Western Hrm Practices

2) Diversity and Equality: Gender Equality

Scenario

You work in the HR department of a multinational company. The company has subsidiaries in three different countries (one in Europe, one in the Middle East and one in the far East). Your department has overall responsibility for setting the company's overall HR strategy. The company's senior management are highly committed to a policy of gender equality throughout the organisation.

Task

Write a 12,000 word report setting out for your manager the strategy you will adopt in each of these subsidiaries to promote gender equality. Your report will include:

a) a review of the main findings of research into the persistence of gender inequality at work and an account of the different theories as to why such inequality continues to exist,

b) consideration of the specific cultural factors you are likely to need to take into account in each of the three countries where the company operate, and:

c) with reference to the research and good practice that you have discovered, make recommendations for the overall strategy the company should adopt and the ways it should be adapted to local circumstances. This should include a plan of implementation.

3) Human Resource Development

Scenario

You work for a medium sized British multinational organisation specialising in engineering operations as an HR manager. The company has recently expanded and opened subsidiaries in West Africa and China. The company is keen to develop their local responsiveness, but is struggling to find and retain highly skilled people locally, despite offering competitive pay packages. You have been asked to investigate both the Chinese and African contexts.

Task

Write a 12,000 word report to the HR Director that:

a) Adopting a cross-cultural approach and taking into consideration socio-economic and other institutional factors (where appropriate) identifies possible causes to the problem

b) advises how the organisation may address their staffing dilemma (i.e. attraction and retention of employees) through the development of appropriate recruitment and selection, and training and development strategies in both countries

c) based on your comprehensive analysis, provides appropriate practical recommendations and action steps, to corporate management to address the problem.

4) Learning & Development

Scenario

"First, qualifications are surprisingly stable and there is no indication that their overall influence and value is diminishing. While it is possible to observe fluctuations