Ramudu Bhanugopan

Localization of human resources in the State of Qatar

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide an overview of the concept of “localization” of human resources in Qatar. Relative to the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCCCs), economic development began late in Qatar due to political and economic factors such as the influx of an immigrant labour force and changes in the education system. Now, with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and the highest per capita income, Qatar has vigorously embraced rapid economic expansion. However, in a small country awash with natural resources, and with a population engulfed by expatriates, the issue of “localization” is a pressing economic and social issue.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews the national human resource situation in this atypical context, and seeks to determine the factors that impact on “localization” in this small, yet important Gulf nation.Findings – There are some common barriers to “localization” throughout the GCCCs. These can be summarized as: an inefficient quo...

Achieving graduate employability through consensus in the South Pacific island nation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to recognise the important technical and business skills and personal attributes necessary to support the “employability” of undergraduate business students.Design/methodology/approach – Senior‐level undergraduate business students and employers were surveyed regarding their perceptions on the importance of certain general business and technical skills and personal attributes which contribute to employability of the students in the industries.Findings – Results indicate that significant differences were shown to exist between students and employers in their perceptions of each of the three “employability” support fields. Results also suggest the overall importance of establishing a platform for the career advancement of graduates.Research limitations/implications – It is recommended that future research or replications among other samples should examine the perceptions of the academics on employability.Practical implications – Based on the findings, specific implicat...

Transactional and transformational leadership behaviour of expatriate and national managers in the UAE: a cross-cultural comparative analysis

The paper by Dianne Bealer and Ramudu Bhanugopan aims to understand the distinctiveness of the leadership styles displayed in the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) context. The paper draws on a sample of 213 managers from several countries representing divergent institutional contexts working in the UAE. It therefore examines and compares the leadership behaviour of expatriate and national managers in the UAE so as to identify their distinct styles and approaches. The factorial structure, mean, standard deviation and percentiles were derived to compare the leadership styles. The results revealed that significant differences existed on two dimensions of leadership practice between the sets of managers; managers in the UAE were found to be less transformational and more passive avoidant than managers in the USA and Europe. Implications for theory and practice, limitations and directions for future research are discussed. The study provides a better understanding on the comparative leadership styles across the USA, Europe and Middle East, which is indispensable to cross-border business practices that the International Human Resource Management literature identifies as especially important to Middle Eastern context. The findings of the study may extend to other countries in the Middle Eastern region. Comparative studies on transactional and transformational leadership practices involving expatriate and national managers across cultures are scant, particularly in the Middle East. The aim of the study, therefore, is to examine and compare the leadership behaviour of expatriate and national managers in the UAE so as to identify their distinct styles and approaches. The study analyses responses employing factorial and descriptive statistical methods from a sample of 213 managers from several countries representing divergent institutional contexts working in the UAE. The results revealed that significant differences existed on two dimensions of leadership practice between the expatriate and national managers. The findings of the study were then compared to the standard norms of leadership practices in the USA and Europe. Implications for cross-cultural and comparative understanding of leadership styles in the UAE are discussed. This study paves avenues for further research to be carried out on a larger sample drawn from a wider cross-section of Middle Eastern countries.

Replacing Expatriates with Local Managers: An Exploratory Investigation into Obstacles to Localization in a Developing Country

Abstract This paper examines the issue of localization or the replacement of expatriates with host country staff following a period of staff development in a developing country, namely Papua New Guinea (PNG). Whilst the use of expatriates appears to be increasing in the PNG private sector, ineffective employer localization programmes remain in PNG. This situation demands operational interventions. The aim of this study was to determine obstacles to localization in private sector organizations in PNG. A total of 114 PNG senior managers responded to a survey designed to determine the factors that were perceived to hinder localization practices. Results suggest that a significant number of managers identify the prevalence of said obstacles, which were categorised into (i) socio-economic circumstances; (ii) recruitment and selection; (iii) local staff performance; (iv) lack of training and development; and (v) compensation. A diagnostic model of localization has also been proposed. The model provides a detailed process for redesigning a localization programme for a developing country. Policy recommendations are also offered for implementation of a more strategic localization programme.

