Finally, Chapter 4 focuses on integration processes in cross-border mergers and
acquisitions (M&A), examining the potentially critical role that cultural differences
and human resources play in the M&A process. It also systematically reviews the
key HRM challenges at different stages in the M&A process.
Part 2 (HRM from a Comparative Perspective) starts with two chapters
offering two different approaches – institutionalist and culturalist – to explain
differences in human resource management across borders. Chapter 5 intro-
duces these two approaches and explains the way in which comparative
research differs between them. The chapter then reviews the institutionalist
approach in some detail before proposing a framework – termed societal
analysis – to integrate the two approaches. Chapter 6 then focuses on the study
of cultural differences across countries that influence people in a work environ-
ment. It presents the achieved knowledge on cultural dimensions which helps
understanding and managing people from different cultural backgrounds and
reviews three major and distinctive contributions to this debate. Subsequently,
Chapters 7 to 9 discuss how HRM practices differ across countries by focusing
respectively on Europe, Asia and developing countries. All three chapters come
to the conclusion that there are no ‘one-size-fits-all best HRM practices’ and
that Anglo-American HRM models need to be adapted to be effective in other
countries. The focus in these chapters is on acquiring an analytical
understanding of cross-national differences, since any factual description of
such differences would soon be out of date.
In Part 3 (Managing an International Staff) we return to the perspective of
the MNC and discuss the issues that an international HR manager encounters
in managing people across borders. Although this part of the book has a clear
focus on the management of expatriates, many chapters explicitly broaden
their scope to include all managerial personnel. First, Chapter 10 discusses the
challenges associated with building an international workforce. It reviews
different staffing policies and the factors influencing the choice between host
country and parent country nationals as well as the underlying motives for
international transfers. It also covers recruitment and selection issues and
expatriate adjustment and failure. Chapter 11 looks at the preparation of expatriates
for their international assignments and proposes a systematic five-phase
process for designing effective cross-cultural training programmes. Chapter 12
then deals with the compensation and performance management of staff in
MNCs. It reviews the variables influencing international compensation strategy;
options for compensating staff on international transfer within MNCs; and
problems and enduring issues associated with international compensation and
integrated performance management. Chapter 13 then closes the international
transfer cycle with a look at the challenges associated with repatriation follow-
ing global assignments from both an individual and an organizational point of
view. Finally, Chapter 14 looks at the role of women in international manage-
ment, taking into account individual, organizational and socio-cultural
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