Allan Bird

A typology of international human resource management in Japanese multinational corporations: Organizational implications

This article outlines a typology of approaches to the design of international human resource management (HRM) systems in multinational corporations based on a ten-year study of Japanese affiliates in the United States, Europe, and Asia. After outlining four different approaches based on the dimensions of parent company imprint, problem attribution, and diffusion of HRM innovations, the article discusses the implications for organizations in the areas of flexibility, organizational learning, integration and coordination, and cost.

Organisational Learning in Japanese MNCs: Four Affiliate Archetypes

For much of the history of international business, academics have focused on the foreign direct investment decision. While the decision to expand overseas is an important one, it is only the first step in a long journey for multinational company (MNC) managers. Setting up the necessary systems for managing the overseas affiliate and ensuring that it contributes to organisational goals are much longer-term, more complicated issues that have only recently received the scholarly attention they deserve.

Remade in America: Transplanting and Transforming Japanese Management Systems

The article presents a review of the book “Remade in America: Transplanting and Transforming Japanese Management Systems,” edited by Jeffrey K. Liker, W. Mark Fruin and Paul S. Adler.

Hybrid Factory: The Japanese Production System in the United States

The article reviews the books, “Hybrid Factory: The Japanese Production System in the United States,” edited by Tetsuo Abo, “The Japanese Firm: Sources of Competitive Strength,” edited by Masahiko Aoki and Ronald Dore, and “Does Ownership Matter: Japanese Multinationals in Europe,” edited by Mark Mason and Dennis Encarnation.