracts with SMEs rehabilitation of expatriates with local employee environmental improvement schemes.Employee welfare Dutch-style arbo services hospital visits damage counselling company social functions attendance at funeral long service awards flowers on birth of employees children car-sharing initiative season ticket loans.Legal and honorable complianceSafety statutory obligations codes of conduct safety training , health and safety audits joint committees safety signs emergency procedures alcohol and drugs testing.Employment statutory obligation custom and practice codes of conduct disability quotas collective agreements works councils European work councils.Privacy and security codes of practice data security standards international transfers of personal data email monitoring subject access procedures emergency planning workplace security zoning.Personnel accounting tax compliance ,- payroll procedures IAS 19 remuneration committees.Community corporate social responsibility (CSR) work experience student exchange sponsorship.Labour coquets and judgeship systems in EuropeBelgiumThere are two levels of specialist labour court in BelgiumLabour tribunals Courts of first instance dealing primariy with individual employment contract issues.Labour courts These hear appeals referred by tribunals and seek to make up significant collective disputes.Each tribunal retains a team of labour prosecutor who may be called upon to provide opinions to the court and are also responsible for instituting criminal proceeding against employers when health and safety laws have been seriously breached.DenmarkDenmark operate a well established and highly complex force of courts, arbitration and conciliation machinery. Actions concerning individual empl oyments contracts are hear by the general courts. The Labour Court Act governs the activities of the labour court that hear cases involving breaches of collective agreements. However, the starting point for dispute resolution is usually the set of standard rules that are common to almost all collective agreement. These define a number of steps to be followed as soon as a problem arises in the workplace. The parties are first obliged to negotiate, then to seek private arbitration if required and, finally, to go to court rather than indemnify to strike action or lock-outs. No individual employee can figure out a case, or be the sole subject of a labour court actions.GermanyAround 650,000 cases are heard by labour courts each year in Germany. Of these around 90% concern individuals rather than trade unions or works councils (as collective suits). Half of all cases are colonized at an initial hearing before a lower labour court, but 1,000 cases a year eventually go through the full ap peals process.Three levels of courts of appeal1) Labour courts (Arbeitsgerichte)2) Higher labour courts (Landersarbeitsgerichte)3) The Federal supreme Labour Court (Bubdesarbeitsgericht) final court of appealThese deal with private law disputes involving statutory rights such as wrongful dismissal, infringements of works council procedure, wage payment problems and the interpretation of collective agreement. Social security cases are heard by separate courts of social affairs. Conflicts of interest between works councis and employers are dealt with by ad hoc settlement committeesItalyLabour court are an integrated element of the civil court system. They are composed of professional judge who deal with a wide range of social insurance and social welfare issues as well as internal civil service dispute and labour laws.There are three levels of labour court1) The court of first instance2) The appeals court3) The CassazioneAll parties must be legally represented at every level of lab our courts. both(prenominal) individuals and collective bodies may seeks a decision by the court. However, unions may inject in individual disputes if the case involves the interpretations of a collective agreement. Most cases that are heard by a court of first instance are permitted to go forward upon appeals.SpainAround 300,000 cases are heard by Spanish labour courts each year. However, only 40% of all cases relate to contracts of employment, with the balance being taken up by social security disputes.There are three levels of labour court1) The social courts at a provincial level.2) The social chamber of the high courts at a regional level.3) The social chamber of the Supreme Court in Mad