INTERNATIONAL STAFFINGRECRUITMENT AND SELECTIONByAmaresh C Nayak

HRP - ConceptStainer Human Resource Planning is the strategy for the acquisition, utilization, improvement and preservation of organizations human resources. It aimed at coordinating the requirements for and the availability of different types of employees.

HRP - PROCESS

International HRPThe HRP is closely linked to the business plansHRP The process of forecasting an international organization's future demand for and supply of the right type of people in the right number.Corporate planning managerial activities that set the company's objectives for the future and determine the appropriate means for achieving these objectives

International HRP Key IssuesIdentifying top management potential early.Identifying critical success factors for future international managers.Providing developmental opportunitiesTracking and maintaining commitment to individuals in their international career paths.Tying strategic business planning to HRP and vice-versa.Dealing with multiple business units while attempting to achieve globally and regionally focused strategies.

International Recruitment - Recent TrendsSome distinct trends observed in international staffingWork Force DiversityOff shoringIncreasing use of background checksIdentifying recruiting sourcesChallenges of dual career couples.

International Recruitment - Recent TrendsDiversity Policy - a global guidelineNeed for diversity - why should a company seek diversity? What will be the benefits to die company and its customers?Vision of diversity - what should diversity look like? What is the ideal form of diversity for this company?Commitment to diversity - who all need to be supportive and involved in making the initiative real?Systems and structures for diversity - How to institutionalize diversity throughout the management practices?Sustain it - how to devise action plans for creating and sustaining diversity?

International Recruitment - Recent TrendsOut sourcingHR activities divested from operational to strategic roleHelps in reducing bureaucracyEncourage a more responsive culture by introducing external market forcesDisadvantageThe relevance of HR department is at stake

International Recruitment - Recent TrendsBackground ChecksEducational qualificationEmployment recordAddressProfessional qualificationCredit and bankruptcyDatabaseProbable criminal record

International Recruitment - Recent TrendsSources of RecruitingJob Posting Websites92 %Your Company's Website85 %Employee Referral Programme81 %Recruiters (External)59 %Recruiters (internal)50 %Ads in Local Media48 %Your Companys Intranet47 %College / University Recruiting45 %Temporary to Permanent Hiring42 %Ads in Professional Association Media 28 %E-mail lists / Discussion Groups 21 %Ads in National Media 15 %Blogs 3 %

International Recruitment - Recent TrendsDual Career GroupsTurn down the international assignmentFind a job for the traveling spouseCommuter assignmentSabbaticalIntra company employmentOn assignment career support

International SelectionThe following four issues are relevant in the context of staffing global businessesLinking staffing plans with the evolution of the MNCStaffing orientationManaging expatriatesFemale expatriates

Staffing OrientationsCompanys response to global market opportunities depend greatly on managements assumptions or beliefsboth conscious and unconsciousThe world view of a companys personnel can be described asEthnocentricPolycentricRegiocentricGeocentric

Ethnocentric Orientation Firms at the early stages of internationalizationAssumptionsHome country is superiorSimilarities in marketsAssume the products and practices that succeed in the home country will be successful every wheredomestic companies - the ethnocentric orientation means that opportunities outside the home country are ignoredInternational company - they adhere to the notion that the products that succeed in the home country are superior and therefore, can be sold everywhere without adaptation

Ethnocentric Orientation Managing international operations - people from the home country i.e. Parent Country Nationals (PCNs) fill top management and other key positionsPerceived lack of qualified Host Country Nationals (HCNs)need to maintain good communication, coordination, and control links with corporate headquartersThe firm uses a large group of expatriate mangersForeign operations are viewed as being secondary or subordinate to domestic onesOperates under the assumption that tried and true headquarters knowledge and organisational capabilities can be applied in other parts of the world.

Polycentric Orientation Opposite of ethnocentric orientationAssumption that each country in which a company does business is uniqueEach subsidiary to develop its own unique business and strategies in order to succeedthe term multinational company is often used to describe such a structureThis eliminates the language barriers, avoids adjustment problems for expatriates and allows an MNC to take a lower profile in sensitive political situations

Polycentric Orientation Subsidiaries are managed and staffed by personnel from the host countryThe HCNs are recruited to manage subsidiariesPCNs occupy the corporate headquartersEmployment of HCNs is less expensiveIt has its limitations in terms ofBridging the gap between the HCN subsidiary managers and PCN managers at corporate head quarterlanguage barriersconflicting national loyaltiesa range of cultural differences may isolate the corporate HQ staff

Regiocentric Orientations Management views regions as unique and seeks to develop an integrated regional strategyIt is a regional approach in which the MNC divides its operations into geographical regions and transfers staff within these regionsThis approach reflects some sensitivity to local conditions, since local subsidiaries are staffed by HCNsThis approach to staffing policy will reflect organisational needs, but there are difficulties in maintaining a uniform approach to international staffing

Regiocentric Orientations Strategies in different countries may require different staffing approachesHave a worldview on a regional scaleSelection for staffing is on the basis of a set of characteristicsSMILESpecialty (required skill, knowledge)Management ability (particularly motivational ability)International flexibility (adaptability)Language facilityEndeavor (perseverance in the face of difficulty).

Geocentric Orientations Views the entire world as a potential marketStrives to develop integrated world business strategiesRepresents a synthesis of ethnocentrism and polycentrisma world view that sees similarities and differences in markets and countries and seeks to create a global strategy that is fully responsive to local needs and wants.Nationality is deliberately downplayedFirm actively searches on a worldwide or regional basis for the best people to fill key positionsTransactional firms tend to follow this approach.

