International Human Resource Management

Welcome to the module International Human Resource Management (IHRM) (INDU 1130)!
This module is an option for students on the BA Business Management and other programmes. It assumes no detailed prior knowledge of the field of human resource management.
This module handbook explains how this module is organised, and its assessments. It also lists the lectures and seminar topics for each week. The seminar tutorials accompany the weekly lectures, and are designed to deepen your understanding of the topic covered in the lectures using real-world examples. We expected you to attend all the lectures and seminars, and to do all the prescribed reading. Generally, you will be expected as a minimum to read one chapter per week from the module core textbook, however we encourage you to read beyond into the additional reading lists, and beyond!
Over the next two terms you will critically engage with questions around how organisations manage people; particularly how they recruit, reward, and retain employees to achieve the high standards of performance required in today’s competitive markets. The module specifically deals with the strategic and international contexts within which organisations operate.
This module introduces three key conceptual themes. The first is Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the function of the HR department. Here we will consider issues linked the international context of HRM – such as cross-cultural comparisons. The second theme of the module focuses on comparative aspects of IHRM; covering topics such as resourcing, performance management, reward management, training and development, and employee relations. The final theme concerns the idea of ‘global HRM’. Throughout both terms we will explore how these ideas are interconnected, and how they contribute to organisational performance.
There are two assessments for this module. The first is a group presentation followed by an individually written report which will provide you with a practical opportunity to apply your learning of IHRM to a simulated case study. This assessment provides a flavour of what it might be like to work as a HR consultant. The second assignment is an exam which offers you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise of the theoretical and empirical issues raised in this module, and apply these to a practical example.

This handbook provides essential information that you will need during your undertaking of this module. It is not intended to be exhaustive but should help you to see at a glance key information about the module such as: the aims and learning outcomes, the proposed schedule of delivery, assessment details, reading lists, and any additional resources that you will need. Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with its contents.
The university will do all that it reasonably can do to provide educational services to support your learning. Sometimes circumstances may mean that we cannot provide such educational services or that the university has to withdraw or change aspects of this module and/or student services detailed in the information you have been provided with by the university. This might be because of, for example:
industrial action by university staff or third parties; the unanticipated departure or absence of key members of university staff; acts of terrorism; the acts of any government or local authority; academic changes within subject areas; or where the numbers expected on a module are so low that it is not possible to deliver an appropriate quality of education for students enrolled on it.

In these circumstances, the university will take all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to those services and to affected students, for example by making reasonable modifications, but to the full extent that it is possible under the general law, the university excludes liability for any loss and/or damage suffered by any applicant or student as a result of these circumstances.
The modifications we make may be to:
the content and syllabus of modules, including in relation to placements; the timetable, location, and number of classes; the content or method of delivery of your module; the examination process; and the timing and method of assessment Many of the changes that we make are in response to feedback from students and are intended to improve the experience of students and student outcomes.
In making any changes, the university will aim to keep significant changes to the minimum necessary and will notify and where reasonably possible also consult with you in advance about any significant changes that are required.
Please do read this module handbook carefully. If you have any queries or questions about the running of this module, please do not hesitate to contact me. I hope you enjoy this module, and I am very much looking forward to working with you.

Dr Scott Tindal Module leader [email protected]

Key Contacts

The list below summarises the contact details of key individuals relevant to this module.

Room Email address Phone number Head of Academic Mr. Adrian Yao 1^st Floor Main Building
[email protected] 03-20702078
Course Tutors: Ms Thelagarani 1^st Floor Main Building
[email protected]
03-20702078
Programme Coordinator: Kenny Yeo Boon Guan 1^st Floor Main Building
[email protected]
03-20702078 Ext 115

Key Module Specification Details

Department: Human Resources and Organisational Behaviour Number of Credits: 30 Term of delivery: Terms 1 and 2. Site of delivery: Greenwich Maritime
Pre-requisites/Co-requisites: There are no pre-requisites for this module.
Aims: The strategic management of human resources is recognised as vital to achieving competitive advantage in a global economy. This module introduces relevant concepts and theories in the field of Human Resource Management (HRM) and will provide students with the knowledge and key skills essential for both HR professionals and all people managers.
This module is aimed at students on generalist business management programmes in the Business School who have not previously studied any specialist HR modules.
The module focuses on contemporary HRM topics within a comparative and international context, such as HRM in multi-nationals, global mobility, and global talent management. This module aims to outline the background and the main theoretical frameworks for the study of International HRM and introduce the broad functional areas of HRM, and how they interact.
Readings, examples, and case studies from a variety of countries will be used, highlighting international diversity, allowing students to compare the role, activities and institutional frameworks of HRM in different national contexts.
Learning Outcomes: On completing this module successfully, students will: Demonstrate knowledge of the main theoretical frameworks influencing HRM practice; the importance of the integration of HRM practices with corporate strategy; and the external and internal factors that have an impact on HRM strategy. Critically evaluate best practice in the key strategic areas of HRM; resourcing, reward, performance management, training and development, and employee relations – and the ways in which these areas are interconnected. Apply knowledge of international and comparative aspects of HRM to contemporary issues in HRM, such as multi-nationals, global mobility, and global talent management.
On completing this module successfully, students will have the ability to: Synthesise, compare, and critically analyse key concepts, theories, and practices relating to the key strategic elements of HRM. Critically evaluate how each of the key strategic elements of HRM can contribute and add value to the organisation. Access how the main tasks of HR professionals and managers are interrelated with each other, and related to corporate strategy.

