The transfer of human resource and management practice by Japanese multinationals to Australia: do industry, size and experience matter?

Abstract

This paper examines management and HRM practices adopted by Japanese multinational enterprises (MNEs) and the transferability of Japanese HRM in the Australian host-country situation. It also compares HRM practices of Japanese MNEs in Australia with the experience in North America and Europe and attempts to map the typology of the human resource management utilized by a range of Japanese firms operating in Australia, including large and small firms; manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies; firms with differing levels of Japanese equity and with different levels of operational experience. This paper is based on survey data from sixty-nine Japanese subsidiaries operating in the Australian manufacturing and service sectors in 1994.