What determines the adoption of employee empowerment practices by MNE subsidiaries in China?

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 871-894
Author(s):  
Yishuai Yin

Purpose This paper aims to explore how institutional factors determine the adoption of employee empowerment practices by multinational enterprises (MNEs) subsidiaries in China. Design/methodology/approach This paper examines the effects of MNE subsidiaries’ external and internal institutional factors on the degree of employee empowerment practices adopted by these subsidiaries. Using hierarchical regression analysis, hypotheses were tested with a sample of 99 MNE subsidiaries operating in China. Findings The results show that both the informal institutions of the host country and the subsidiary’s characteristics play an important role in shaping the degree of empowerment practices adopted by MNE subsidiaries in China. Originality/value Employee empowerment practices have been increasingly used by MNEs to leverage human resources for organizational competitive advantage. Although a large body of work has studied a bundle of HRM practices as a whole adopted in MNE subsidiaries, there is a paucity of research on the specific empowerment practices in MNE subsidiaries. This research fills this important gap in the literature by investigating the institutional forces that influence the empowerment practices in MNE subsidiaries in China.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiyi Chen ◽  
Xinmei Liu ◽  
Xiaojie Zhang

PurposeThe authors investigate when and why a subordinate's expressive suppression facilitates workplace creativity, building on the conservation of resources theory and considering the effect of the supervisor's expressive suppression and time pressure as boundary conditions.Design/methodology/approachMultisource data were collected from 132 teams in northwestern China, including 132 supervisors and 648 subordinates. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the effects.FindingsThe subordinate’s expressive suppression was positively related to their workplace creativity. Challenge time pressure was positively related to workplace creativity, and the subordinate’s expressive suppression was positively related to workplace creativity when challenge time pressure was lower and the supervisor's expressive suppression was higher. Hindrance time pressure was negatively related to workplace creativity, and a positive relationship between a subordinate's expressive suppression and workplace creativity was also found with less hindrance time pressure and greater expressive suppression by their supervisor.Originality/valueBy examining the role of the supervisor as a source of downward spillovers in various time pressure contexts, the study explains why a subordinate’s suppression facilitates workplace creativity from the conservation of resources perspective.


2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 1058-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Waed Ensour ◽  
Hadeel Al Maaitah ◽  
Radwan Kharabsheh

Purpose Arab female academics struggle to advance within their universities in both academic and managerial ranks. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the factors hindering Arab women’s academic career development through studying the case of Jordanian academic women. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered through document analysis (Jordan constitution, Jordanian Labour Law and its amendments, higher education and scientific research law, Jordanian universities’ law and universities’ HR policies and regulations), interviews with 20 female academics and a focus group with 13 female academics (members of the Association of Jordanian Female Academics). Findings The results indicate female academics as tokens facing many interconnected and interrelated barriers embodied in cultural, social, economic and legal factors. The findings support the general argument proposed in human resource management (HRM) literature regarding the influence of culture on HRM practices and also propose that the influence of culture extends to having an impact on HR policies’ formulation as well as the formal legal system. Originality/value The influence of culture on women’s career development and various HR practices is well established in HR literature. But the findings of this study present a further pressure of culture. HR policies and other regulations were found to be formulated in the crucible of national culture. Legalizing discriminatory issues deepens the stereotypical pictures of women, emphasizing the domestic role of women and making it harder to break the glass ceiling and old-boy network.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianqian Chai ◽  
Cherry Wun Mei Cheung ◽  
Caleb Kwong

Purpose Questions have often been asked of the ethicality of multinational enterprises (MNEs) with the conducts of many being classified as exploitative. This is particularly so the internal context, where MNEs are often reluctant to employ host country nationals at important positions and treat their host and parent countries employees differently. This study aims to examine whether the locals are really getting the raw end of the deal. Design/methodology/approach Utilising a unique record book that is available about the employment details of civil servants in Hong Kong known as the blue book, this study intends to examine whether first-moving multinational organisations treated their local employees in an ethical and reasonable manner, for the employees entering the service between 1845-1850. Findings The data suggests that, overall, host country nationals earn much less than not only the British but also those from third countries. Moreover, parent country nationals were placed at important officer and supervisory roles, as oppose to host country nationals at the bottom, forming a typically ethnocentric governance structure (Perlmutter, 1969). Furthermore, even divided by grade, the starting salary difference between host and parent country nationals remain considerable. However, the reason for this is complex, and the authors do not have a quick and precise answer as to whether there has been discrimination. Research limitations/implications The findings perhaps explain the dilemma faced by the early-movers because they tend to feel the strong need of adopting an ethnocentric approach, which can be extremely costly as a result of the large wage differential. A balance needs to be struck between this and utilising host country nationals, which might not necessarily possess all the essential qualities but might be cheaper. Originality/value This is the first study examining the employment practices of fast-moving MNEs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-36

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Discussions around multinational enterprises (MNEs) and how they run their foreign subsidiaries often relate to either the direction of traffic when it comes to autonomy and power or culture. For the latter, the textbooks are stuffed with case studies and examples of how things went mainly wrong when an MNE ventured into a certain market when it came to managing the local culture, with debates around globalization, localization, or (the horribly named) glocalization strategies and which one is best in any given circumstance. This is of course relevant and important, but often the meat of the story lies in the former category and the ensuing power struggles between head office and foreign hub. Practical implications The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 608-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Li ◽  
Qinqin Zheng