Enquiry-Based Learning and Research-Led Teaching
Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL)
Defined as ‘an approach based on self-directed enquiry or investigation in which the student is actively engaged in the process of enquiry facilitated by a teacher. EBL uses real-life scenarios (for example, from case studies, company visits, and project work) and students investigate topics of relevance that foster the skills of experimental design, data collection, critical analysis and problem-solving’.
This module uses a series of case studies within the seminars to illustrate the concepts and ideas presented in the lectures. Furthermore, the assessment requires the students to conduct their own project work on a case study where you will apply insights from theoretical and empirical literature, and come up with practical recommendations.
Research-Led Teaching (RLT)
An element of Enquiry Based Learning links to RLT, which involves faculty introducing students to their own research where it is relevant to the curriculum being taught as well as drawing on their own knowledge of research developments in the field, introducing them to the work of other researchers. RLT sees students as active participants in the research process, not just as an audience. This is achieved by discussing such developments in lectures and classes, and setting reading lists including recent research publications at the frontier of the field. The definition of a diverse assessment regime at the programme level (incorporating an expectation of familiarity with, and use of, such publications in assignments) and the inclusion of projects at every level of the programme is also fundamental to achieving these objectives. The delivery team on this course are experts in the field of HRM. They have both empirical and practical industry experience which they will use to help bring to life the concepts and ideas of this course.

Employability Skills Gained

This module is intended to develop students’ knowledge on the important topic of international human resource management by giving students opportunities to develop both topic-specific and general employability skills. The underlying approach is one which seeks to consolidate academic practice at level 6 study by encouraging both collaborative and independent study / research skills needed for job readiness, and sustained professional development. The module also aims to impart generic study skills and knowledge of sectoral issues within a global context.
This course will develop the following employability skills:
Cognitive skills This module provides multiple opportunities for solving problems independently including the opportunity to make sensible assumptions in real life scenarios based on course reading. It also encourages a reflective mindset through assessment which encourages reflection on performance, skills gained, and the quality of the proposed solutions.
Generic competencies These include: group work (presentation assignment and seminar activities); setting goals, influencing, planning, questioning, listening, persuading, and interpersonal sensitivity.
The first assessment includes an element of reflection on how the task was managed, and how the group worked together.
Personal capabilities Assessment and seminar activities will support students to develop communication and problem analysis skills, and to work collaboratively towards joint outputs.
Support materials will be constantly updated with reference to relevant events (e.g. CIPD lectures and other seminars) and the module includes guest lectures that provide opportunities for gaining practical as well as specialist knowledge on aspects of IHRM from practitioners in the field.
Technical ability The module will provide students with opportunities to apply knowledge of IHRM to specific organisational challenges and contexts; not just problem solving, but also in terms of problem analysis of the constantly-changing nature and contexts of IHRM.
Organisational awareness The module will provide opportunities for research into current trends of how sectors are linked through comparative approaches through the use of in-depth case study materials. The module will also look at organisational form, structures, and change from differing IHRM perspectives, and use HR strategy to consider the wider and changing institutional and socio-political contexts (e.g. Brexit, BRIC economies, and internationalisation) in which HRM operates.
Practical and professional elements This module will provide students with the opportunities to discuss and reflect on their own job- readiness regarding professionalism and skills obtained. For those interested in pursuing a career in HRM, the penultimate class in term 2 explores HR competencies and competency frameworks.

You can find out more about the Greenwich Employability Passport online https://www.gre.ac.uk/articles/ils/greenwich-employability-passport-for-students
Information about the Career Centre is also available online
https://www.abintegro.com/public/career-transition-and-job-search You can log on to the Career Centre with your Portal ID and Password
https://orca.gre.ac.uk/cas/login?service=https://idp.gre.ac.uk/oala/auth.php

Key Dates

2019/20 Term Dates
Please note that dates may differ depending on when you start your programme of study, and where you are studying. Please refer to https://docs.gre.ac.uk/rep/sas/term-dates for full details, and details of University closure dates.
Welcome Week 2^nd September 2019 6^th September 2019 Term 1 9^th September 2019 13^th December 2019 Examination Period 06^th January 2020 10^th January 2020 Term 2 13^th January 2020 03^rd April 2020 Examination Period 27^th April 2020 15^th May 2020 Resit Examination Period 20^th July 2020 24^th July 2020

Schedule of Teaching and Learning Activities

The module supports students in an independent learning environment in which teaching is interspersed with reading and information-gathering. Students are encouraged to relate key theories within the subject field to practical experience at workplace level. For example, the report assignment in term 1 provides a practical opportunity to put learning to work, to apply insights and understanding to a simulated example of firm internationalisation, and the challenges this raises.
Your knowledge of international human resource management will be developed through three learning activities.
(1) Core reading This course has one core textbook which is detailed in section 10 of this document. The foundation of your knowledge of the key principles and strategies of IHRM will come from your reading of the core textbook and the provided core reading list. Your understanding will be advanced through reading the additional material. It is important that you complete as a minimum the core readings for each week as this will help your comprehension of the lectures, enable you to productively contribute to class discussions, and work more effectively towards the assessments.
Lectures The lectures will introduce and familiarise you with the main issues surrounding the module content.
Together with the core readings, the material covered in the lectures provides the foundation for your knowledge of the key concepts and strategies in IHRM. This will be valuable for you in completing the assignments, and beyond into your career. Each lecture examines a specific aspect to IHRM, and illustrates those aspects with examples either from the real-world or from films.
Seminars Seminars contain a combination of tutor-led and student-centred activities. The seminars will be used to enable independent learning as well as collaborating in groups. Activities include the discussion of videos, case studies, critical discussion of articles, as well as group presentations.

