International Human Resource ManagementSection 001 - Fall 2007

 

Faculty Information

Professor Lisa Leslie, Ph.D.Office: 3-291 Carlson School of Management Mailbox: 3-122 Carlson School of Management Phone: 612-624-4171 Email: lmleslie@umn.edu Office Hours: After class and by appointment

Course Description

This course covers the many challenges faced by human resource professionals working in multinational contexts. The course begins by providing an in depth look at what culture is and how culture affects basic workplace processes, such as perception and motivation. The course also covers the implications of cultural differences for a range of human resource activities, including staffing, training, development, performance management, and expatriation.

Course Goals

This course is designed to help students achieve the following goals:

● Understand how cultural differences shape workplace interactions● Develop the ability to identify and avoid cultural mishaps● Understand the unique challenges faced by HR professionals when organizations “go global” ● Learn how to implement successful HR practices in multinational contexts● Build core competencies needed by international HR professionals, including cultural intelligence,

the ability to work effectively in teams, clear and concise written communication, and oral presentation skills

Required Text/MaterialsDowling, P. J., & Welch, D. E. (2005). International human resource management: Managing people in a multinational context (4th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western.

A course packet available from the UMN bookstore (students must purchase the course packet)

Readings available online through Business Source Premiere

Grading Distribution20% Class Participation

25% Cultural Mishap Project

25% Consulting Project

30% Final Exam

Grading CriteriaClass participation. This is a discussion-based, interactive class. It is critical to both the success of the course and your professional development that you complete readings before coming to class, attend class, actively participate in in-class exercises, and respectfully contribute to class discussions. You will be graded on your participation during each class (except 10/31 and 12/12), using the following behaviorally-anchored rating scale:

● Outstanding participation (20 points, A+): Student is in class, participates in in-class activities, and makes frequent and insightful contributions to class discussions (e.g., makes points that integrate multiple readings, raises new and interesting questions)

● Good participation (19 points, A): Student is in class, participates in in-class activities, and significantly contributes to class discussions (e.g., shares relevant personal experiences, offers opinions)

● Average participation (17 points, B): Student is in class, participates in in-class activities, and makes a limited contribution to class discussions (e.g., answers a factual question about the readings)

● Below average participation (15 points, C): Student is in class and participates in in-class activities, but does not contribute to class discussions

● Poor participation (13 points, D): Student is in class, but does not participate in in-class activities

and does not contribute to class discussions● Unacceptable participation (0 points, F): Student misses class or student is in class but detracts

from class discussions by making comments that make others uncomfortable or are disruptive

We will not hold class on 11/21 to avoid interfering with Thanksgiving travel plans. Because we need to cover a lot of material in only seven weeks, you will be assigned a case analysis in lieu of class on 11/21. The case analysis will be assigned during the third class (11/14) and will be due at the beginning of the fifth class (11/28). The case analysis will be worth 20 points and will be included in your class participation grade. The maximum number of points possible for class participation is 100 (20 points per class x 4 classes + 20 points for the case analysis).

Cultural mishap project. Your first project will involve analyzing a cultural mishap. You will be asked to either choose a personal experience or select an event reported in the media to serve as the foundation of this project. The project may be completed either individually or with a partner of your choice. This project will be assigned during the second class (11/7) and will be due on Tuesday 11/20 at 12 pm (noon).

Consulting project. Your second project will involve serving as a human resource consultant for an Indian technology company that is planning on opening an office in a European country, and presenting your recommendations for the European expansion to the class. The project will be based on the Wipro Technologies case included your course packet and will be completed in groups. I will assign the project and announce project teams during the third week of class (11/14). The project will be due at the beginning of the last class (12/12). 

Final exam. A take-home final exam will be given out during the last class (12/12) and will be due on Tuesday 12/18 at 12 pm (noon). The final will an essay exam that will require you to apply course material to dilemmas likely to be encountered by HR professionals working in multinational contexts.

Grade disputes. I will do my best to ensure that grades are based on objective and consistent criteria. If you think that a grading error was made, please submit to me in writing a description of why you think you earned a different grade. Be sure to support your arguments with concrete evidence from course readings or lectures. Grade disputes must be received within one week of when the assignment was returned.

Course PoliciesDepartment of Human Resources and Industrial Relations

Industrial Relations CenterCarlson School of Management

University of Minnesota

 STATEMENT ON COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. The instructor will determine the conditions, if any, under which an "Incomplete" will be assigned instead of a grade. The instructor may set dates and conditions for makeup work, if it is to be allowed

2. A student may not negotiate the submission of extra work in an attempt to raise his or her grade unless the instructor has made such opportunities available to all students.

3. Academic misconduct is a very serious issue with potential consequences ranging from failure in the course in question to dismissal from the University. Academic misconduct is defined broadly as any act that violates the rights of another student in academic work or that involves misrepresentation of your own work. This includes (but is not limited to) cheating on assignments or examinations; plagiarizing, which means representing as your own work any part of work done by another; submitting the same paper, or substantially similar papers, to meet the requirements of more than one course without the approval and consent of all instructors concerned; depriving another student of necessary course materials; or interfering with another student's work. Instructors may define additional standards beyond these.

4. Carlson School students are expected to understand and uphold the Carlson School Code of Conduct. Any violation of the Code of Conduct will not be tolerated and appropriate action will be taken.

5. Students with disabilities that affect their ability to participate fully in class or to meet all course requirements should bring this to the attention of the instructor during the first week of class so that appropriate accommodations can be made. Similarly, students for whom English is not their native language may request accommodation (such as additional time for examinations).