Geocentric Orientations Regiocentric or Geocentric orientations are practiced in global or transnational companyHowever, some research suggests that many companies are seeking to strengthen their regional competitiveness rather than moving directly to develop global responses to changes in the competitive environment. This approach is feasible when highly competent and mobile managers have an open disposition and high adaptability to different conditions in their various assignments and such employees are available at HQ as also in subsidiaries.

PCNs

HCNs

TCNs

Managing Expatriates A few guidelines would help identify potential expatriates.The willingness and enthusiasm of a person to work on overseas assignmentsLooking at their background - are they multiculturists themselves?He should possess appropriate skills for the positions overseasThe family background of the individual also needs to be considered Local laws of host countries often come in the way of expat postings

Managing ExpatriatesThe element of 'cost' that drives the decision to staff with HCN's rather than PCNs.If expatriation is inevitable, the need lo calculateCost-effectiveness differentialsNegotiating competitive compensation packagesRelocation costsProviding support with relocation with reference to packing and shipping of belongingsLocating suitable residence are required to be done

Managing ExpatriatesSelection Criteria for International StaffingTechnical Competence Relational Skill Ability to Cope with Environmental VariablesFamily Situation

Managing ExpatriatesMark Mendenhall and Gary Oddou in 1985 identified four major dimensions that could influence an expat's selection and adjustment.Self orientation - self-confidence, self-esteem and mental hygiene*Others orientation - develop lasting friendships and close relationships with them and acculturate more easily in overseas assignments-Perceptual dimension - ability to make correct attributions about the reasons or causes of host-nationals' behaviourCultural toughness dimension - the situation rather than to people.

Managing ExpatriatesSpecific Individual CriteriaWillingness and motivationPerformance (previous)Technical abilitiesRelational skillsCross-cultural adaptabilityOpen-mindednessStress adaptation skillsAdministrative skillCommunication skillLeadership traitsMarital status

Managing ExpatriatesSpecific Family SupportWillingness and motivation lo become a trailing spouseSpouses adjustabilityGive up jobs and career prospectsMarriage stabilityChildren s education

Managing ExpatriatesJob FactorsTechnical skillsFamiliarity with working in HQBasic managerial skillsGeneral administrative capability Relational DimensionsTolerance for ambiguityBehavioral flexibilityNon-judgementalismCultural empathy

Managing ExpatriatesMotivational StateBelieve in the missionCongruence with career pathInterest in overseas, specific host country cultureAcquire new patterns of behaviour and attitudesFamily SituationThe spouse's willingness to relocateOpenness, supportivenessAbility to adapt to a culture differentStability of the marriage Language SkillsHost country language Non-verbal communication

Managing ExpatriatesCommon Hardship FactorsHousingavailability and quality of expatriate housing, limitations due to crime or security considerations, reliability of utilities;Climate and physical conditionsconditions of excessive temperature or weather risk of major climatic problems or natural disasters;Pollutionseverity of atmospheric, water, radiation and noise pollution:Diseases and sanitationhealth risks, public sanitation, need for food or water treatment:Medical facilitiesavailability and quality of health care facilities and medical staff; Educational facilitiesavailability of quality schools for expatriate children

Managing ExpatriatesCommon Hardship FactorsInfrastructurequality and reliability of telecommunication, mail, utilities, road conditions;Physical remotenessgeographic isolation, travel systems;Political violence and repressionrisk of violence, terrorist activities, government repression;Political and social environmentfreedom of expression, human rights, intolerance, corruption and poverty levels;Crimerisk to person and property, police force;Communicationuse of major world languages, media availability and censorship; Availability of goods and servicesavailability and quality of food supplies, clothing and grocery.

Managing ExpatriatesCourse of Action for MNCs Provide culture and language orientation to make the unfamiliar become a little less strange.Authorize pre-assignment visits for the expatriate and spouse so that they can find appropriate accommodationEncourage the family to involve the children in the discussion on educational options.Provide local contact information so that the family will be welcomed on arrival.

Managing ExpatriatesCourse of Action for MNCs Assign home-country mentors who are familiar with the challenges of expatriation. Provide EAP(Employee Assistance Programme) Provide an explicit job description so that the employee knows precisely what is expected, thus minimizing insecurity Inform the family, prior to their acceptance of the move, of expected hardship conditions so that they can prepare themselves beforehand.

Managing ExpatriatesExpat FailureUS OrganisationsInability of spouse to adjustManager's inability to adjustOther family reasonsManager's personal or emotional maturityInability to cope with larger international responsibilities Japanese OrganisationsInability to cope with larger international responsibilitiesDifficulties with new environmentPersonal or emotional problemsLack of technical competenceInability of spouse to adjust

Female ExpatsIssuesMotivationStereotypingCapabilities Relational skills, coping with stressOrganisational ProcessHost country attitudeProblemsRole expectationsPatron Male bossSexual harassmentThreatened male colleaguesBlocked promotion

Managing ExpatriatesMinimize expat failures:Design a job that maximizes role clarity, minimizes role conflict and compensates for role novelty Use discerning measures for selection of international employees and their companions.Educate native and foreign employees in intercultural communication competence.Provide opportunity for language lessons.Provide a technical assistant to help with the details of starting life in a different culture.Provide all information and equipment pertinent to the role/work of the employee.

Managing ExpatriatesMinimize expat failures:Create open, frequent communication with the home organisation to dispel feelings of abandonment.Create opportunities for positive social interactions in order to communicate and become better acquainted with host country members.Mostly, listen to them.Provide proper organisational support systems, both through logistical support and support from supervisors and co-workers in the host counu).Include spouse in any training and support programmes.

THANK YOU