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Laurie Prange

INMA 505 -- Unit 3 Class Meeting

TOPIC: International HRM in an Everchanging World

Unit Learning Outcomes

• Identify and discuss variations within a range of international organizations in their approaches to strategic human resources management.
• Determine the influence of internal organizational characteristics and external environmental forces on the chances of success or failure of the organization’s internationalization human resources strategy.
• Assess the influence of a complex range of internal and external factors upon the success or failure of specific strategic initiatives related to internationalization or transnational business development from a human resources perspective.
• Exhibit cultural understanding and sensitivity in discussions and decisions of human resources managers.

Materials & Tools

• All the required computer technology
• Copy of the assigned readings to refer to during discussions

Learning & Teaching Strategies

Readiness Work by Students for Class Meeting

• Assigned readings for class discussion:
  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/health/expat-problems-how-to-cope-with-the-biggest-ones/ https://www.finglobal.com/2017/07/27/facing-mental-challenges-of-being-an-expat/ 
  https://fr.april-international.com/en/preparing-repatriation/repatriation-challenge
• Choose potential countries for the International Hiring Knowledge Base, one developed country and one developing country.
• Activate account for the eportfolio website

Sequence #1 Focusing Activity = 10 minutes

• Imagine you're an HR professional giving advice to someone relocating to metro Vancouver. How would you advise them which neighbourhood to rent or buy a home?
• What do you think of a website like Judgemental Maps?
  https://judgmentalmaps.com/post/141842298460/vancouverbc

Sequence #2

• HR Challenges in Managing Expatriates
  Exercise designed by Beth Zuech Schneider Published in De Janasz, S.C. & Crossman, J. (Eds). Teaching human resource management: An experiential approach. Edward Elgar Publishing. pg. 252-254.
• Putpose: To allow participants to assess and evaluate best practices for supporting expatriates during and after their assignments.
• Discussion Questions:
  1. What are the biggest challenges/problems for expats during their assignments?
  
  2. Since HR is typically involved in supporting employees before and during overseas assignments:
  a. What are 3-5 key challenges from the HR perspecitve in each of these stages?b. How can HR overcome these challenges?c. What pre-emptive actions could HR take in the selection and training process of expats to avoid these challenges?d. What actions can/should be taken by HR to support employees during the assignment?
  
  3. What are the biggest challenges/problems for repatriation after the assignment? What actions can be taken by HR to support employees for repatriation?
  
  4. Do you happen to know someone who has taken up an overseas assignment at some point in their career?  What have they talked about as being the advantages and disadvantages of this experience, both personally and professionally?
• From our discussion, let's record in a MS Word file (or similar) our ideas and suggestions for possible HR tactitcs and actions for the following categories:
  1. Selection
  2. Pre-assignment training
  3. During the assignment
  4. Repatriation

Sequence #3 E-Portfolio workshop = 70 minutes

• Starting to work on the International Hiring Knowledge Base
• Workshop led by Barry Magrill, Centre for Teaching Excellence
• Before class, each student was sent an email inviting them to activate their account with the eportfolio site and be an Editor on the Knowledge Base site.
• URL:  https://eportfolios.capilanou.ca/laurieprangemartin/

Sequence #4 Class Closure = 10 minutes

• In 280 characters, how would you summarize today's lesson?
  (280 characters being the length of a Twitter post. Hashtags allowed)

Student Learning Activities After Class Meeting

Passive Learning (e.g. reading, watching, etc.)

• Read the slide decks for the countries being presented next week.  This'll help you prepare to be informed, engaged participants for your classmates' presentations.

Active Learning (e.g. reflective learning journal, assignments, studying, etc.)

• Prepare Student-Led Workshops, which start next week.
  Remember, you only have 17 minutes total.
  Have you posted your top 3 points yet to the Forum? That'll help you focus what you're going to highlight.
• International Employee Relations Part #1 (worth 10%)- Introduction
  - Canada
  - USA
  - UK
  - Australia