Session plan

Week beginning
Activity
Core reading / preparation
TERM 1
Topic 1: Introduction to HRM and IHRM
23 Sept 2019 Lecture: Introduction to the module – introducing the topics and defining IHRM.
INDU1130 Module handbook. Seminar: (i) Introductions; (ii) Outline of the assignments.

30 Sept 2019
Lecture: Introducing HRM: history and the role of HR in organisations.

Brewster et al, chapter 1. Seminar: Introducing the case study for assignment 1 / group formation. Outline the enquiry-led activity for following week.
7 Oct 2019 Lecture: Contemporary issues in HRM / IHRM; the changing world of work.

Brewster et al, chapters 6 & 7. Seminar: Enquiry-led activity (introduced in week 3 seminar).
14 Oct 2019 Lecture: Strategic HRM

1. Baker (1999)
2. Short video lecture with example on SHRM (see Moodle). Seminar: Case study: Southwestern Airlines 21 Oct 2019 Lecture: National, institutional and regulatory frameworks of HRM
Brewster et al chapter 2 & 3.
Bonache et al (2012) – in Moodle reader. Seminar: Guided reading: using evidence

28 Oct 2019 Lecture: Applying cultural theory to HRM

Brewster et al, chapters 3 & 4.
See resources on Moodle. Seminar: (i) Greenway research; (ii) Selection approaches.

Topic 2: Resourcing the organisation
4 Nov 2019

Lecture: Resourcing 1: HR planning, recruitment & selection

Brewster et al, chapter 8

Watch the film
Seminar: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
11 Nov 2019 Lecture: Resourcing 2: Multinational resourcing

Wong and Hendry (1997) – in module reader. Seminar: Guided reading: using evidence
18 Nov 2019 Lecture: Resourcing 3: Global nomads and expatriation

Brewster et al, chapter 14. Seminar: Group presentations 1.

25 Nov 2019 Lecture: Talent management.

Iles and Zhu (2013) – on Moodle. Seminar: Group presentations 2.

2 Dec 2019 Lecture: Knowledge management

Sparrow (2006) – on Moodle.
Feedback from presentations Seminar: Briefing for report assignment

9 Dec 2019 Lecture: Guest lecture (TBC)

Martin (2013) – on Moodle. Seminar: The Decision Factory

TERM 2
Topic 3: Performance and reward management
13 Jan 2020 Lecture: Performance management

Brewster et al, Chapter 9.

Seminar: Overview of term 2; Assignment 2 (exam)

20 Jan 2020 Lecture: Performance appraisal

Maley and Moeller (2014) – in module reader. Seminar: Guided reading

27 Jan 2020 Lecture: Reward management

Brewster et al, chapter 10. Seminar: Exam practice (mock exam)

3 Feb 2020 Lecture: Linking performance and reward

Brewster et al, chapter 10. Seminar: Case study of reward management (details on Moodle).

Topic 4: Organisational Development (OD)
10 Feb 2019 Lecture: Training and development

Alfes et al (2010) – in Module reader.

Seminar: Guided reading 17 Feb 2019 Lecture: Change and organisational development

Hughes (2010), chapter 18 – on Moodle. Seminar: Case study: NG Bailey culture change and the role of HR.

Topic 5: Employee Relations (ER)
24 Feb 2019 Lecture: Employee relations 1: introduction

Brewster et al, chapter 5.
Cho and Erdem (2006) – in module reader. Seminar: Guided reading 2 Mar 2019 Lecture: Employee relations 2: Comparative ER

Brewster et al, chapter 6. Seminar: Exam practice (mock exam)

9 Mar 2019 Lecture: Employee relations 3: voice, involvement and engagement
Wilton chapter 10 – on Moodle. Seminar: “Man in the Green Blanket”

Topic 6: Global HRM
16 Mar 2019 Lecture: Introducing global HRM.

Brewster et al, chapter 13 Seminar: Exam practice (mock exam)

23 Mar 2019 Lecture: Managing international diversity

Brewster et al, chapter 15. Seminar: HR competencies

30 March Lecture: Revision lecture

N/A Seminar: Revision seminar

Assessment Tasks

This section details the assessment tasks and related information. There are two parts, the first (section 8.1) is a brief summary of the assessments, the second (section 8.2) is the detailed description of the assessments.
The overall pass mark for this module is 40%.

Summary of assessment

Assessment Schedule Assessment (including resits) Length Weight towards Module grade Learning Outcomes Due date Anonymous Submission? Anticipated Return Date Header sheet number
Assessment 1: Group presentation and individual report.
Group presentations 10 mins Formative and compulsory
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
No N/A N/A Individual report 2,500 word report 50% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 26^thDecember, 2019 Yes
TBC
Assessment 2: Exam
Exam 2 hours 50% 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. May 2020 Yes TBC N/A

Return of marked work with feedback will normally be given up to 15 working days after the due date indicated. In exceptional circumstances where you experience a delay in receiving this then you will be informed by the tutor. The timetable for examinations will be available closer to the examination period. This is organised centrally by the University of Greenwich.

8.2 Details of Assessment

Assessment 1: Group presentation and individual report
The group presentations will be held in weeks 10 and 11 (W/C 18th November and W/C 25th November 2019), to be allocated near the start of term during a seminar session.

