Question 1

Third-country nationals are employees who move from country to country for work.

Accepted Answer

Third-country nationals are individuals who are citizens of a country other than the country in which the company they work for is based or the country in which they are working.

Question 2

An ethnocentric staffing policy is one in which all key management positions are filled by parent-country nationals.

Accepted Answer

An ethnocentric staffing policy indeed involves filling all key management positions in an international business with parent-country nationals, reflecting a preference for employees from the company's home country.

Question 3

The balance sheet approach ensures that there are equal numbers of parent-country and host-country managers.

Accepted Answer

The balance sheet approach is a method used for international compensation, aiming to equalize the purchasing power of employees in different countries so they can maintain a consistent standard of living. It does not concern the balance of parent-country and host-country managers within a company.

Question 4

A polycentric staffing policy can minimise the dangers of cultural myopia.

Accepted Answer

A polycentric staffing policy, which involves hiring host country nationals to manage subsidiaries in their own country, can minimize the dangers of cultural myopia by leveraging local managers' understanding of the host country's culture, market, and business practices.

Question 5

With four types of international strategy to choose from, the one that is most compatible with a polycentric staffing policy is the localisation strategy.

Accepted Answer

A localization strategy involves adapting products and strategies to fit local markets, and a polycentric staffing policy, which employs host country nationals to manage subsidiaries, aligns well with this approach by leveraging local expertise and insights.

Question 6

According to the results of a study by RL Tung, the most consistent reason cited by European expatriates for expatriate failure among their group was the additional challenges present when working in emerging economies.

Accepted Answer

The most consistent reason cited by European expatriates for expatriate failure is the inability of the spouse to adjust, not the challenges of working in emerging economies.

Question 7

One response of organised labour to the increased bargaining power of multinational corporations has been to lobby for national legislation.

Accepted Answer

Organized labor has indeed responded to the increased bargaining power of multinational corporations by lobbying for national legislation that can protect workers' rights, ensure fair wages, and regulate working conditions, as a way to counterbalance the influence of these corporations.

Question 8

One reason a firm might choose to pursue a polycentric staffing policy is a perceived lack of qualified individuals to fill senior management positions where the firm has its operations.

Accepted Answer

A polycentric staffing policy is typically pursued because a firm believes that local managers in its foreign offices understand the local market conditions, culture, and business practices better than managers from the home country, not necessarily because of a perceived lack of qualified individuals.

Question 9

The development of internet technologies is having a significant impact on the ability to reach and manage the administration of global expatriates.

Accepted Answer

The development of internet technologies facilitates communication, access to resources, and management tools, making it easier to reach and administer global expatriates effectively.

Question 10

When Pacific Brands decided in early 2009 to close its manufacturing plants in Australia and New Zealand and relocate them to China, the only power remaining to the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union representing the 1800 employees who faced losing their jobs was to:

Accepted Answer

The union's remaining power was to use moral persuasion by appealing to the public and government, aiming to sway opinion and possibly influence the company's decision or gain support for the affected employees. This approach relies on highlighting the ethical and social implications of the company's decision.

Question 11

Seventy-three per cent of companies use the __________________ approach when setting expatriates' pay. An alternative approach is the _________________ approach.

Accepted Answer

The balance sheet approach is commonly used by companies to set expatriates' pay, ensuring that the expatriate's standard of living is preserved relative to their home country. The host-based approach, an alternative, adjusts the expatriate's salary to match the local market conditions of the host country.

Question 12

Superior HRM can be a sustained source of ______________ and ________________ in the global economy.

Accepted Answer

Superior Human Resource Management (HRM) can lead to high productivity and competitive advantage in the global economy by effectively managing an organization's workforce, which is crucial for outperforming competitors and achieving long-term success.

Question 13

Human resource management by and large tends to include all of the following activities: recruitment and selection, training and management development, and:

Accepted Answer

Human resource management encompasses a wide range of activities aimed at managing an organization's workforce effectively. Among these activities, compensation and conditions of employment are crucial for attracting, retaining, and motivating employees, which is a key responsibility of HR departments.

Question 14

Mendenhall and Oddou identified four dimensions that seem to predict success in a foreign posting:

Accepted Answer

Mendenhall and Oddou's model for predicting success in foreign postings includes self-orientation (which involves the expatriate's self-esteem, self-confidence, and mental well-being), others-orientation (which refers to the ability to interact effectively with host-country nationals), perceptual ability (the ability to understand why people of other countries behave the way they do), and cultural toughness (the ability to adjust to the posting in countries that are vastly different from one's home country).

Question 15

The business case for increasing the participation of women in senior management is compelling. Research suggests four key benefits: improved decision-making and company performance, better corporate governance, greater responsiveness to the market, and:

Accepted Answer

Increasing the participation of women in senior management allows companies to access the widest talent pool, ensuring they can select from the best candidates available.

Question 16

A number or arguments have been put forward to explain why female managers are less likely to be selected for foreign assignments. The three most common arguments are: prejudices of host-country nationals against women, lack of interest by female managers in going abroad, and:

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is D) lack of suitably qualified women in the recruitment pool. This argument suggests that there are not enough women with the necessary qualifications or experience in the pool from which companies select candidates for foreign assignments. This is a common argument alongside prejudices of host-country nationals against women and the perceived lack of interest by female managers in going abroad.

Question 17

Compensation practices varying from country to country, labour laws prohibiting union organisation, and the strong pursuit of equal employment opportunity legislation are all complexities of:

Accepted Answer

These are complexities related to human resources, as they involve aspects of employee management, compensation, labor laws, and equal employment opportunities.

Question 18

________________ managers are a subset of expatriate managers who are citizens of a foreign country working in the home country of their multinational employer.

Accepted Answer

Inpatriate managers are individuals from a foreign country who work in the home country of the multinational company that employs them. This term specifically refers to the movement of employees to the company's headquarters or home country, as opposed to expatriates who are sent from the home country to overseas locations.

Question 19

A large and expanding body of academic research suggests that a strong fit between ______________________________ is required for high profitability.

Accepted Answer

A strong fit between human resources practices and strategy is essential for high profitability, as it ensures that the workforce is aligned with the company's strategic goals, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness.

Question 20

Corporate culture refers to an organisation's:

Accepted Answer

Corporate culture refers to an organization's norms and value systems.

Quiz 14: International Human Resources Management