International Human Ressource Management

[pic]Allen D. Engle, Sr. 2004

Question 1

As said in the case, Alistair needs for the Trianon joint venture in Hungary a «Quality Compliance manager », for a three-year assignment. The information we have in the text is the following: ❖ The future manager should be in on the ground floor so to speak ❖ He or she will have to be familiar with the joint-venture’s objectives and targets.

The major factors that should determine his choice will be:

❖ The ability of the person to adapt quickly to the country, to speak the local language, to transfer competence and knowledge, to act as an agent of socializing and direct control… ❖ The experience of the person in international jobs, assignments. ❖ The importance of family concerns ❖ The technical ability
J.Dowling, Festing, D.Engle, Sr (2008). International Human Resource Management. 5th Edition, United Kingdom, Cengage Learning. P.119

Moreover, “(…)There are family considerations that can cause a potential expatriate to decline the international assignment. Disruption to children’s education is an important consideration, and the selected candidate may reject the offered assignment on the grounds that a move at this particular stage in his or her child’s life is inappropriate”
J.Dowling, Festing, D.Engle, Sr (2008). International Human Resource Management. 5th Edition, United Kingdom, Cengage Learning. P.121

In the same way, the GMAC GRS survey (2005) cites “partner career concerns as the third most frequent reason for assignment refusal”

This point is important for the choice, and particularly for the third candidate. She is married and has three children, of 7, 9 and 13 years old.
She will face with the problem of her husband’s job, and with the education of the children.
It appears quite complicated for the whole family to move in Hungary. And it also appears difficult for this woman to leave her family for 3 years.