Individual Course Project Overview

The project will provide an in-depth look at how a major multinational company operates
overseas in two separate countries. The country comparison project includes an 8 to
12-page paper to compare and contrast laws and regulations, mandated compliance
issues, demographics, culture, currency, economic and political stability, language,
labor relations (unions), HRM policies and practices, HR trends, the likely effects, and
the characteristics of the HR department or function of two separate countries. Please
select any two countries (within the seven regions listed below) to compare and
contrast.

Provide as much insight into, and explanation of, the differences or similarities as
possible. Use your understanding of the impact of the contextual factors (see below) on
the HR policies and practices to estimate what a country’s HR policies and practices are
likely to be, just in case you can’t find specific information on them. Make predictions
about future trends toward possible convergence of HR policies and practices. Integrate
research from online sources to support your ideas and conclusions.

For each country, select a target city to use in your analysis. The following is a list of the
seven regions that you can select from:

1. Middle East (i.e., cities in Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia)
2. Asia I (i.e., cities in India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia)
3. Asia II (i.e., cities in Japan, Korea, China)
4. West Europe (i.e., cities in France, Spain, Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom)
5. East Europe (i.e., cities in Poland, Bulgaria, Russia)
6. Africa (i.e., cities in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa)
7. Central and South America (i.e., cities in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba)

You have been asked to compare and contrast two city locations within a given
geographic region. You will develop a paper regarding the pros and cons of each
location from the HR perspective. That is, doing a comparative HR analysis for each
city. Ultimately, you will want to put forth its recommendations for a recommended city
within the region.

The Comparative Analysis
Finally, after you have selected the countries and cities, you will use the following
scenario as a point of reference to do your comparative HR analysis strategic plan.

Your company is looking for a location for a new production facility in your geographic
region. This production facility will hire many local workers for all aspects of the facility
(e.g., production, supervision, quality, shipping, and other line functions). There may be
a few (but not too many) traditional expatriates in accordance with the country’s
established regulations. Fill in some details about your hypothetical organization to
make the presentation more interesting and more relevant.

Prepare a report comparing and contrasting the cities you have selected from the
region. The focus of the report is how the management of your human talent will affect
the ability to be successful in that region. You will need to discuss a variety of issues in
order to conduct a thorough analysis. The following is a list of the possible issues.
These are only suggestions. You probably will not be able to cover everything. It is your
prerogative to present the issues you believe are most relevant for the given region.
Basically, give a well justified decision regarding the location you have selected from an
HR perspective.

Suggested Details
Here are some details that you can include in your research paper:

? Analysis of need/availability of talent (local, third country nationals)
? Legal obligations and concerns affecting HR and labor relations
? Mandated regulatory compliance of the country
? Flexibility of the wage bill (ability to adjust hours and ability to adjust headcount)
? Labor and management relations challenges that impact the decision-making

process of global leaders
? