IHRM TEST BANK

An international student that goes to work for an MNE in the country where she is studying is a

a) PCN

b) HCN

c) TCN

d) not enough information

d) not enough information

If she is an Australian studying in the UK, and the MNE is Australian, she would be a PCN.

If the MNE is UK-based, then she would be a TCN.

If a person goes to work for a foreign-based MNE in the country he was born, then he is a

a) PCN

b) HCN

c) TCN

d) not enough information

b) HCN

What type of expatriate is a MNE most likely to have if it is starting to go international after many years of domestic market bliss?

a) PCN

b) HCN

c) TCN

d) not enough information

a) PCN

PCN, because a PCN carries less risk as far as already knowing the company culture and expectations.

New behaviors and customs can cause expatriates to become psychologically disoriented. They are experiencing

a) Laurent's first step to true IHRM

b) culture shock

c) global mindset

d) negative host country feelings

b) culture shock

This is a symptom of culture shock. They may or may not have negative feelings about the host country depending on how they deal with their psychological disorientation.

An MNE is this kind of industry when its competitive position in one country is significantly influenced by its position in other countries.

a) international

b) multidomestic

c) global

d) networked

c) global

The index of transnationality is an indication of an MNE's

a) reliance on home market

b) foreign to total assets ratio

c) foreign to total employment ratio

d) all of the above

d) all of the above

Which of these do NOT moderate differences between domestic HRM and IHRM?

a) inherent complexity of IHRM

b) cultural context of IHRM

c) transnationality index

d) differences in employee productivity

d) differences in employee productivity

(a), (b), and (c) are three of the five moderating variables for the differences between IHRM and domestic HRM, described in F 1.3. (d) has to do with employee productivity, which is something both domestic and international HRM must do.

"What you do, where you do it, and with who" is a nice way to remember

a) Stahl-Björkman-Morris definition of IHRM

b) Morgan's 3-D definition of IHRM

c) different IHRM approaches

d) three IHRM employee types

b) Morgan's 3-D definition of IHRM

What you do = HR activities

Where you do it = host, parent, or other country

With who you do it = HCNs, PCNs, and TCNs

Which of the following is NOT a distinctively IHRM activity?

a) international relocation

b) international taxation

c) recruitment and selection

d) language translation

c) recruitment and selection

"MNEs become more alike as they discover universal HRM best practices" is an example of

a) the convergence hypothesis

b) the divergence hypothesis

c) a Laurent step to true IHRM

d) None of these

a) the convergence hypothesis

An international student goes to work for a Brazilian MNE in Brazil where he has been studying. He is a

a) parent-country national (PCN)

b) host-country national (HCN)

c) third-country national (TCN)

d) not enough information

c) third-country national (TCN)

If an international student returns to her country of origin and works for an MNE whose headquarters is in the country where she studied, then she is a

a) PCN

b) HCN

c) TCN

d) not enough information

b) HCN

If a person works on a ship for a cruise line headquartered in the country where he was born and resides, then he is a

a) PCN

b) HCN

c) TCN

d) not enough information

a) PCN

An MNE is this kind of industry when competition in one country is essentially independent of competition in other countries.

a) international

b) multi-domestic

c) Global

d) networked

b) multi domestic

The convergence hypothesis is an example of

a) a culture-specific approach to management principles on management research

b) a culture-common approach to management principles in management research

c) the study of macro level variables

d) the study of micro level variables

b) a culture-common approach to management principles in management research

The convergence hypothesis is a well-known example of an imposed "etic" approach that assumes that there are principles of management that transcend national boundaries.

Which senior managers may assume a greater deal of transferability between domestic and international HRM practices?

a) Senior managers of MNEs with large domestic markets

b) Senior managers with little international experience

c) Senior managers with successful careers built on domestic experience

d) All of these

d) All of these

Senior managers with little international experience, large domestic markets, or successful careers built on domestic experience are all more susceptible to assuming that there is greater transferability between domestic and international HRM practices, because domestic management is more of what they know.

