International Human Resource Management-MJ Version

European concept of HRM embraces regional and national differences. The
position has been compared to using a telescope (Brewster, 2001): as the focus
is changed, so some items which had seemed from a distance to look very
similar begin to reveal identifiable differences. It doesn’t mean that the longer
view (US/Europe, for example), or the medium range view (regional differences
within Europe) or closer range views (national differences or even within-country
differences) have more validity than each other: they just reveal different
elements of the true picture.

Regional clusters

Let us start our discussion of differences within Europe by identifying the
various regional areas which show common elements of HRM. Some authors,
such as Ronen and Shenkar (1985), outline the following cultural and
geographic clusters in Europe: Nordic (Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden);
Germanic (Austria, Germany, Switzerland); Anglo (United Kingdom, Ireland)
and Latin European (France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Portugal). Others, such as
Due et al. (1991), distinguish between the UK, Ireland; the Nordic countries;
and the Roman-Germanic countries. The differences are not all culturally
based. Brewster and Tregaskis (2001) found that as far as the use of flexible
working practices was concerned, countries tended to cluster according to

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Features of HRM in the USA and in Europe

Dominant features HRM in the USA HRM in Europe

Roots Freedom and Qualitative impact of
autonomy cultural diversity

Organisational Private enterprise Sense of organisational
cultures and managerial
responsibility towards
employees

Role of the state Low interference Greater involvement of
from the state the states and European
supranational agencies

Trade unions and Traditional antagonism Wider support towards
employee of management towards trade union and other
representation trade unions forms of employee
representation

TABLE 7.4