International management

Controls Inc.

Assignment 4

Q1.Critique the apparent expatriate selection process used by

There appeared to be no formal process through which an employee could apply for an overseas assignment. There were no job descriptions provided No mention is made of the criteria used to ascertain who is the best candidate for the position. The process seems poorly planned, uncoordinated, and governed by organizational politics. Examples are (a) how long Randolf waited before being invited to Lakeland for an interview, (b) the one week the Director of the Freezer and Cooler business unit gave Randolf

Q2. Evaluate the orientation programs that Randolf

undertook. Ans: The orientation process for an international assignment should begin with the selection process and end when the expatriate returns from overseas. Factors which contributed to an inadequate orientation process include the following: Little or no time was allowed for Randolf or the Negotiation teams to receive adequate language training.. Westerners cannot be expected to learn a language as complex as Mandarin in such a short period of time. Q3.What other concerns do you have about Controls' HRM strategy? What changes would you recommend to Controls' management? Or to its parent, Filtration?
Submitted By: Parinita Singh (1020841) Page 1

International management

Assignment 4

Other HRM concerns include the incompatibility of the parent's Compensation and Benefits package and the subsidiary's equivalent..

Poor post-assignment planning was demonstrated by the treatment of returning expatriates (i.e. sitting in a room in Personnel, waiting).

This have a negative effect on the morale of these employees, but also they demonstrate a complete failure to understand their value to the organization.

An important concern facing the expatriate is the reentry problem. By the time the expatriate gets back from the overseas assignment he/she will have been out of corporate competition for a time. Politically, he/she will likely have fallen behind peer groups and may also have become professionally and technically out of date.

Q4. Was James Randolf a good choice for this position? Justify your arguments. Randolf had a good choice for this position, but his selection seems more accidental than based on an understanding . The fact that his wife was of Chinese heritage was not a coincidence No mention of his technical capabilities was made except to describe him as being an experienced manager. Randolf was able to do this mainly because he had learned much of what he needed through being married to a Chinese woman. Q5. Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action for Controls, Inc.? a. To continue with its present haphazard, unplanned approach and learn through experience and inevitable mistakes.
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International management

Assignment 4

b. To hire, at considerable expense, a seasoned

international HRM specialist, such as a VP from

another firm in the auto industry.
c. To move more slowly and ensure that all involved

in the formulation and implementation of

International Human Resources Strategy are well trained in the field before undertaking these responsibilities.
Alternative a will be better with some modifications such as guidance of some experienced person A better HRM strategy should be developed and the planned strategy should be followed with minimised risk. In b) Hiring a perfect employee is difficult. In c) Time is a limiting factor. Q.6 What are the consequences of badly managed expatriate management programs (especially in large firms which are trying to significantly increase the percentage of total revenue earned from international and foreign activities and their international market share)? One should include international management experience then only managers can work better. The managers should be global managers. Long run goal of significantly increasing the percentage of International and foreign activities of total gross revenue and increasing global market share.

Q.7 What were some of the aspects of the Chinese business environment (including culture) that Randolf had to deal with?Comment on his effectiveness as a manager in a JV in China. Governmental processes in China are neither clearly defined nor formalized
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International management
during negotiations for a JV.

Assignment 4

It is important to establish decision-making processes

Chiniese value system thinks the superior to be the mos The Managing Director who is finally responsible for the company.

Q.8What reasons can you give to legitimately explain Randolf's removal and replacement? How would you assess his replacement? Do you think that the replacement will be successful? Why or why not? Randolf can be replaced because the expatriates from the United States are costly, and expatriates from Singapore are cheaper. In Singapore 70 percent of the population was Chinese, so a Chinese employee will be better. 9. What should Randolf include in his report? How frank should he be? What should he include? What recommendations should he make? To whom should he send copies? Randolf should say something about the confusing organizational relationship between Controls, Inc. and its parent, (b) Asia-Pacific subsidiary, and (c) Shanghai based joint venture. There appear to be no control mechanisms in place, and if the parent wishes to institute new policies and/or ensure that they are adhered to, it certainly needs to do this more effectively than it apparently does now. Randolf did not have anyone to whom he was accountable, e.g. a department from which he was seconded.

Submitted By: Parinita Singh (1020841)

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