IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/worbus/v48y2013i2p232-240.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Examining the differential use of global integration mechanisms across HRM practices: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Smale, Adam
  • Björkman, Ingmar
  • Sumelius, Jennie

Abstract

This paper examines how multinational corporations use different mechanisms to integrate four HRM practices in their foreign subsidiaries: financial compensation, performance appraisal, training and development, and recruitment and selection. Our analysis of 76 European-owned subsidiaries located in China reveal systematic differences in the use of integration mechanisms across the four HRM practices. The findings suggest that the usage of global integration mechanisms is contingent on the purposes of integration – headquarters control, and inter-unit coordination – as well as on the degree to which the mechanism is capable of responding to needs for local adaptation of the individual HRM practice in question.

Suggested Citation

  • Smale, Adam & Björkman, Ingmar & Sumelius, Jennie, 2013. "Examining the differential use of global integration mechanisms across HRM practices: Evidence from China," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 232-240.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:48:y:2013:i:2:p:232-240
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2012.07.007
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090951612000600
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jwb.2012.07.007?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mellahi, Kamel & Collings, David G., 2010. "The barriers to effective global talent management: The example of corporate élites in MNEs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 143-149, April.
    2. Sumantra Ghoshal & Nitin Nohria, 1989. "Internal differentiation within multinational corporations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(4), pages 323-337, July.
    3. Hartmann, Evi & Feisel, Edda & Schober, Holger, 2010. "Talent management of western MNCs in China: Balancing global integration and local responsiveness," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 169-178, April.
    4. Robert Jensen & Gabriel Szulanski, 2004. "Stickiness and the adaptation of organizational practices in cross-border knowledge transfers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(6), pages 508-523, November.
    5. Björkman, Ingmar & Smale, Adam & Sumelius, Jennie & Suutari, Vesa & Lu, Yuan, 2008. "Changes in institutional context and MNC operations in China: Subsidiary HRM practices in 1996 versus 2006," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 146-158, April.
    6. B R Baliga & Alfred M Jaeger, 1984. "Multinational Corporations: Control Systems and Delegation Issues," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 15(2), pages 25-40, June.
    7. Jon I Martinez & J Carlos Jarillo, 1989. "The Evolution of Research on Coordination Mechanisms in Multinational Corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 20(3), pages 489-514, September.
    8. repec:bla:jomstd:v:37:y:2000:i:4:p:521-540 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Isabelle Huault & V. Perret & S. Charreire-Petit, 2007. "Management," Post-Print halshs-00337676, HAL.
    10. Huub Ru‰l & Tanya Bondarouk & Jan Kees Looise, 2004. "E-HRM: Innovation or Irritation. An Explorative Empirical Study in Five Large Companies on Web-based HRM," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 15(3), pages 364-380.
    11. Anthony Ferner & Phil Almond & Trevor Colling, 2005. "Institutional theory and the cross-national transfer of employment policy: the case of ‘workforce diversity’ in US multinationals," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 36(3), pages 304-321, May.
    12. Karen L Newman & Stanley D Nollen, 1996. "Culture and Congruence: The Fit Between Management Practices and national Culture," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(4), pages 753-779, December.
    13. David Cray, 1984. "Control and Coordination in Multinational Corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 15(2), pages 85-98, June.
    14. Björkman, Ingmar & Lu, Yuan, 1999. "The management of human resources in Chinese-Western joint ventures," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 306-324, October.
    15. John M Hannon & Ing-Chung Huang & Bihi-Shiaw Jaw, 1995. "International Human Resource Strategy and Its Determinants: The Case of Subsidiaries in Taiwan," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(3), pages 531-554, September.
    16. K Kim & J-H Park & J E Prescott, 2003. "The global integration of business functions: a study of multinational businesses in integrated global industries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(4), pages 327-344, July.
    17. Huub Ru‰l & Tanya Bondarouk & Jan Kees Looise, 2004. "E-HRM: Innovation or Irritation. An Explorative Empirical Study in Five Large Companies on Web-based HRM," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 15(3), pages 364-380.
    18. Phillip M Rosenzweig & Nitin Nohria, 1994. "Influences on Human Resource Management Practices in Multinational Corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 25(2), pages 229-251, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Latukha, Marina & Poór, József & Mitskevich, Ekaterina & Linge, Dmitry, 2020. "Human resource management practices transferring from foreign firms to Russia: The case of MNCs subsidiaries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 476-486.
    2. Lazarova, Mila & Peretz, Hilla & Fried, Yitzhak, 2017. "Locals know best? Subsidiary HR autonomy and subsidiary performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 83-96.
    3. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 2020. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 538-576, June.
    4. Klaus E. Meyer & Chengguang Li & Andreas P. J. Schotter, 0. "Managing the MNE subsidiary: Advancing a multi-level and dynamic research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 0, pages 1-39.
    5. Song, Ji-Won, 2021. "How MNE subsidiaries transfer HRM practices in distant environments: A tale of two IKEA subsidiaries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(2).