The psychological contract between an MNE and which type of employee tends to be with his or her entire family:

a) PCN working abroad

b) HCN

c) TCN working abroad

d) Both (1) and (3)

d) Both (1) and (3)

Laurent's steps for a truly international conception of HRM involve each of the following EXCEPT:

a) An MNE's explicit recognition that its HRM reflects some assumptions and values of its home culture.

b) An MNE's explicit recognition that its ways are neither universally better or worse than others.

c) A genuine believe that more effective ways of managing people can result from cross-cultural learning.

d) An MNE should focus more on behaviors over states of mind and mindsets.

d) An MNE should focus more on behaviors over states of mind and mindsets.

Macroenvironmental factors that may influence MNEs include each of the following EXCEPT:

a) political factors

b) enterprise factors

c) sociological factors

d) technological factors

b) enterprise factors

A key contrast between international and domestic human resource management is:

a) complexity in operating in different countries

b) complexity in employing different national categories of employees

c) both (1) and (2)

d) the major differerences between the HR activities performed.

c) both (1) and (2)

An inpatriate is an employee transferred out of the term-21home base into the firm's international organization.

False

The HR department is the major user of language translation services.

True

The IHMR department does not get involved in the employee's personal lives such as marital status and children when considered for assignments.

False

Less developed countries tend to have cheaper labor but more government regulations.

False

Culture shock is a phenomenon experiences by people who move across cultures.

True

A domestic HRM is involved with employees within one national boundary.

True

Compensation and benefit programs are not an activity of internal human resource management.

False

Awareness of cultural differences is not essential for the HR manager at corporate headquarters. It is only important for expatriate employees as well as those at the host location.

False

Multi-domestic industries are one in which competition in each country is essentially independent of competition in other countries.

True

Multinational organizations need to strive for consistency in the ways of managing people on a worldwide basis in order to build, maintain and develop their corporate identity.

True

An expatriate:

a. Is an employee transferred out of their home base to the firm's international operation

b. Is an employee transferred into a parent organization

c. Is an employee who understands international business operations

d. Is an employee who has works in more than one country

a. Is an employee transferred out of their home base to the firm's international operation

Which of the following is not a category of an employee in an international firm?

a. Third -country national

b. Host-country national

c. Parent-country national

d. Multi-country national

d. Multi-country national

Which department of an organization is the major user of language translation services?

a. Tax

b. Shipping

c. Human resources

d. Operations

c. Human resources

Tax equalization policies concerning expatriates are designed to :

a. Ensure no tax incentives are associated with any particular international assignment

b. Ensure taxes are paid

c. Ensure employees are aware of tax responsibilities

d. Keeps records up to date

a. Ensure no tax incentives are associated with any particular international assignment

The direct costs of international assignment failures can be as high as times the costs of those for similar failure in a domestic assignment:

a. Five

b. Three

c. Ten

d. Eight

b. Three

One major difference between domestic and international HRM is:

a. Staff training

b. Tax equalization

c. housing relocation

d. risk

b. Tax equalization

Which of the following is not a function of internal resource management?

a. Staffing

b. Training and development

c. Government regulations

d. Compensation

c. Government regulations

Which of the following is not a major external factor that influences IHRM?

a. The state of the economy

b. Type of government

c. Generally accepted practices of doing business

d. Regulatory requirements

d. Regulatory requirements

Cultural difference is not necessarily equivalent to:

a. Social Factors

b. Values and beliefs

c. National Differences

d. Shared and recognized ways of looking at the world

c. National Differences

A multi-domestic industry is:

a. One in which competition in each country is essentially independent of other countries

b. One in which a firm's competitive position in one's country is significantly influenced by its position in other countries.

c. One in which domestic products are not the sole

d. One in which many products are sold

a. One in which competition in each country is essentially independent of other countries

