Learning Journal For Professional Knowledge – International And Comparative Human Resource Management

Today’s Learning Experiences – Cultural Framework of International HR Management

Discuss about the Learning Journal for Professional Knowledge.

In the following assignment, I am going to document my development and learning progress regarding the unit of international and comparative human resource management. The purpose is here to improve my self-awareness regarding professional knowledge, problem solving and decision-making skills and awareness about the political, social as well as the ethical issues. Therefore, the following journal is going to be descriptive, reflective as well as analytical and is going to address my daily experiences, various situations in the work place and my interaction with the people. I would like to inaugurate my reflective journal by elaborating the things I have learnt and among them, what I have found the most interesting. Following that, I would also denote the difficulties those I found unexpected and the aspects, which I have acquired from my experiences.

I would like to start from my today’s learning experiences. I have learnt about the international human resource management. More specifically, I have learnt about the cultural framework of international HR management. The class has discussed about varied international HR management aspects like management of workplace diversity, international HR activities and manifestation of workplace culture. From the class, I have come to know about the fact that there are a disappointing number of international organizations, who do not abide the obligatory rule of providing equal opportunities to the employees. Most importantly, I have understood that according to the US law of antidiscrimination, US organizations cannot legally discriminate their employees who work on the overseas for the organizations. Further, I have acquired the knowledge from today’s class that underutilization of the talents of the female employees, undervaluation of the female employees, lack of antidiscrimination laws and lack of advancement and development of the women employees are some of the most frequent and sensitive issues. Such issues are some of the predicaments, which make it difficult for pursuing satisfactory workplace diversity.

On the other hand, today’s class has taught me that the international human resource management fundamentally covers five particular services, which are international taxation, international relocation and orientation, administrative services for expatriates , host-government relations and language translation services. Before the class, I did not have any idea about international relocation services. I have obtained the understanding that arrangement of pre-department training, the responsibility of providing immigration as well as travel details are parts of international relocation. I have also learnt today that information regarding compensation details, housing, shopping, recreation and medical care and the role of finalizing employee compensation details are also some of the vital responsibilities pursued under the international relocation services. Finally, I would like to denote here that I have learnt about all the crucial international challenges, which are prohibiting to properly managing talent. Increasing market complexity, currency volatility, extreme competition for talent, workforce diversity and offshore and onshore are some of the crucial challenges. However, I believe that workforce diversity and currency volatility are two most sensitive predicaments for multinationals.   

International Human Resource Management Services

However, among the several aspects, which I have learnt from my classes on international human resource management, the most interesting lesson for me has been Hofstede’s model of cultural dimension. It has been interesting for me to learn that Geert Hofstede, who has developed Hofstede’s model of cultural dimension, established the model by integrating data of more than 72 countries of more than 116,000 employees. In this context, I need to mention the fact that Hofstede’s model of cultural dimension depends upon five key aspects, which are power distance, masculinity, individualism or collectivism and uncertainty avoidance. I should contemplate the fact that a model of cultural dimension has a relatively bigger sphere, which includes varied of aspects, which fundamentally belong to four dimension of culture by Geert Hofstede. I need to say that the most helpful as well as interesting aspect learnt from lesson of cultural dimension has been the underpinning about the conventional male or female values. According to the theoretical underpinning of Hofstede’s cultural dimension, the aspect of masculinity says that tough values, such as success, money, competition and social status determine or integrate the aspect of masculinity. On the other hand, the tender values like relationship, care and quality of life dominate and integrate the facet of feminine. Nevertheless, it has been difficult for me to accept the fact that Hofstede’s model does not prioritize subculture difference and at the same time has only been applied upon some chosen countries. I need to mention that from today’s lesson I have also acquired a coherent understanding about the variations in value orientation.

As I have now mentioned about the variation in value orientation, I need to mention here that the framework of Kluckhohn and Strodbeck of the differences in the value orientation have identified six value orientations. These are relation to nature, time orientation, basic human nature, activity orientation, relationship between people and space orientation. It has been understood that not all the kinds of value orientations are preferred by a single culture. I have learnt from the framework set by Kluckhohn and Strodbeck that each different culture may consider one or two of the value orientations. It is my understanding that says an international organization should follow all the aforementioned aspects acknowledged by me in order to maintain a properly maintained diversified work culture. Furthermore, I should make account of the fact that both domestic and international activities regarding human resource management service are moderated by cultural environment, multination organization’s   extent of reliance on its home country, complexity involved in the program of operating in different countries and the industry to which a particular multinational organization belongs to.