The individual report is due 13^th December, 2019.
This assignment consists of two parts, a group presentation and an individual report. Both elements are compulsory: the presentation is formative (i.e. it is not awarded a mark but participation is compulsory in order to submit the second part of the assessment, the individual report.
Part 1: Group presentation
Task You have been asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation to the Board of Directors of the Greenway Hotel Group Plc. The company plans to internationalise by acquiring a small hotel chain in France. The full briefing of the case study is available on the Moodle site and as appendix I to this handbook. The presentation is intended to give you an opportunity to simulate a presentation to a real company rather than an academic exercise, so the focus must be on: The practical aspects of Greenway’s plans to acquire the French company from an HRM perspectives (based on the topics we have covered so far in the module). Using evidence (empirical studies and/or policy reports) that reflect the kinds of issues companies might face in this situation (from a cultural, institutional, regulatory perspective). Making practical recommendations which will provide the Board of Directors with a sound basis for actions and decisions.
The Board of Directors is seeking your advice / recommendations on the following issues:
What recruitment approach should the company take to resourcing their management team in the short-term? What factors do they need to consider as they expand their business to France (and potentially elsewhere in continental Europe)? What are the implications of these for their HR practices in the short and long terms? What should their long-term strategic approach be? Should they taken an ethnocentric approach and stick to it, or adopt a different strategy?
Notes This is not an academic presentation, so descriptive listings of academic theories are not required and will not provide you with a sound basis for the individual report. This is not an essay in presentation format; you do not need to list references or make conclusions here. Your task is to show how you can put academic theories to use to explore the issues and come up with good, well-researched options and recommendations based on the evidence. Please also remember, although Greenway’s plans to internationalise may raise issues and concerns, it is not a ‘problem’ (otherwise they would not bother expanding!) Try to think about what a Board of Directors would expect in this kind of context from a team of consultants and frame the case study as a positive opportunity. While this is a simulation, as a group of HR consultants you would always hope that your presentations would impress a Board sufficiently so that they might want to keep you on the Greenway payroll by offering you future HR consultancy work in the future.
Suggested presentation format Credit (and ultimately higher marks) are awarded where students show creativity and depth of approach, so the following structure is only a suggested approach. Your presentation slides might include: An introductory slide that introduces the task you have been set, your group members. Try to use this slide to win over the Board by showing that you are relaxed doing this task, that you are a good team, know your stuff and that you’re worth taking seriously, maybe hiring! A slide summarising the case study to show you understand the company’s plans and their significance from an IHRM perspective. This shows you know how to grasp and relate critical information in summary form, identifying the key information / points from the briefing. To achieve credibility and flow, a slide like this would identify the important HR issues that your group would pursue through the rest of the presentation. The next one or two slides are the central message of your presentation. They set out what you see the key external (i.e. cultural implications; regulatory concerns; institutional barriers, etc) and / or internal (i.e. organisational differences, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) of existing staff, recruitment / relocation issues, training & development costs, etc) challenges that these plans raise. It is important not to use academic references or definitions, but do demonstrate that you are aware of them. For example, try to frame your approach from this type of perspective: “Evidence from the academic and practitioner literature shows us there are many ways that companies approach resourcing, for example, by using people from their home country, from the host country, or alternatively just finding the best person for the job, regardless of where they come from. Each of these represents a very different approach, and with it different challenges. It requires the company to consider what it wants to achieve in the short- and long-terms. For example, by appointing your existing managers to the new roles in France this might allow you to retain brand or quality control as XXXXX research as shown. However, the downside of this approach is that…. Etc.” A Board of Directors in this kind of context might expect you to include a slide that shows your awareness (based on evidence, especially using international sources) of the hotel industry; the issues / competition it faces and how HR can help to address these (e.g. skills and migration, quality standards, etc). Try to use the language of the HR module, so frame your thinking around “competitive advantage’, ‘HR Strategy’, etc. This needs to be based on evidence, so look at information from reliable sources about the hotel industry in general, and also any examples of companies that failed to see HRM as a key strategic issue in its expansion plans.

Based on the preceding slides, you might present a series of options available to the Board in terms of how to proceed, along with a brief statement of the implications these have (maybe on a separate slide if space is tight). Try to make this slide follow clearly and smoothly from the previous slides. This slide might show your collective abilities to think about, and reflect on, ideas and what they mean, but this must remain focused on the practical aspects of HRM (recruitment & selection, training, etc). Based on your assessment of the implications, the context, the challenges all taken together, write a short set of practical recommendations (we suggest ~4 recommendations) that the organisation can take to deal with the issues / challenges that they are facing This ought to be the basis of an action plan, which is a guide for practical and positive action that the Board can take based on all the above.
There is no ‘best’ way to doing this. Your presentation should reflect the challenges you have identified, and your collective effort. In a 10-minute presentation, it is probably unwise to have more than 6 or 7 slides, and try to keep your slides free from too much information. Use images if you can. Be as creative (but professional) as you like! It is important to remember that this presentation is an opportunity for you to apply your learning and insights to Greenway’s plans, and present your ideas in a practical way. We hope you will enjoy this experience.
Time Limit: 10 minutes Date due: Group presentation in weeks 10 and 11 (W/C 18^th Nov and W/C 25^th Nov), to be allocated near the start of term during a seminar session. Weighting: This assessment is formative and compulsory Format: Any presentation format that supports group collaboration (e.g. PowerPoint) and can be attached as a hard version to the individual report (i.e. part 2 of the assignment).
What is a formative assessment? Formative assessment refers to a way of assessing students’ learning in order to help improve their understanding; it is thus developmental rather than evaluative in nature. The individual report (part 2 of the first assignment, detailed below) accounts for 50% of the module assessment weighting, and should be developed from the group presentation exercise and the formative feedback provided by the tutor. The report is not meant to be a simple writing up of the presentation – there should be clear development of it, not least to avoid the risk of plagiarism!