Examples of a global industry include all of the following except:

a. Commercial air craft

b. Semi-conductors

c. Copiers

d. Insurance

d. Insurance

Series of linked domestic industries in which rivals compete against each other on a worldwide basis is:

a. Multidomestic industry

b. Global industry

c. Conglometric industry

d. Automobile industry

b. Global industry

Emnic refers to which kind of specific aspect of concepts or behaviors?

a. Language

b. Culture

c. Country

d. History

b. Culture

What is a key driver for firms seeking international markets?

a. A small home market

b. Tax regulations

c. Large home markets

d. Managerial incompetence

a. A small home market

Which ratio is not part of" index of transnationality"?

a. Foreign assets to total assets

b. Foreign sales to total sales

c. Foreign debt to total debt

d. Foreign employment to total employment

c. Foreign debt to total debt

Which of the following is a global mindset?

a. Focus on domestic issues

b. Minimize differences between international and domestic environments

c. Transferability between domestic and international HRM practices

d. To formulate and implement HR policies that develop globally oriented staff

d. To formulate and implement HR policies that develop globally oriented staff

An asymmetric event is:

a. Terrorist attack on 9/11

c. HR activities

b. London 2012 Olympics

d. Weekly staff training

a. Terrorist attack on 9/11

All of the following is a difference between international and domestic HR except:

a.

Risk exposure

c.

More HR activities

b.

More external influences

d.

Less involvement in employee lives

d.

Less involvement in employee lives

What activity in international human resource would not be required in a domestic environment?

a.

Staff orientation

c.

Terrorism considerations

d.

Relocation assistance

b.

Tax equalization

As foreign subsidiaries matures the local HR activities:

a.

Have broadening responsibilities

b.

Revert to the home office

c.

decrease as government relations are understood

d.

Stay largely the same

a.

Have broadening responsibilities

Which three dimensions are presented in Morgan's model of IHRM?

a.

Types of employees, countries and industries

b.

Types of employees, countries and human resource activities

c.

Types of products, industries and human resource activity

d.

Types of employees, labor problems and human resource activity

b.

Types of employees, countries and human resource activities

Differences between domestic and international HRM include:

a.

The cultural environment, the extent of reliance of the multinational on its home country

or domestic market and the attitudes of senior management

b.

The industry, the technology employed and communication capabilities

c.

The cultural environment, the industry and the technology employed

d.

The cultural environment, the attitudes of senior management and the organizations

authority structure

a.

The cultural environment, the extent of reliance of the multinational on its home country

or domestic market and the attitudes of senior management

Senior managers with little international experience:

a.

Are very successful in multinational operations

b.

Assume that there is no transferability between domestic and international HARM

practices

c.

Assume that there is a great deal of transferability between domestic and international HRM practices

d.

Are usually very eager to take on international responsibilities

c.

Assume that there is a great deal of transferability between domestic and international HRM practices

Successful internationalizing the HR function require all except:

a.

International mindset of senior management

b.

Right people to manage

c.

Global mindset

d.

International taxation procedures

c.

Global mindset

In Porter's value-chain model:

a.

HRM is described as a primary activity

b.

HRM is described as a support activity

c.

HRM is not mentioned as an activity

d.

HRM is described as an incidental activity

b.

HRM is described as a support activity

HRM in the multinational context contains an overlap between elements of:

a.

Cross-cultural management and leadership

b.

Cross-cultural management and strategic management

c.

Strategic management, comparable human resource and industrial relations systems

d.

Cross-cultural management, comparable human resource and industrial relations systems

d.

Cross-cultural management, comparable human resource and industrial relations systems

A Japanese citizen working in Hong Kong for a Japanese multinational would be classified as:

a.

A host country national (HCN)

b.

A third country national (TCH)

c.

A parent country national (PCN)

d.

A related country national (RCN)

c.

A parent country national (PCN)

Human Resource Management (HRM) activities include all of the below EXCEPT:

a.

Human resource planning

b.

Performance management

c.

Personal family planning

d.

Training and development

c.

Personal family planning

International HRM is reflected in:

a.

The need for a narrower perspective

c.

The need for a judgmental perspective

b.