International Challenges

It has been identified by me that along with sex discrimination, in most of the multinational organizations, age and racial discrimination are very common. I have come to know the reality that in countries like those that Canada and Australia, racial discrimination against the aboriginal people are found among the multinational countries, whose home countries and domestic market are Canada or Australia. It has been shocking for me to believe such a situation although I should confront that I personally have not encountered any such discrimination in real life. In this respect, one context I need to enlist in my journal. Instead of the fact that I personally have not undergone any such situation of corporate discrimination but father of one of my friends, who belongs to a minority and marginalized section of the society have faced racial and cultural discrimination. According to my friend’s account, several times in office, his father has been bullied verbally by his colleagues and even by the management regarding racial discrimination. Later I came to know that his father has been forced to leave the multinational company where he worked due to extreme level of embarrassment and harassment.

I have personally come across a particular incident that have helped me to realize the fact that cultural dimension is not integrated only with the aspects outlined by Geert Hofstede. Gender egalitarianism, Assertiveness, performance orientation and human orientation are some of the other facets, which are potential dimensions of culture. It is true and an acceptable fact that Hofstede’s model gives a firmer and more cohesive evaluation of a country’s culture. Nevertheless, I used to travel a lot and while travelling in several places of my home country, I have noticed the fact that people seldom encourage others for being generous, caring and kind to others. I have seen instead of getting help from others, people seldom offer the same help to others and most of the time they do not even acknowledge the help they are provided from others. I believe we are bound to reward or at least encourage those people, who are showing their kindness and honesty to us. I have realized that if we could not reward them or show them the same generosity, we should at least acknowledge their contribution.

Through the particular experience and acquisition of knowledge regarding human orientation to be one of the extended dimensions of culture that should be considered, I have realized that cultural aspects of a particular place is determined by human orientation too. However, in this context, I need to mention one thing, which is I should acquire more knowledge regarding the basic responsibilities of the human resource department. It is because I aspire become a part of the human resource department of any particular international organization. At the same time, I desire to maintain a management, where people would work under a properly maintained diversified work culture, after becoming part of a human resource department.

Hofstede’s Model of Cultural Dimension

Henceforth, I believe that in order to accomplish my dream I need to gather a lot more information about anti-discrimination policies useful for maintaining work place diversity. On the other hand, the lessons I have learnt, have pointed out that Hofstede’s model is more recognizable and the globe cultural dimensions are not. It would be essential to judge whether collectivism, assertiveness and human and performance orientation should be considered as the integral dimensions of culture. On the other side, in depth information regarding the impact of globalization on international HRM and emergence of new markets would also be significant for me to know. From my lessons, one of the significant facts I came to know about is that the flow of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) as well as the amount of gross domestic products are increasing with an impressive pace. Therefore, it can be said that in future, business negotiation with the developing countries like Brazil, India and China along with Russia will increase. I believe it is indicative of the fact that the level of workforce diversity will increase in time of doing business in the host country.

Considering the situation, I face regarding human orientation and the news about workplace discrimination, as per my cumulated knowledge I would like to say that in future if I become a human resource manager of a multinational company, I would strongly maintain policies regarding anti-discrimination. More precisely, I would try to acknowledge people for their performance and behaviour. At the same time, it would be my responsibility to monitor whether people are showing discriminating attitude towards the employees who either belong to marginalized community or to the aboriginal groups. However, I should admit one truth that the lesson regarding cultural dimension and workplace diversity has changed my previous perceptions. Previously, I used to believe that workplace diversity means gender discrimination. The lesson has opened up my eyes about the fact racial and cultural discriminations are there, which altogether prohibit building a properly diversified workplace culture.

It is significant to mention here that in order to turn a situation, which involves verbal bullying to a person or a group of people, I would first consider my theoretical knowledge that I have acquired from the unit lesson. I would consider reviewing the existing anti-discrimination policies and if there were anything not as such, I as a HR executive would try to design anti-discrimination policies regarding racism. In other case, I would abide the existing anti-discrimination policies of the particular organization and would strictly warn those who would be involved in the practice of discrimination. If warning would not work, then strict action against them would be appropriate.