    6. Vendrell-Herrero, Ferran & Gomes, Emanuel & Bustinza, Oscar F. & Mellahi, Kamel, 2018. "Uncovering the role of cross-border strategic alliances and expertise decision centralization in enhancing product-service innovation in MMNEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 814-825.
    7. Ahlvik, Catarina & Smale, Adam & Sumelius, Jennie, 2016. "Aligning corporate transfer intentions and subsidiary HRM practice implementation in multinational corporations," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 343-355.
    8. Ramsin Yakob, 2020. "Context, competencies, and local managerial capacity development: a longitudinal study of HRM implementation at Volvo Car China," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(5), pages 582-609, November.
    9. Ramsin Yakob, 0. "Context, competencies, and local managerial capacity development: a longitudinal study of HRM implementation at Volvo Car China," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-28.
    10. Chung, Chul & Sparrow, Paul & Bozkurt, Ödül, 2014. "South Korean MNEs’ international HRM approach: Hybridization of global standards and local practices," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 549-559.
    11. Houldsworth, Elizabeth & Marra, Marianna & Brewster, Chris & Brookes, Michael & Wood, Geoffrey, 2021. "Performance appraisal and MNEs: The impact of different capitalist archetypes," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. à sta Dís Óladóttir, 2010. "Integrative Capacity as a Moving Force in Newly Formed Icelandic Multinational Enterprises," Review of Market Integration, India Development Foundation, vol. 2(1), pages 135-172, April.
    2. Björkman, Ingmar & Smale, Adam & Sumelius, Jennie & Suutari, Vesa & Lu, Yuan, 2008. "Changes in institutional context and MNC operations in China: Subsidiary HRM practices in 1996 versus 2006," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 146-158, April.
    3. Zeng, Rong & Grøgaard, Birgitte & Steel, Piers, 2018. "Complements or substitutes? A meta-analysis of the role of integration mechanisms for knowledge transfer in the MNE network," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 415-432.
    4. Manolopoulos, Dimitris & Söderquist, Klas Eric & Pearce, Robert, 2011. "Coordinating decentralized research and development laboratories: A survey analysis," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 114-129, June.
    5. Wolf, Joachim, 2002. "Strategic orientation and coordination of human resource management in multinational corporations: An information-processing and gestalt analysis," Manuskripte aus den Instituten für Betriebswirtschaftslehre der Universität Kiel 553, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Betriebswirtschaftslehre.
    6. Randi Lunnan & Sverre Tomassen & Ulf Andersson & Gabriel R. G. Benito, 2019. "Dealing with headquarters in the multinational corporation: a subsidiary perspective on organizing costs," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, December.
    7. Andersson, Ulf, 1999. "Some notes on subsidiary network embeddedness and its effects on the multinational corporation," Working Papers 1999:3, Uppsala University, Department of Business Studies.
    8. Andersson, Ulf & Forsgren, Mats, 1996. "Subsidiary embeddedness and control in the multinational corporation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 5(5), pages 487-508, October.
    9. Lazarova, Mila & Peretz, Hilla & Fried, Yitzhak, 2017. "Locals know best? Subsidiary HR autonomy and subsidiary performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 83-96.
    10. Williams, Christopher & van Triest, Sander, 2009. "The impact of corporate and national cultures on decentralization in multinational corporations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 156-167, April.
    11. Ahlvik, Catarina & Björkman, Ingmar, 2015. "Towards explaining subsidiary implementation, integration, and internalization of MNC headquarters HRM practices," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 497-505.
    12. Collings, David G., 2014. "Integrating global mobility and global talent management: Exploring the challenges and strategic opportunities," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 253-261.
    13. Swoboda, Bernhard & Morbe, Lukas & Hirschmann, Johannes, 2018. "International strategy’s effects on retailers’ local implementation and performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 642-653.
    14. Gomez, Carolina & Werner, Steve, 2004. "The effect of institutional and strategic forces on management style in subsidiaries of U.S. MNCs in Mexico," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(10), pages 1135-1144, October.
    15. Luo, Yadong, 2002. "Organizational dynamics and global integration: A perspective from subsidiary managers," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 189-215.
    16. Cerna, Luis Guillermo, 2008. "Capacidades y prácticas empresariales como mecanismo de aprendizaje organizacional y su aplicación a la gestión del Personal: Caso Multinacionales [Capacities and managerial practices as mechanism ," MPRA Paper 14203, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Lovett, Steven Russell & Pérez-Nordtvedt, Liliana & Rasheed, Abdul A., 2009. "Parental control: A study of U.S. subsidiaries in Mexico," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 481-493, October.
    18. Stendahl, Emma & Tippmann, Esther & Yakhlef, Ali, 2022. "Practice creation in multinational corporations: Improvisation and the emergence of lateral knowledge," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(3).
    19. Reiche, B. Sebastian, 2008. "The configuration of employee retention practices in multinational corporations' foreign subsidiaries," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 676-687, December.
    20. Luo, Yadong, 2005. "Toward coopetition within a multinational enterprise: a perspective from foreign subsidiaries," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 71-90, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:48:y:2013:i:2:p:232-240. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/620401/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.