The need for a short term perspective

d.

The need for a broader perspective

d.

The need for a broader perspective

As a foreign subsidiary matures:

a.

The local HR unit's responsibilities for planning, training and compensation would

broaden

b.

The responsibilities of planning, training and compensation would narrow

c.

The local HR unit's responsibilities for planning, training and compensation would stay

the same

d.

The local HR unit's responsibility for planning, training and compensation would end

a.

The local HR unit's responsibilities for planning, training and compensation would

broaden

What are the 3 broad approaches for international human resource management and how do they relate to each other?

Cross cultural management, comparative industrial relations and multinational context

What are the 3 categories of employees in an international firm?

Host -country nationals (HCN), parent country national (PCN) and third country national (TCN) PTS: 1 TOP: Defining International HRM

What are at least 2 types of risk exposure that international companies incur that domestic companies are not as liable to incur?

Human and financial consequences of failure are more severe due to under-performance and high cost.

Terrorism impacts planning meetings and assignments and the cost of terrorism protection. Emergency evacuations procedures for volatile assignments locations.

Why is an awareness of cultural differences important in an international company?

It facilitates work performance for the employee in a different cultural context. It helps the worker's family adjust and enjoy the international assignment and hence the likelihood that the employee will stay in the assignment for the duration is enhanced.

What is the difference between a multidomestic industry and a global industry?

A multidomestic industry is one in which competition is in each country is independent of the competition in other countries. A global industry is one in which competition in one country is linked or dependent on the position of the firm in other countries.

Cross-cultural management research is based on the assumption that:

a.

There are no real differences in management practices in various countries and the

respective environments do not matter.

b.

There are differences in management practices in various countries but the respective

environments do not explain these differences.

c.

There are differences in management practices in various countries and the respective

environment explains these differences.

d.

There are differences in management practices in various countries and these differences

are explained by company strategy alone.

c.

There are differences in management practices in various countries and the respective

environment explains these differences.

A major criticism of cross-cultural management studies is:

a.

The construct of "culture" is undefined or inadequately defined and/or operationalized at

the start of the study.

b.

The construct of "culture" is defined too specifically for use across nations.

c.

Research is done almost exclusively from a North American perspective.

d.

There have been too few cross cultural research studies completed to assess the research.

a.

The construct of "culture" is undefined or inadequately defined and/or operationalized at

the start of the study.

Schein's concept of culture consists of:

a.

Ways of thinking, feeling and reacting

b.

Customs, practices and standardization

c.

Research containing dense infinitive descriptions

d.

Artefacts, values and assumptions

d.

Artefacts, values and assumptions

Hofstede's cultural dimensions are:

a.

Universality, uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs. collectivism, aspiration vs. resignation and referentism.

b.

Power distance, uncertainty avoidance, femininity vs. masculinity, individualism vs. collectivism dynamics.

c.

Power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism vs. collectivism and contextualism vs. universalism.

d.

Universalism vs. contextualism Confucian dynamics, individualism vs. collectivism and consumerism vs. theft

b.

Power distance, uncertainty avoidance, femininity vs. masculinity, individualism vs. collectivism dynamics.

Individualism vs. collectivism refers to:

a.

How government agencies act towards citizens

b.

The extent to which individual initiative and responsibility to close family is valued in society as contrasted to group initiative and responsibility to an extended definition of family as socially valued

c.

The extent to which individuals relate to the government as opposed to individuals being

alienated from their government

d.

The extent to which individual achievements are socially recognized and rewarded as

opposed to recognition of wider social collectives - groups, organizations, etc.

b.

The extent to which individual initiative and responsibility to close family is valued in society as contrasted to group initiative and responsibility to an extended definition of family as socially valued

Under Confucianism dynamics, orientations can be either:

a.

Long-term or short-term

c.

Adaptable or subordinate

b.

Paternal or individualistic

d.

Political or idealistic

a.

Long-term or short-term

According to the results of the Hofstede study:

a.

