New International Human Resource Management Approaches and Multinational Enterprise Strategies

The effective implementation of international strategies (ISs) is dependent on the mobilization and management of human resources (HR) across borders. It is widely recognized that the multinational enterprise (MNE) serves as an important organizational context to explore how the design and diffusion of human resource management (HRM) policies and practices contribute to the effective development of international business (IB) strategy. Yet, to date, we know very little about how the HR function helps or hinders the implementation of an MNE’s international strategies. This chapter specifically discusses the challenges associated with MNEs managing their increasingly diverse workforces. This, we propose, will change the manner in which we think about the relationship between the HR role and the implementation of MNE strategies.