INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

XLRI
XAVIER SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
Term 4 2014
Class Time: TBD
Class Room:
TBD
Instructor: Richard Sibbernsen
Office:
TBD
E-mail:
rdsibb@att.net
Telephone: 404-216-3940
Office hours:
as requested by students

Course Learning Goals

The primary learning goal of the course is to elevate students global
thinking, multi cultural sensitivities, and leadership capability to drive the
planning, design, and delivery of talent management investments and
practices in the highly complex multi - national environment.
Assigned readings, reflections, and case study exercises will deepen
participants awareness of multi cultural issues, diverse stakeholder
interests, and cross border communication challenges which need to be
analyzed and addressed through system thinking and robust HRM
governance. They will grow in their professional appreciation for business
driven management of the constant, often conflicting, interplay between
global standardization and local adaptation of HRM policies, practices, and
communication approaches. They will perceive the need to acknowledge
cultural differences and take steps to make them discussable and useable.
The course content will build a platform on which each student can
deepen and broaden his/her perspectives on the global - local talent
management decision making process. The study of global company
approaches will sharpen their ability to analyze situations from diverse
viewpoints and to communicate effectively across different cultures and
countries strategy driven values, norms, and HRM choices. Students will
come to realize that ones own peculiar way of managing people is neither
universally better nor worse than others - just different and likely to exhibit
strengths and weaknesses, particularly abroad. They will also come to
realize that a companys foreign subsidiaries may prefer other ways to
manage people ways that are neither intrinsically better nor worse, but
possibly more effective locally.
Applying proven global people management models to various
business dilemmas during the course, students will gain self confidence in
their ability to team with line leaders to identify global performance
opportunities, prioritize global / local HR investments, and build high return
people development and engagement systems in all geographies.

They will become familiar with the technical tools, functional

processes, and social mechanisms utilized by successful global organizations
to manage the people risks and opportunities associated with 21st century
talent markets, comparative industrial systems, and country specific
business realities.
Required Reading
Dowling P.J., Festing, M and Engle, A.D.SR (2009), International Human
Resources Management: Managing People in Multi-national Context
(6th edition) Thomson South-Western
Other articles and readings as provided by the instructor
Participation
The critical part of this course is what we can learn from each others
diverse work and life experiences as well as academic research and the
lived management experience of global organizations.
The participation component of the course requirements is taking an
active role in class discussions and case study problem solving. This
includes preparing cases; carefully reading the assigned readings; and
sharing your own professional, cultural, and intellectual experiences.
Attendance
This course is a large investment in time and money for each
participant. In order to best assure the maximum return on the
investment, attendance at every class is expected.
Grades and Grading Philosophy
Your final grade for the course will be determined as follows:
Class participation and case exercises
30
points
Exam #1
20 points
Board of Director Presentation Project
30
points
Exam # 2
20 points
TOTAL
100 points
Ethics
School policy will be observed

Course Learning Metrics

Class participation and case study exercises will be evaluated on

the following criteria:

Exam #1 and Exam #2 will be evaluated on the following

criteria:

Level and quality of student participation in solving

assigned global people challenges with an emphasis on
communications, managing multi cultural issues and
addressing various stakeholder needs.
Persuasiveness of assigned business memos to senior
leaders analyzing and recommending HRM solutions to
specific business contexts.
Quality of recommendations on the selection and
management of personnel for cross border assignments.
Ability to facilitate HRM decision making forums wherein
global managers diagnose, design, and agree upon people
projects and practices (and, later measure success).
Professional and business driven application of system
thinking, global insights, and global local decision models
to HRM choices confronting presented multi-national
corporations.

Quality of the design and effectiveness measurements of

people management solutions to the presented global
business problem.
Specific identification and addressing of relevant cultural
issues, communication challenges, stakeholder
expectations, and implementation risks involved.
Business memo styled communication with strong
attention to situation analysis, issues identification, and
demonstrated fit of recommendations as pragmatic
business solutions to presented global problems

Board of Directors Presentation Project will be evaluated on the

following criteria:

Quality and innovation in team presentations, developed

and shared by all student members of each team,
communicated to the Board of Directors (rest of class)
recommending a set of HRM investments and tools needed
to execute the assigned global business plans.

The depth of systems thinking in the identification of

business issues and recommended people solutions for
these issues.
Involved multi cultural issues, desired global mindsets,
and necessary cross cultural communications highlighted
as shapers of the solutions in the presentations.
Identification and management of involved business risks
and metrics for determining success.

COURSE LEARNING MAP

MODU
LE

TOPIC

DFE: Dowling, Festing &

Engle Textbook.
HO: Handouts

27/6

Introduction to strategic
Global HRM; systems
thinking; Role of HR

DFE : Chapter 1
HO: Global challenges
T2T Case introduction

28/6

Global HRM Integration;

Organization Context

DFE: Chapter 2
HO: Going Global
T2T priorities

29/6

Culture and HRM

1/7

Global Staffing; Work

Systems; & Planning

2/7

Expatriate Management

3/7

Global Training &

Development

5/7

Expatriate Re-entry;
Global Skill set

Cultural Questionnaire Article

HO: Findings in cross cultural
management of people
HO: MNPS Article
DFE : Chapter 4
HO: Floundering Expatriate Article
HO: Global Talent Management
Template
DFE : Chapter 5
HO: Expat Policy Model
DFE : Chapter 6
HO: Leadership development system
T2T University
DFE : Chapter 8
HO: T2T personnel assignments

8/7

Global Compensation; Payfor-performance; Salary

levels; Benefit Programs

DFE : Chapter 7
HO: Compensation Models

9/7

IHRM in Host Country

Performance Management

DFE: Chapter 9
Review of Culture and HRM
HO: Labor Articles & Country Matrix

Performance Management
&
Development

DFE : Chapter 11
HO: Performance Management Tools

10/7

12/7
14/7

16/7

18/7

EXAM 1
Global Workforce
management; engagement;
and communications
Exam 1 Review
Global Labor Relations;
Global change
management
Global Labor Standards;
Security Issues

19/7

Global Alliances / Mergers

29/7

Exam #2
Board of Directors
Presentation
Board of Directors
Presentation
Board of Directors
Presentation
Global HRM 2.5: Class
summary

4/8
6/8
8/8
9/8

HO: Workforce Management Tools

HO: Global Company Mahindra case

HO: Change Acceleration Program

DFE : Chapter 9
DFE Chapter 3
HO: M & A model

DFE: chapter 12
HO: Global HRM study