U.S. culture is characterized more by collectivity behavior, unlike Anglo Saxon countries

such as Australia or the United Kingdom

b.

U.S. culture is characterized more by collectivity behavior, like Anglo Saxon countries

such Australia or the United Kingdom

c.

U.S. culture is characterized more by individualist behavior, unlike Anglo Saxon countries

such as Australia or the United Kingdom.

d.

U.S. culture is characterized more by individualist behavior, like Anglo Saxon countries such as Australia or the United Kingdom.

d.

U.S. culture is characterized more by individualist behavior, like Anglo Saxon countries such as Australia or the United Kingdom.

According to Hofstede, some Asian cultures such as Singapore and Hong Kong:

a.

Score low on uncertainty avoidance and low on power distance

b.

Score low on uncertainty avoidance and high on power distance

c.

Score high on uncertainty avoidance and low on power distance

d.

Score high on uncertainty avoidance and low on power distance

d.

Score high on uncertainty avoidance and low on power distance

The cultural context impacts HRM practices:

a.

Not at all

b.

Only in the HR practice areas of Compensational Task Distribution

c.

In the HR practice areas of Recruitment, Selection, Training and Development, Compensation and Task Distribution

d.

Only in the HR practice areas of Training and Development and Task Distribution

c.

In the HR practice areas of Recruitment, Selection, Training and Development, Compensation and Task Distribution

Hofstede identifies a strong tendency or masculinity with a high tendency for uncertainty avoidance in:

a.

The Scandinavian cluster

b.

The Asian Tigers clusters

c.

The German speaking cluster

d.

The Gallic cluster

c.

The German speaking cluster

Hofstede's approach to cross cultural management research:

a.

Has been the subject of ongoing debate and criticism.

b.

Has been largely ignored by other researches

c.

Has been almost universally accepted

d.

Has not been integrated into a wide range of alternative cross cultural research projects

a.

Has been the subject of ongoing debate and criticism.

Hofstede's study is classified or based on:

a.

Cultures

b.

Ethnic subgroup

c.

Countries

d.

Common cultural regions

c.

Countries

The GLOBE research tries to study the complex relationships between:

a.

Culture, leadership behavior, organizational effectiveness, social co-habitation conditions

and the economic success of societies.

b.

Culture, leadership behavior, political institutions, social legislations, corporate strategies

and the economic success of societies.

c.

Culture, economic development, social progress, and multinational dynamism.

d.

Culture, leadership behavior, organizational effectiveness, employee commitments and

satisfaction, social dynamics and the economic success of societies.

a.

Culture, leadership behavior, organizational effectiveness, social co-habitation conditions

and the economic success of societies.

The GLOBE study survey contains:

a.

Contains exactly the same dimensions as Hofstede's surveys

b.

Contains far fewer dimensions than the Hofstede surveys

c.

Distinguish between practices (as is) and values (should be).

d.

Contains only questions on values (should be).

c.

Distinguish between practices (as is) and values (should be).

Results from the GLOBE study were used to distinguish "cultural regions."

a.

Five

b.

Seven

c.

Ten

d.

Twelve

c.

Ten

One criticism of the GLOBE study is:

a.

That the research team is too much weighted to North American researchers

b.

The dimensions are less refined and detailed than Hofstede's dimensions of culture

c.

The research focuses too much on very small firms

d.

The focus of the study is only in three industries - finance, food and telecommunications

d.

The focus of the study is only in three industries - finance, food and telecommunications

The GLOBE study:

a.

Distinguishes between organizational cultures and national cultures.

b.

Does not distinguish between organizational cultures and national cultures

c.

Never distinguishes between subcultures in some nations for which data was collected

d.

Distinguishes between subcultures in all 62 nations for which data was collected

a.

Distinguishes between organizational cultures and national cultures.

The Trompenaars and Hamplen-Turner study distinguishes three overarching aspects of culture, namely:

a.

Artefacts, values and assumptions

b.

Relationships between people, the concept of time and the concept of nature

c.

Reality, time and space

d.

