Cross Cultural Human Resource Management Notes
Subject Overview
Cross Cultural Human Resource Management is the fourth HR elective — how HR practices change when an organization operates across countries and cultures. You'll cover the fundamentals of cross-cultural management and how national culture shapes organizational culture, models for comparing cultures (Hofstede, GLOBE), global staffing and expatriate management, and close with managing multicultural teams and cross-cultural negotiation and ethics. This is a 6-credit elective paper across 4 units, valuable for students interested in international business or HR careers with multinational companies.
Subject at a glance
4
Units
18
Topics
6
Credits
4
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
4 units — open any unit for detailed topic-wise notes, diagrams and important exam questions
- Understanding culture and culture dimensions
- significance and impact of cross-culture on organizations
- role of culture in strategic decision-making
- influence of national on organizational culture
- domestic vs. international HRM
- Artefacts
- Visible: dress, office layout, rituals
- Espoused values
- Stated beliefs and goals
- Basic assumptions
- Deep, taken-for-granted beliefs
Study guide
This unit introduces culture and its dimensions, the impact of cross-culture on organisations, the role of culture in strategic decisions, the influence of national on organisational culture and domestic versus international HRM. Think of two cultures you know and compare how they treat time and hierarchy.
- Significance of cultural shift
- influence of economic factors and foreign intervention
- cultural and behavioural differences across countries
- Hofstede and GLOBE models for comparing culture
Power distance
Acceptance of unequal power
Individualism vs collectivism
Me or we
Masculinity vs femininity
Achievement or caring
Uncertainty avoidance
Comfort with ambiguity
Long-term orientation
Future vs tradition
Indulgence vs restraint
Gratification of desires
Study guide
You study cultural shifts, the influence of economic factors and foreign intervention, cultural and behavioural differences across countries and the Hofstede and GLOBE models for comparing cultures. Learn Hofstede's main dimensions, including power distance and individualism.
- Approaches to global staffing
- transferring staff for international assignments
- role of expatriates and non-expatriates
- cultural adaptation through sensitivity training
- dynamics of cross-cultural leadership
Ethnocentric
Parent-country nationals
Headquarters control
Polycentric
Host-country nationals
Local responsiveness
Geocentric
Best person, any nationality
Global mindset
Regiocentric
People from the region
Regional integration
Study guide
You study global staffing approaches, transferring staff on international assignments, the role of expatriates and non-expatriates, cultural adaptation through sensitivity training and cross-cultural leadership. Understand why expatriate assignments often fail.
- Managing and motivating multicultural teams
- cross-cultural negotiation and decision-making
- culture and dispute resolution
- cross-cultural ethics and ethical dilemmas
Adaptation
Team adjusts its norms
Structural intervention
Reorganise subgroups
Managerial intervention
Leader sets rules
Exit
Remove a member as a last resort
Study guide
You study managing and motivating multicultural teams, cross-cultural negotiation and decision making, culture and dispute resolution, and cross-cultural ethics and dilemmas. Prepare a short case on a negotiation across two cultures.
Why Cross Cultural Human Resource Management Matters
With global companies and international students on every campus, cross-cultural skills are a real advantage in HR, business development and any role involving diverse teams.
How to Prepare for Cross Cultural Human Resource Management
- Learn Hofstede's dimensions and apply them to India and one other country.
- Study one case of a cross-cultural business failure.
- Practise communicating clearly with classmates from other backgrounds.
Cross Cultural Human Resource Management: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hofstede's model?
It compares national cultures along dimensions such as power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation.
What is an expatriate?
An expatriate is an employee sent by a company to work in another country for a period.