Training needs of nurses in public hospitals in Australia: Review of current practices and future research agenda

Purpose – This paper seeks to provide an overview of the concept of training needs analysis (TNA), current practice, models and the impact that training needs analysis currently has on nurses in public hospitals in Australia. Thus, the paper should aid future research in the area of TNA of nurses through helping researchers to clarify the conceptual boundaries of training needs of nurses; providing a theoretical framework that could help researchers in framing their research efforts in the area; and establishing a research agenda and identifying the impact this research will potentially have on Human Resource managers in hospitals across Australia.Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines the TNA process by examining literature regarding the importance and benefits of TNA, issues relating to TNA and current practice and models. This paper then looks at how TNA applies to, and is currently practised within, the healthcare industry, specifically amongst a group of nurses. This paper also addresses h...

Value orientations as predictors of cultural and business impact: individual suitability for cross-border assignments

Purpose – This research was undertaken to further understand a “values” based taxonomy designed to assess the “cultural and business suitability” of managers for appointment to cross‐border business and management roles. In particular, this paper aims to explore the extrapolative and interrelated nature of a two‐dimensional bipolar taxonomy of value orientations; as well as the nature and strength of the relationship between the models predictors.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 262 cross‐border managers working for a large transnational American owned logistics firm responded to this study. The group completed a questionnaire based on a two‐dimensional taxonomy of value orientations. The dimensions tested were first a managers values viz., their potential “National Identity”. Secondly, a managers values vis., their potential “Cross‐Border Business Focus”. Factor analysis and canonical correlations were employed to identify key factor constructs and then to evaluate the measurement fit between...

Why do employees jump ship? Examining intent to quit employment in a non‐western cultural context

Purpose – This study proposed to investigate the phenomenon of intention to quit among frontline employees. The main objectives of the current study were to examine the level of intention to leave and what factors influence the employees to consider leaving their organisations.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 493 frontline employees from Jordanian organisations. The study reported in this paper tested the factor structure of intention to quit using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.Findings – The findings which emerged from this study established a three‐factor solution model which is appropriate to test employees’ intention to quit based on three factors, namely work opportunities, personal needs, and personal responsibilities. The results provided new perspectives and support the overall validity of the nomological network of intention to quit factors, but also suggest that caution should be exercised in different contexts and cultural settings.Originalit...

The impact of business crime on expatriate quality of work‐life in Papua New Guinea

This study analyses the phenomenon of crime perpetrated within and against firms managed by expatriates in a developing country and the methods of crime prevention employed. A survey was undertaken in 153 firms in Papua New Guinea. The perceptions of expatriate managers were drawn together to measure the level of occurrence of crime, the methods of prevention employed, and the role of respondents in this issue. The results demonstrated a considerable level of activity aimed at controlling crime against businesses, including various forms of training and security measures. Of further interest was the finding that expatriate quality of work-life was significantly correlated to certain of the crime categories such as break-ins and burglary, hold-up and robbery, and vandalism and property damage. The implications of the results demonstrate that IHRM practices need to be focused on risk management in global firms.

The effects of human resource management practices on employees' organisational commitment

Purpose – This study aims to examine the effects of human resource management (HRM) practices on organisational commitment (OC) in the Middle Eastern context. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from 493 front-line employees across a variety of industries in Jordan. A structural equation modelling analysis was performed to delineate the relationship between HRM practices and OC. Findings – A test of the model was conducted using a path analytic approach hypothesising that HRM factors influence OC. The findings indicate that the causal model is consistent with the data and contributes to a fuller understanding of the association between HRM practices and OC. Originality/value – This is the first study that represents a little-researched area of recent times and even less so in Middle Eastern countries. The findings of the study offer new perspectives on how HRM practices have direct and indirect effects on employees’ OC and would assist in reshaping the HR policies in organisations loc...

Examining the quantitative determinants of organizational performance: evidence from China

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine the determinants of organizational performance (OP) of business enterprises located in China and to explore how individual demographic and organizational characteristics affect OP. Design/methodology/approach – This study applies quantitative methods to examine the OP. Data were collected from 405 managers across 306 organizations in China. Findings – The study finds that, overall, OP is related to five factors, namely, finance and customer, internal business, work satisfaction, pay and benefits and innovation and technology (INT). The results from this study provide new perspectives and support the overall validity of the nomological network of OP factors. The findings also provide guidelines on which perspectives of performance organizations should be enhanced. Practical implications – The five-factor model of OP provides benefit to any organization or individual who intends to examine OP in China. In addition, the findings suggest that organizations should ...