Descriptive values, aspirational values and critical values

b.

Relationships between people, the concept of time and the concept of nature

Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner's cultural dimensions is Ascription vs. :

a.

Description

b.

Conscription

c.

Achievements

d.

Acclimation

c.

Achievements

According to Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, societies that attempt to control nature to a very high degree are described as having:

a.

External control

b.

Internal control

c.

Distinct control

d.

General control

b.

Internal control

As applied research, the Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner study:

a.

Is backed up by extensive duplicate studies in a variety of countries and industries

b.

Has repeatedly demonstrated validity and reliability

c.

Has not demonstrated validity nor reliability

d.

Provides an explicit rationale for the origins and operationalization of the seven

cultures/dimensions

c.

Has not demonstrated validity nor reliability

According to Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner, members of specified cultures:

a.

See business relationship more personally

b.

Take subjective and contextual variables into consideration when making a decision

c.

Demand precise, unobjective analysis of circumstances and presentation of results

d.

Emphasize intentions and emotions in making a decision

c.

Demand precise, unobjective analysis of circumstances and presentation of results

Hall and Hall's research emphasizes four cultural dimensions:

a.

Context of communications, spatial orientation, the concept of time and information speed

b.

Context of communications, precision of communications, objectivity in communication

and information speed

c.

Context of communication, privacy of communication, the concept of time and

information speed

d.

Context of communications, spatial orientation, distribution of communication and feedback mechanisms

a.

Context of communications, spatial orientation, the concept of time and information speed

Hall and Hall's research:

a.

Focuses on the relationship between geography and culture

b.

Focuses on the relationship between regional resource bases on culture

c.

Focuses on the relationship between communication and culture

d.

Focuses on the relationship between faith and culture

c.

Focuses on the relationship between communication and culture

Hall and Hall, Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner all:

a.

Provide academically valid, rigorous and reliable research bases for their models

b.

Largely agree on the underlying dimensions of culture

c.

Have large, geographically diverse data sets to draw on to support their models

d.

Focus on offering a practical template allowing individuals to perceive and handle cultural differences

d.

Focus on offering a practical template allowing individuals to perceive and handle cultural differences

According to researchers like Barry Gerhart:

a.

Cross-cultural research or emphasizes the influence of culture and business practices

b.

Cross-cultural research actually understates the influences of culture on business practices

c.

Cross cultural research as yet to show any influence of culture on business practices

d.

Cross cultural research is insufficient in quantity or quality of findings to make any judgment of how culture may or may not influence business practices

a.

Cross-cultural research or emphasizes the influence of culture and business practices

Cultures develop over time:

a.

So quickly and so unpredictable that studies become almost immediately obsolete

b.

In a very slow and predictable manner

c.

Such that surface level artefacts may change relatively quickly, but deeper behaviors and

assumptions may take much longer to change

d.

Inevitably toward a convergent, single "superculture"

c.

Such that surface level artefacts may change relatively quickly, but deeper behaviors and

assumptions may take much longer to change

One study by Child, reviewing research on the development of cultures concluded:

a.

Studies on the macro level (organizations structure) found evidence for divergence or

growing differences in cultures

b.

Studies on the micro level (behaviors by employees) found enhance for convergence or the

lessening of differences in cultures

c.

Studies on the macro level (organizational structure) found evidence for convergence, or

the lessening of differences in cultures

d.

Studies on both the macro and micro level found evidence for convergence or the

lessening of differences in cultures

a.

Studies on the macro level (organizations structure) found evidence for divergence or

growing differences in cultures

Due to growing interdependence and a high flow of migration:

a.

Culture is not confined to a territorially limited area

b.

Culture is still largely confined to a territorially limited area

c.

Cross-cultural issues are not nearly as important as they were on the past

d.

HR will largely be unaffected

a.

Culture is not confined to a territorially limited area

Generational changes in world societies:

a.

Create no real changes in the demand for professional relationship and employee retention

b.