6. Student complaints or concerns about some aspect of a course sometimes arise. If possible, it is hoped that these can be resolved through an informal meeting between student and instructor. However, if a student feels this is not feasible, or if such discussion does not remedy the problem, the student may consult with the Director of Graduate Studies in 3-300 Carlson School of Management (if a graduate student) or the Director of the Industrial Relations Center, also in 3-300 Carlson School of Management (if an undergraduate student).

7. University policy prohibits sexual harassment. Copies of the University policy on sexual harassment

are available at 419 Morrill Hall. Complaints about sexual harassment should be reported to the University Office of Equal Opportunity at 419 Morrill Hall.

8. Materials for this course are available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact the Director of Graduate Studies, 3-300 Carlson School of Management, (612) 624-2500.

Academic PoliciesMAHRIR Policy The Carlson School defines academic misconduct as any act by a student that misrepresents the student's own academic work or that compromises the academic work of another. Scholastic misconduct includes (but is not limited to) cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarizing, i.e., misrepresenting as one's own work any work done by another, submitting the same paper, or substantially similar papers, to meet the requirement of more than one course without the approval and consent of the instructors concerned, or sabotaging another's work. Within this general definition, however, instructors determine what constitutes academic misconduct in the courses they teach. Students found guilty of academic misconduct face penalties ranging from lowering of the course grade or awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course, to suspension from the University.

University Policy on Academic Misconduct

Accommodations for Students with DisabilitiesThe University of Minnesota is committed to providing all students equal access to learning opportunities. Disability Services is the campus office that works with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations. Students registered with Disability Services, who have a letter requesting accommodations, are encouraged to contact the instructor early in the semester. Students who have, or think they may have, a disability (e.g. psychiatric, attentional, learning, vision, hearing, physical, or systemic), are invited to contact Disability Services for a confidential discussion at 612-626-1333 (V/TTY) or at ds@umn.edu. Additional information is available at the DS website http://ds.umn.edu .

Course Schedule

 

The following is a tentative schedule of readings and assignments. I may make changes to the schedule as the course progresses (e.g., to accommodate guest speakers). Please come to class having completed all readings listed for that day.

Date Topic Reading AssignmentsWeek 1: 10/31/07

Introduction ● Dowling & Welch (2005). Introduction: The enduring context of IHRM (Chapter 1). International HRM.

● Begley & Boyd (2003). Why don’t they like us overseas? Organizational Dynamics, 32, 357-371.*

Happy Halloween!

Week 2: 11/7/07

Understanding Culture: Values and Metaphors

● Gannon (2004). Kimchi & Korea (Ch. 9). Understanding global cultures.*

● Gannon (2004). The Danish Christmas luncheon (Ch. 14). Understanding global cultures.*

● Gannon (2004). American football (Ch. 16). Understanding global cultures.*

● Thomas (2002). Describing culture (Ch. 2). Essentials of international management.*

● Thomas (2002). Comparing cultures (Ch 3). Essentials of international management.*

Project 1 assigned

Week 3: 11/14/07

Foundations of International HRM

● Thomas (2002). How culture works. (Ch. 4). Essentials of international management.*

● Aycan et al. (1999). Organizational culture and human resource management practices. Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology, 30, 501-526.*

● DeVoe & Iyengar (2004). Managers’ theories of subordinates. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 93, 47-61.†

● Mendenhall et al. (2003). Seeing the elephant. Organizational Dynamics, 32, 261-274.*

● O’Connell & Bartlett (1998). Lincoln Electric: Venturing abroad. Harvard Business School Cases.*

Andreas Weber case analysis assigned

Project 2 assigned

 

 ***Project 1 due on Tuesday 11/20/07 at 12 pm (noon)***Week 4: 11/21/07

Expatriation, Training, and Development

 *NO CLASS*

● Dowling & Welch (2005). Training and development (Ch. 5 ). International HRM.

● Dowling & Welch (2005). Re-entry and career issues. (Ch. 7). International HRM.

● Sanchez et al. (2000). Adapting to a boundaryless world. Academy of Management Executive, 14,

Happy Thanksgiving!

* Reading included in the course packet.† Reading available online through Business Source Premiere. If the full text is not immediately available, follow the “Find It” link.

  96-106.†

● Earley & Mosakowski (2004). Cultural intelligence. Harvard Business Review, 82, 139-146.†

● Stahl, & Mendenhall (2000). Andreas Weber’s assignment to New York. Readings and cases in international management.*

Week 5: 11/28/07

Staffing and Performance Appraisal

● Dowling & Welch (2005). Recruiting and selecting staff for international assignments (Ch. 4). International HRM.

● Dowling & Welch (2005). Performance management (Ch. 10). International HRM.

● Ramamoorthy & Carroll (1998). Individualism/ collectivism orientations and reactions toward alternative HRM practices. Human Relations, 51, 571-588.*

● Tung, R. L. (2004). Female expatriates. Organizational Dynamics, 33, 243-253.*

● Morrison & Black (1998). Black & Decker-Eastern Hemisphere and the ADP Initiative. Ivey Cases.*

Andreas Weber case analysis due (5:45 pm)

Week 6: 12/5/07

Emergent Issues: Teamwork and Ethics

● Dowling & Welch  (2005). IHRM trends and future challenges (Ch. 11). International HRM.

● Gibson & Zellmer-Bruhn (2002). Minding your metaphors. Organizational Dynamics, 31,101-116.*

● Brett et al. (2006). Managing multicultural teams. Harvard Business Review, 84, 84-91.†

● Scholtens & Dam (2007). Cultural values and international differences in business ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 75, 273-284.

 

Week 7: 12/12/07

Wrap-up and Presentations

  Project 2 due (5:45 pm)

 Final exam passed out

***Final exam due on Tuesday 12/18/07 at 12 pm (noon)***