Feedback criteria for the group presentation Criteria Description Clarity and structure of argument presented, addressing the topic The presentation addresses the topic and has a logical structure with a clear argument. A range of options have been presented based on good evidence with consideration of implications. Quality of recommendations The recommendations are appropriate, proportionate, and demonstrate an understanding of the issues. They follow from the options and reflect competence in exploring key issues and challenges of internationalisation. Verbal communication skills and presentation skills The presentation is delivered clearly, in a formal, business style.

Part 2: Individual Report
Task Prepare an individual report based on your group presentation of the Greenway case study. The report should address the same questions as the group presentation, but you are expected to develop your individual ideas and deepen your argument based on your reading of key texts, evidence, and the feedback you received from your tutor on your group presentation. The Board of Directors has sought your advice and recommendations on the following topics.
What recruitment approach should they take to resourcing their management team in the short-term? What factors do they need to consider in expanding their business to France (and potentially elsewhere in continental Europe)? What are the implications of these for their HR practices in the short- and long-term? What should their long-term strategic approach be? Should they take an ethnographic approach and stick to it, or adopt a different strategy?
Guidelines Your report should be based on individual research – you are NOT to write it collectively with your fellow students. Write in third-person narrative – do not use “I”, “we”, “our”, etc. You should develop your points from the presentation further, rather than just repeating them in written form, based on the group feedback you received from your tutor. 10% of the mark for this assignment is awarded where you can show how you developed your report in response to this feedback. This means that marks are awarded where you demonstrate your ability to learn from feedback. Make sure you use and attached the self-evaluation form (on Moodle and appendix II) and attach it to the end of your submission. While the report is based on the presentation and should remain practically focused, it should be appropriately supported by properly referenced, appropriate literature. You should include relevant theory to support your discussion, but avoid just describing it; the emphasis here is on applying theory to practice from a problem-solving perspective. You should make reference to theory to show you are aware of it, you grasp it and you’ve done your research, but lengthy descriptions of theory is not appropriate for a report. Do not use online reference material to define terms or develop arguments (e.g. Business Dictionary, Wikipedia, Tutor4u, etc). It is important that your report develops and argument rather than just summarising points from the textbook , the case study, or the group presentation. Your report should not merely summarise the case study, it should explore the issues. The report will need to start with a clear and succinct summary in which you highlight the issues you want to pursue. You should then use the case study details and other relevant details of the wider hotel industry to illustrate the issues to demonstrate your knowledge of the topic. You must attach the slides you used during your group presentation as an appendix (not included in word-count) along with the feedback you received. While the presentation is not assessed and does not contribute towards the mark for your report, not including it makes it hard to see how you developed your report from the presentation. You must attach your self-evaluation form (on the Moodle site, and as appendix II of this handbook) stating how you used the feedback to develop your individual report. Failing to attach BOTH the slides and your self-evaluation form could lose you 10 marks. Please note the word limit (2,500). You can be within 10% of this word limit either way (i.e. 2,250 – 2,750 words). If you work falls beyond these parameters you will lose marks. The reference list, presentation slides, and appendices are not included in the wordcount.
Sources International Human Resource Management textbooks, e.g. Brewster et al, 2016. Academic journals, e.g. Journal of Human Resource Management, Journal of Management. HR practitioner sources, e.g. CIPD, People Management Magazine. CIPD website – www.cipd.co.uk High quality newspaper articles, e.g. Financial Times, Guardian, Economist, Bloomberg. Do not use tabloids such as The Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express, etc. Do not use websites such as Tutor4u, Wikipedia, Business Dictionary.
Advice If you need some guidance on understanding report formats contact the University of Greenwich study skills unit, or see https://www.skillsyouneed.com/write/report-writing.html
Details Word limit: 2,500 words (for report), not including references and appendices (i.e. the word limit does not include the reference list, the presentation slides, or your self-evaluation form). Due date: 13^th December, 2019. Weighting: This assessment is worth 50% of the overall mark for this module. Format: Use 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing, wide margins (2.5cm top, left and bottom, 5cm right). Focus your energy on the quality and clarity of your writing rather than adding unnecessary graphics, photos or diagrams. These will not gain extra marks as this is a business report to a Board of Directors. Feedback: You will receive written feedback by the return date stated in section 6. Note: The individual report must be your own work, and not copied by or from another student or book, etc. If you use ideas, quotes, data (including diagrams) from books, journals, or other sources, you must reference your sources using the Harvard style. Make sure you reference properly, and that you understand the guidelines on plagiarism. If you do not, you will lose marks at this level of study.

Marking criteria for the report

Criteria Marks assigned (/100)
Description Understanding of key concepts. 30 The report demonstrates an understanding of the topic and relevant key concepts. Critical engagement with the relevant literature. 25 Relevant and appropriate academic literature is used to support the case study analysis. Appropriate use of case study and empirical material to illustrate argument. 20 Appropriate case study and empirical materials means evidence most likely to come from searching using academic databases, directly from journals or from other sources suitable to academic study. It does not include descriptions of company policies drawn from the internet. These might be used in an illustrate way to support a point, but would need to be supported with relevant, quality evidence. Clarity of structure and referencing. 15 The report is clearly and appropriately presented, with good spelling and grammar. Harvard referencing style is correctly and consistently used for referencing. Clear development of report based on group presentation. 10 There is a convincing (clear and logical) link between the group presentation and individual report that demonstrates how the formative feedback was used to develop the individual report. You must attach the presentation slides AND the self-evaluation form stating how you used the feedback to develop your report.