Result in potential employees who have been brought up with computers and are fast self-organized learners as in Generation Y

c.

Result in potential employees who have been brought up with computers and who are

therefore inflexible as to work routine and multitasking as in Generation Y

d.

Result in potential employees who are willing to sacrifice their personal lives for their careers as in Generation Y.

b.

Result in potential employees who have been brought up with computers and are fast self-organized learners as in Generation Y

Present the general definition of the concept of culture as presented in the text.

Schein considers various levels of culture: - Artefacts or Creations: Visible organization structures and processes.- Values: Consciousness (Ý thức).- Underlying assumptions: Self-evident (Convictions: niềm tin, Perception: nhận thức, Thought and Feelings)=> Source of values and actions.

Discuss the five cultural dimensions as presented in Hofstede's cross-culture management study.

- Power distance: The extent to which people find power inequality (bất bình đẳng) at work acceptable.

- Uncertainty avoidance: The extent to which people accept ambiguity (Sự mơ hồ) and deviant (Lệch lạc) ideas/ behaviors. Often expressed in rigid format rules and procedures.

- Femininity vs. masculinity: The extent to which the dominant values were 'masculine' values e.g. work ethic, money, achievement, or 'feminine' values e.g. concern for people and quality of life. Masculine societies define male/female roles more rigidly (nhiều) than feminine societies.

- Individualism vs. collectivism: The extent to which individuals are expected to look after their interests (lợi ích) or to belong to the group who look after each other in exchange for loyalty.

- Long-term or Short-term orientation:

• Long-term orientation: Perseverance (Kiên trì), Ordering relationships by status, Thrift (Tiết kiệm), Sense of shame (Ngại, xấu hổ).

• Short-term orientation: Personal stability, Protecting your 'face', Respect for tradition, Reciprocation of greetings, gifts (Đáp lại lời chúc, quà tặng).

Outline and discuss the ways in which cultural context can impact HRM policies of recruitment and selection, training and development, compensation and task distribution.

- Recruitment and selection:

+ In societies low on 'in-group collectivism' individual achievements represent important selection criteria.

+ In societies high on 'in-group collectivism' the emphasis in the recruiting process is more on team-related skills than on individual competencies.

- Training and development:

+ In societies high on gender egalitarianism women have the same chances for vertical career advancement as men.

+ In societies low on gender egalitarianism female managers are rare. Compensation:

+ In societies high on uncertainty avoidance employees tend to be rather risk-averse and prefer fixed compensation packages or seniority-based pay.

+ In societies low on uncertainty avoidance employees tend to be rather risk-taking and accept high income variability through performance-based pay.

- Task distribution:

+ Societies high on collectivism tend to emphasize group work.

+ Societies high on individualism rather attribute individual responsibilities in the work system.

In what significant ways is the GLOBE study (a) similar to Hofstede's research, (b) different from Hofstede's research?

- The study is to some extent based on Hofstede's dimensions: uncertainty avoidance and power distance. However, the dimensions are modified and expanded, leading to some confusion when Hofstede and GLOBE results are assessed and compared.

- Authors of the GLOBE study are purposefully trying to overcome the earlier critiques of the Hofstede study, namely that the borders between values and practices are blurred in his study and cannot be distinguished.

What does the discussion on "the development of cultures" lead you to conclude about the issues of convergence and divergence?

This discussion is closely related to the issue of whether organizations and their management practices are similar due to increasing international interconnectedness and the coordination of the global economy (convergence) or still exhibit specific cultural characteristics. For example, culture convergence between European countries is often imputed given the development of the European Union, and attendant harmonization of laws and regulations. Thus, increasing convergence of the cultures of individual countries within the EU is assumed. As a result, the meaning of cultural differences may be safely given little consideration. If the opposite is true and we assume a long term stability in cultural differences (cultural divergence), their investigation may be a decisive success factor in international business activities for the foreseeable future. In terms of activity within the European Community, this would mean that pan-European standardization of management practices would not be easily achieved and adaptation of practices to underlying local conditions would be required.