Allen D. Engle

Conceptualizing the global competency cube: a transnational model of human resource

Presents a conceptual framework that attempts to bridge the lag between strategic need and international human resource (IHR) support practices. Looks at the idea of competencies being an alternative to the traditional construct of jobs. Presents a model consisting of three balanced transnational competencies. Concludes with a series of HR applications of the model.

Transnational roles, transnational rewards: global integration in compensation

This paper delineates the current “disconnect” between traditional models of executive compensation and Bartlett and Ghoshals model of a transnational strategy, and proposes a new model of global compensation based on the three managerial roles (operational entrepreneur, managerial developer and top level leader) outlined by Bartlett and Ghoshal in their model. The proposed model focuses on pay emphases in the areas of experiences (inputs), activities (processes) and rewards (outputs) in a global context, and the three global integrative pay configurations derived from the model are presented and discussed. The paper concludes with the presentation of three caveats related to further developments in the area of global pay and firm control.

Proposing processes of global performance management: an analysis of the literature

Purpose - – Global performance management (GPM) systems are a central element of measuring the efficacy of an increasingly complex array of global mobility activities – an element that has developed rapidly in the last ten years or so. This conceptual review of GPM consists of four major sections. First, three approaches to international human resource management are presented. Second, the paper discusses three models of performance management, one some 24 years old and grounded in a long tradition of formalized, explicit universalistic US-based performance management theory and two more recent conceptual reviews particular to global issues of performance management. Third, the paper presents a four-stage process model of GPM. Each of the four stages will be discussed in turn, and the various perspectives of recent empirical and conceptual publications on GPM will be mapped onto the four stage model. The purpose of this paper is to conclude with a discussion of recommendations for how this process model can speed the development of research in this new topic domain. The paper also suggests that practitioners may use a modified version of this four step process model to initiate a more systematic global audit of the nature and effectiveness of their array of global assignments. Design/methodology/approach - – This conceptual review paper consists of a proposed framework for understanding how issues of global standardization and local customization may be understood while examples of issues applied to the framework are presented from a review of articles from 2002 until 2013. The concentrated review going back some ten years was an effort to find a sample large and relevant enough to capture a rapidly developing field, while being small enough to allow a meaningful analysis of results. Findings - – Whereas there are a number of articles in the recent literature reviewing local applications of extant GPM systems, there is very little empirical research on how these systems are designed or how they are evaluated and the results applied on a micro (individual expatriate or local employee) level or on a macro (firm) level. Originality/value - – The paper concludes with a series of observations on the results of the analysis and suggestions for future research, so that the academic and professional communities may move forward in this topic domain in a more efficient, complete and coordinated fashion.

Addressing the Lack of Empirical Data on Global Performance Management: Developing a Research Strategy and Assessing Initial Empirical Evidence – A Research Note

This work aspires to improve the methodological way of empirical data collection and to provide data to validate global performance management (GPM) research frameworks. Despite the existing various conceptual and theoretical frameworks for global performance management, the empirical evidence is still in its infancy. We draw detailed implications for the empirical research on GPM based on the challenges already outlined in cross-national and cross-cultural research methodology. Our research in progress focuses at deepening our knowledge for investigating GPM using the interplay between frameworks and secondary data from case studies on global performance management systems in European MNCs.

Juxtaposition of Organizational Competitive Factors and Performance Evaluation in Conjunction with Their Implications for HRM in MNCs: Part Two, Statistical Correlation Analysis within the Polish Findings

Abstract Objective – The main goal of the paper is to determine whether there are any identifiable patterns of HRM perceptions and practices when the factors recognized as the companies’ competitive advantages and results of their performance outcomes are juxtaposed in conjunction with their implications for HRM. Methodology – The research was conducted in five Central and Eastern (CE) countries. The data collected from this region is used to provide a broader comparative context (descriptive statistics) as presented in the earlier article in this volume. This second part provides a more detail correlational analyses conducted on the data coming exclusively from local subsidiaries of MNCs operating in Poland. Findings - In Poland the higher the appraisal of the quality of workforce and the quality of management as the competitive factors at the same time, the higher the level of decentralization. The correlation analysis in the scope of particular areas of performance evaluation and the ratings of critical subfunctions of HR in Poland allow to identify some general patterns. Value added – The research has certain theoretical significance because its results provide some knowledge about the specificity of HRM in local subsidiaries of MNCs operating CE, and particularly exemplifying some regularities within HRM appearing in Poland. Furthermore, it identifies some patterns of HRM perceptions and practices at the local level of MNCs both in CE and Poland, and especially when the factors recognized as competitive advantages of local subsidiaries and the results of performance evaluations of these subsidiaries are reported in conjunction with their implications for HRM. All this makes an empirical contribution to knowledge about SIHRM in MNCs.

Juxtaposition of Organizational Competitive Factors and Performance Evaluation in Conjunction with Their Implications for HRM in MNCs: Part One, Contextual Review and Comparison of Central European and Polish Findings

Abstract Objective – The main goal of the paper is to determine whether there are any identifiable patterns of HRM perceptions and practices when the factors recognized as the companies’ competitive advantages and results of their performance outcomes are juxtaposed in conjunction with their implications for HRM. Methodology – The research was conducted in five Central European (CE) countries. The data collected from this region is used to assess the comparative context (descriptive statistics) for more detail correlational analyses conducted on the data coming exclusively from local subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in Poland. This Polish data analysis is presented in a second article published in this volume. Findings - The average values of performance evaluations gain slightly better scores in Poland than in CE. The HQ of MNCs exert less influence on HRM practices at the local level in Poland than an average of the overall CE region. Value added – The research has theoretical significance because its results provide new evidence about the specificity of HRM in local subsidiaries of MNCs operating in the CE region. Furthermore, it identifies some patterns of HRM perceptions and practices at the local level of MNCs both in CE and Poland, and especially when the factors recognized as competitive advantages of local subsidiaries. The results of performance evaluations of these subsidiaries are juxtaposed in conjunction with their implications for HRM. All this makes a real and specific contribution to knowledge about strategic international HRM in MNCs.

Gaining altitude on global performance management processes: a multilevel analysis

This conceptual review of global performance management (GPM) focuses on how individual performance results are aggregated in multinational enterprises. The authors propose a four-level vertical framework of the uses, metrics, systems and processes at the (1) individual, (2) local–regional, (3) strategic business unit and (4) global (corporate) levels. Based on a review of limited extant empirical literature and interviews with selected European human resource planning practitioners, the authors present a four-stage transformation framework. Individual GPM results are envisioned to be transformed via four processes, described as (1) ‘funneling’ of selective individuals to the attention of actors at the next vertical level in the firm, (2) ‘summation’ of individual performance metrics to the next vertical level, (3) ‘conversion’ of individual metrics into a different form of metric altogether before being forwarded to the next vertical level and (4) ‘sharpening’ or recalibration of macro-level firm strategic performance metrics as a consequence of how well individual and subunit performance targets are met. The paper concludes with a discussion of what qualities an effective GPM might have, namely the creation of a balanced but essentially centralized, strategically customized, bundled system of IHRM practices that combines culture and technology.

Entwicklungstendenzen im Internationalen Personalmanagement

Die bisherigen Ausfuhrungen haben gezeigt, dass im Internationalen Personalmanagement sowohl hinsichtlich der Rahmenbedingungen als auch in Bezug auf die Praktiken und ihre Wirkungsweise erhebliche Erkenntnisfortschritte erzielt wurden und mittlerweile ein umfangreiches Wissen vorliegt.1