Assessment 2: Exam
The date of this exam will be released later in the academic year.
This exam counts for 50% of the final module mark.
The exam is marked out of 100% and is made up of three sections:
Section A: tests your knowledge of the theoretical background to international human resource management. This counts for 30% of the exam mark.
Section B: requires you to demonstrate your awareness of the functions and practice of IHRM. This section counts for 30% of the exam mark.
Section C: asks you to apply your knowledge and awareness to a case study. This section counts for 40% of the exam mark.
You must answer three questions in total: one from section A, and one from section B. You must answer all parts of the case study question in section C. You will have two hours to answer all three questions. Please read all three sections before you attempt to answer any question.
Over the second term there will be three exam preparation tutorials where students will be given a chance to practice and develop their exam technique in mock class tests from which feedback will be given. The University of Greenwich also provides excellent and extensive academic skills workshops and support, including exam techniques. This is accessible through the student portal (My Learning / Academic Skills / Exam Preparation (see: https://www.gre.ac.uk/articles/ils/exam-preparation). Please use these resources to help prepare you for the exam.
Marking criteria for the exam
Criteria Marks assigned (/100)
Description Understanding of key concepts. 30 Answers demonstrates an understanding of the topic in question, relevant key concepts are explained and applied in a practical way. Critical engagement with the relevant literature. 25 Relevant and appropriate academic literature are used to support arguments and demonstrate awareness of the main functions and key issues facing HR practice. Appropriate use of examples to consider and explore problems. 25 Appropriate use of empirical and case study materials provided in the module and from the wider literature to support and develop insight on the questions. Evidence of practical as well as conceptual understanding of IHRM. Clarity of structure and referencing. 15 The structure of the answer is clearly and appropriately presented. In an exam, Harvard referencing style is not expected although in-text citations are expected to show familiarity with key literature.

Re-Sit Assessments
The Progression and Award Board (PAB) will determine whether students who have failed items of coursework or exams will be permitted to complete re-sits. These normally take place in July/August. If your results letter advises you that you have been given a re-sit opportunity you will need to check the portal for details of the assessment element(s) that you will need to complete and for the timings of re-sit examinations. For non-exam re-sits (e.g. coursework, essay, presentation, group work assessments), please consult the relevant Module’s Moodle page for instructions on what is required of your re-sit assessment. The due date will be Wednesday 10^th July 2020. You should be aware that there is no automatic right to take re-sits; this is at the discretion of the PAB and dependent on the scale of failure and your overall profile. If you are offered a re-sit opportunity which you do not take up, you will be recorded as having a non-submission; you will not keep the original grade for that item if you are told by a PAB that they want you to re-sit.

Reading Lists
Core textbook: Brewster, C., Sparrow, P., Vernon, G. and Houldsworth, E. (2016) International Human Resource Management (4^th edition) London: CIPD. It is recommended that you obtain a copy of this book, which is available in the university bookshop and online. There are also multiple copies of this text in the library. This book is essential to prepare you for, and help you with, the lectures, seminars and assignments. Readings from this book is assigned for most weeks. The 3^rd edition (published 2011) of this book is also acceptable. There are also several other international human resource management textbooks which will help you with your assignments, but the core textbook for this course is Brewster et al (2016). Below is a supplementary reading list which is organised by topic. Reading from this list will help support your learning and assist you in your assessments. General HRM / Strategic HRM Boxall, P. and Purcell, J. (2015). Strategy and Human Resource Management. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan French, R. (2010) Cross-Cultural Management in Work Organisations (2^nd edition) London: CIPD Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D. (2010): Organizational Behaviour: an introductory text (7th ed). Harlow: Pearson. Marchington, M. and Wilkinson, A. (2012) Human Resource Management at Work (5^th ed) London: CIPD Rees, C. and Edwards, T. (2010, 2^nd edition). International Human Resource Management: Globalization, National Systems and Multinational Companies. London: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Stahl, G., Bjorkman, I. and Morris, S. (2012). Handbook of Research of International Human Resource Management. Gloucester: Edward Elgar. Wilton, N. (2001) An Introduction to Human Resource Management London: SAGE Resourcing / Talent Management Capelli, P. and Keller, J. (2014) “Talent Management: Conceptual Approaches and Practical Challenges” Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior 1:305–31. Taylor, S. (2014) Resourcing and Talent Management (6^th edition) London: CIPD Performance Management / Reward Management Gerhart, B., Rynes, S. and Fulmer, I. (2009) ‘6 Pay and Performance: Individuals, Groups, and Executives’, The Academy of Management Annals, 3:1, 251 — 315. Hutchinson, S. (2013) Performance Management: Theory and Practice London: CIPD. Perkins, S. and White, G. (2011) Reward Management: Alternatives, Consequences and Contexts (2nd ed.) London: CIPD. Training & Development / Organisational Development Francis, H., Holbeche, L. and Reddington, M. (2012) People and Organisational Development: A New Agenda for Organisational Effectiveness London: CIPD Hurn, BJ. (2012) Management of change in a multinational company. Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 44 (1) doi.org/10.1108/00197851211193417 Noe, R., Clark, A. and Klein, H. (2014) “Learning in the Twenty-First-Century Workplace” Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior 1 Stewart, J. and Rigg, C. (2011) Learning and Talent Development London: CIPD Employee Relations Bamber, G., Lansbury, R. and Wailes, N. (ed) (2004): International and Comparative Employment Relations: Globalisation and the developed market economies (4th ed). London: SAGE. Blyton, P. and Turnbull, P. (2004): The Dynamics of Employee Relations (3^rd ed). Basingstoke : Palgrave Macmillan. Ferner, A. and Hyman, R. (ed) (2000): Changing Industrial Relations in Europe (2nd ed). Oxford: Blackwell. Hyman, R. (2001) “Trade Union Research and Cross-National Comparison” European Journal of Industrial Relations 7: 203. Innes, E. and Morris, J. (1995) “Multinational corporations and employee relations. Continuity and change in a mature industrial region” Employee Relations Vol. 17 No. 6. Morrison, E. (2014) “Employee Voice and Silence” Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior 1. Truss, K., Alfes, K., Delbridge, R, Shantz, A. and Soane, E. (2014). Employee engagement in theory and in practice. London: Routledge. Vernon, G. (2006) “Does Density Matter? The Significance of Comparative Historical Variation in Unionization” European Journal of Industrial Relations Volume 12 Number 2 pp 189–209. In addition to the above, there are five guided reading articles listed in the session outline available in the module reader (which with either be distributed at the start of the module or available on the Moodle for you to for download). It is important that you take the opportunity to use these materials and explore / discuss them during the guided reading seminars in weeks 6, 9, 19, 22 and 24 (see 4.2 above).