PurposeThis paper aims to examine how firms respond to societal moral degradation in a transition economy from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) perspective.Design/methodology/approachBased on a survey of 302 firms operating in China and using hierarchical regression, this study explores the effect of societal moral degradation on firm CSR implementation.FindingsThe study finds that the amount of CSR performed by firms in a transition market will reduce when they face increased moral degradation in the business field. The authors also find that CSR philanthropy is more significantly deterred by societal moral degradation than CSR sustainability.Practical implicationsThese findings reveal that firms conducting CSR initiatives need to strategically consider the great influence of environment. Meanwhile, strategic CSR decisions should be fully aware of the different characters of different CSR forms.Originality/valueThis paper draws on the strategic choice theory and contributes to understanding of the influence of specific environmental factors in transition economies on CSR implementation. Based on two main categories of CSR, this study develops a framework that explores how firms choose different CSR forms when they encounter severe moral degradation in business sector.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  

Purpose The researcher wanted to study the effect of HRM practices on turnover in a South Korean context. Previous studies have focused on Western contexts. Design/methodology/approach The author collected data from 310 white-collar and knowledge workers from Seoul. A set of five hypotheses were tested Findings The results showed that offering excellent compensation and job security made employees much less likely to leave. However, the indirect effect of job autonomy was not found to be significant. Originality/value The study has theoretical implications for workplaces. First, the findings show compensation satisfaction is of crucial importance and HR retention strategies should focus on how employees perceive their pay, benefits and pay policies. Second, the results show that HR managers and top-level executives should make job security a primary concern. For example, they should provide accurate and honest information” about the causes and actions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Lindström ◽  
Minna Janhonen

PurposeBy adopting a paradox lens, the purpose of this study is to explore paradoxes in relation to work organization, recruitment and competence development in growth-oriented companies.Design/methodology/approachThe study is a qualitative content analysis based on research interviews of managers responsible for human resource management (HRM) in Finnish small and medium-sized growth enterprises (SMEs).FindingsThe results show four themes, namely, (1) individualized work, (2) cultural cohesiveness, (3) experimental organization and (4) personal closeness. These identified themes are interpreted as mutually enabling, active responses to the underlying paradoxes of individualism – community and stability – change.Originality/valueThe results contribute to research on tension and paradox in HRM by taking the still unexplored opportunity to apply paradox theory to HRM in SMEs.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deonir De Toni ◽  
Ricardo Antonio Reche ◽  
Gabriel Sperandio Milan

PurposeThis study aims to propose and test a theoretical model that contemplates antecedent constructs of organizational performance, as well as the interaction among them.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted with 151 Brazilian exclusive stores in the planned furniture segment. The data analysis was performed using two statistical techniques, focused on hierarchical regression and mediation and moderation tests.FindingsAmong the main results of the survey are the direct and significant effects of value-based pricing and innovation strategies and the indirect effect of market orientation on market performance. As for moderation, the authors identified that profitability moderates the relationship between value-based pricing and market performance, and the degree of sales projection moderates the relationship between market orientation and market performance.Originality/valueThe insertion of value-based pricing as a variable in quantitative analysis of market performance meets the lack of academic research. When the constructs are combined or interacted with each other, they have a stronger and more significant effect on performance. In addition, this work proposes two moderating variables that can interfere in the relationship between the analyzed constructs (profitability and sales projection). It was identified that the relationships between the constructs and that the orientation towards the market (despite not directly impacting market performance) interfere with the relationship based on mediation of variable innovation strategies and value-based pricing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Amir Rashid ◽  
Masood Nawaz Kalyar ◽  
Imran Shafique

PurposeThis research aims to investigate the contingent effect of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and strategic decision responsiveness (SDR) on the link of market orientation (MO) and performance of women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (WSMEs).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 909 WSMEs of Punjab province Pakistan through survey questionnaire. Hierarchical regression is employed to perform the analysis.FindingsResults reveal that although higher-level dimensions of MO directly affect the WSMEs performance, however this linkage becomes stronger under SDR and higher-level dimensions of EO.Practical implicationsManagers should emphasis on the demonstration of EO's dimensions and SDR to utilize the full potential of MO to promote WSMEs performance.Originality/valueTo study the contingent effect of SDR and EO's dimensions in the MO–WSMEs performance nexus is the novelty of this study.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels le Duc

Purpose This paper aims to introduce and advocate the concept of resource commitment to better understand multinational enterprise (MNE) research and development (R&D) behavior. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a theory adaptation research design, this paper assesses the characteristics and antecedents associated with varying resource commitment positions. It does so in relation to MNE R&D activities, considering their importance to firm competitiveness and the recent increases in the number of locations and innovative activities a firm might choose to invest in. Findings The paper presents a framework showing that differences in resource commitment are more nuanced than expected. The evaluation of antecedents shows that the external environment, the purpose of R&D activities and firm experience influence the resource commitment position of a firm’s R&D activities. Originality/value The paper provides a pathway toward understanding of MNE R&D behavior, explaining observable differences in resource and commitment levels of R&D units. The presented framework offers MNE managers insight into when to adopt which resource commitment positions. It offers policymakers insights into the type of activities and the companies they need to attract to maximize the added value of firm’s investments in their country/region.


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