Additional Module Specific Information and Costs

Brewster et al (2016) International Human Resource Management is the core text for this module. Students should consider purchasing this text, although there are multiple copies in the library. This book is in its 4^th international edition, but earlier editions are acceptable.
All other course materials will be provided.

Glossary of Terms

Pre-requisites/Co-requisites	This describes the learning you are expected to have completed before starting the module or the learning (or other modules) that you should be undertaking alongside it.
Aims	These define the overall educational purpose of the module
Learning Outcomes	These are subject specific statements that define the learning that will be assessed during this module
Assessment Weight	This refers to the proportion of the overall result for the module that is based on your performance in each of the assessment tasks

10.Other Details

The majority of information relevant to you while you study at the University has been brought together into your programme handbook. Please refer to your programme handbook for any further information you might require including:
Deadlines and extenuating circumstances, Plagiarism and referencing, Who to go to for advice or if you are concerned, How to provide us with feedback, Key administrative procedures.

Appendix I: Greenway case study

Term one assignment for International Human Resource Management – INDU1130

Internationalisation & Recruitment:
The Greenway Hotel Group case study

Background to mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions are common in business, yet in the international context they are the means by which many firms initiate or consolidate their internationalisation strategies. Without mergers and acquisitions many well-known global brands would not be so well-known. While some mergers and acquisitions are successful many more are not, and the process of merging companies is complex, not least when this happens across international boundaries. Marks and Mirvis claim that “three out of four mergers and acquisitions fail to achieve their financial and strategic objectives” (2001: 80).

This failure is often attributed to various HR-related factors such as incompatible cultures, different management styles, poor motivation, loss of key talent, lack of communication, diminished trust, and uncertainty of long-term goals. Mergers and acquisitions present significant challenges to HR professionals. The process requires management of both organisations to consider all implications of a proposed merger or acquisition before agreeing to one—which necessarily involves consideration of the ‘people issues’. HR professionals are often involved in the process by advising management on human resource matters, including using surveys and other metrics to gather relevant data, identifying potential conflicts or HR challenges between the two companies, integrating HR practices, company cultures after a merger, and managing talent decisions such as redundancies, to name just a few.

One famous example concerns the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz, Daimler Benz, who merged with U.S. car maker Chrysler in 1998 to create Daimler Chrysler, at a cost of $37 billion. The goal was obvious and overwhelmingly attractive – to create a trans-Atlantic, car-making powerhouse that would dominate global markets. But by 2007, Daimler Benz sold Chrysler to the Cerberus Capital Management firm, which specialises in restructuring troubled companies, for a mere $7 billion.

What happened is generally seen as an example of ‘corporate culture clash’. Chrysler was nowhere near the league of high-end Daimler Benz in terms of its emphasis on quality, and many felt that Daimler strutted in and tried to control Chrysler, overlooking its own way of doing things. Clashes of this kind tend to undermine many new alliances. Falling sales and a recession creating the perfect conditions for a corporate divorce; another failed merger.

Mergers and acquisitions are also common in Europe, with a recent example in late 2016 being the Finnish company Nokia’s takeover of French company Alcatel-Lucent. While this is a relatively recent merger, mergers between global telecommunication giants like these two firms are subject to institutional constraints, namely EU regulations about competition, whereby the European Commission is obliged to assess whether mergers of this scale would create unfair competition in the telecommunications field, e.g. where the merged company could coordinate market prices unfairly.

Case study: the Greenway Hotel Group, Plc.

Greenway Hotels Group, Plc, owns more than 60 hotels throughout the United Kingdom, mostly in the large urban centres of London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol and Liverpool. It currently has slightly over 1,000 employees.

Greenway’s hotels are considered somewhat budget accommodation. They are functional, clean and reasonably priced. The rooms are generally of a reasonable size, with the usual basic facilitates one would expect in a modern hotel. Additional information about UK hotel standards is available at: https://www.theaa.com/~/media/the-aa/hotel-services/scheme-documents/hotels/aa-hotel-quality-standards-2018.pdf?la=en

Most guests at Greenway stay for one to three nights, and are a combination of business and leisure travellers. The hotels are typically situated in downtown locations that are easily accessible by mass transit. Tourists are attracted to these hotels in popular visitor destinations where the many local attractions mean that they will not be spending much time in their hotel rooms.

The company has recently acquired a small hotel chain headquartered in France called “Hôtel de Charme”. Greenway’s Chief Executive decided that half of the new hotels in France would be retained and rebranded as part of the “Greenway Hotels Group”; the other half will be sold. This will support Greenway’s strategic objective of growing the organisation slowly to make sure that new ventures are well-supported and opened on time and within budget.

Hôtel de Charmecurrently have around 40 hotels and employs around 1,500 people. The company is headquartered in Rheims, in the Champagne region, to the east of Paris. It specialises in boutique-type hotels that are not always situated in city centres but close enough to offer access to these urban centres and the French countryside. Many of its hotels have spa facilities, gardens, and offers a range of activities on the grounds and nearby excursions. The hotels offer traditional-style food with flavours and products of the region (‘du terroir’). Most of its clients come for relaxing weekend retreats and may spend time in their room or the hotel grounds. Although they are not exclusive hotels, they are definitely not budget.

Greenway is unsure whether to post its existing UK managers to France to lead the changeover of the new hotels, and then manage them after they re-open (i.e. an ethnocentric approach using the internal labour market) or to recruit new managers from within France (i.e. polycentric approach), or even take a pan-European or global (i.e. regiocentric) approach, requiring engagement with external labour markets. This is a critical issue for Greenway, and it is important to get it right. If this new venture in France is successful, Greenway may decide to acquire other small hotel groups in other Continental European countries. The organisation would like to own 120 hotels in the next five years, and their 10-year plan is to own 250 hotels across Europe. This is an ambitious target, so it is important that the organisation finds an effective formula to operate successfully in other countries.

The challenge for your team
You are part of a HR consultancy team whose job it is to advise Greenway on the best approach to take that will support both short- and long-term success. In addition to its ambitious plans, the company’s Board of Directors have provided you with the following information during an initial briefing meeting:

A majority of the existing managers say they would like a chance to work abroad.

None of their existing managers speak French fluently. Some have families and want to know about what additional support the company will provide to help with personal / social adjustments.
They only have six weeks to rebrand the hotels. The new hotels must be ready to open after that time.
They expect to recruit a large number of staff for the new French hotels because more than 50 percent of the employees from the acquired organisation has left.

The organisation has never owned hotels outside the UK before and so its Board and the managers are quite anxious about the implications of internationalisation, not just from a cultural perspective but also in terms of the changing institutional environment in Europe. One of the Board of Directors has been reading some HRM websites and came across the idea of ‘global mindset’, and has added that in the longer term she would like to see their managers being flexible and able to move between hotels in different countries if any problems arise, based on their problem-solving skills.

The Board of Directors is seeking your advice on the following topics:

What recruitment approach should they take to resourcing their management team in the short term?
What factors do they need to consider in expanding their business to France, and elsewhere in Continental Europe?
What are the implications of these for their HR practices in the short- and long-term?
What should their long-term strategic approach be? Should they take an ethnocentric approach and stick to it, or adopt a different strategy?

Remember however that the proposed merger and acquisition is not a ‘problem’; this is something Greenway wants to undertake although it will clearly face some issues in the process. Your job is not to warn the company off the merger, but to highlight what the issues might be and how to address them.

Key issues that you need to consider:

National culture and the ways in which this is expressed with regard to managing people within organisations.
The different corporate / organisational cultures (values, mission) of the two hotel groups.
The regulatory framework in the UK, France and the EU, particularly the implications/uncertainties of Brexit for international assignments.
The institutional framework concerning ways of working, the role of Unions, reward, etc.

The key issues facing IHRM (and business more generally) in terms of internationalisation, e.g. question of control and differentiation.
Costs and other issues of relocating existing managers compared to the issues and risks of recruiting using a polycentric or geocentric approach.
The need to develop clear and well-researched proposals / solutions so that the company can rebrand, recruit and reopen in 6 weeks.
Contemporary trends facing the HR profession and the kinds of competences Greenway will need in the longer term to secure competitive advantage.

Recommended reading

The core text (Brewster et al, 2016), in particular, chapters 2, 3, 4, 13 and 14 will provide you with a lot of relevant information.

Some additional reading:

Brewster, C. (1997). International HRM: Beyond expatriation. Human Resource Management Journal, 7(3), 31

Brewster, C., and Scullion, H. (1997). A review and agenda for expatriate HRM. Human Resource Management Journal, 7(3), 32-41

Ingemar-Torbiörn, I. (1997). Staffing for international operations. Human Resource Management Journal, 7(3), 42-51

Matthews, V.E. (2000). Competition in the international hotel industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 12(2), 114-118

Marks and Mirvis (2001). Making mergers and acquisitions work: Strategic and psychological preparation. Academy of Management Executive, 15(2), 80 – 92

Some useful resources:

European Commission: (2017). Competition / Merger Regulation. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/competition/mergers/legislation/regulations.html#merger_reg; Date last accessed: 11/07/19

SHRM (2017). Managing Human Resources in Mergers and Acquisitions. Available at:

https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/toolkits/pages/mergersandacquisitions.aspx Date last accessed: 11/07/19.

Appendix II: Self-evaluation form

Group presentation – self-evaluation form (attach as an appendix to your individual report)

Assignment Topic	Assessment activity
Greenway case study	Presentation

What proportion of the group work did you contribute, in % terms?

What was your key learning from this activity, both in relation to the topic covered as well as the group activity itself?

Do you have comments on the task, process or group dynamics (e.g. that would help us to improve and develop the task for next year)?

Please state how you used the group feedback to develop your individual report

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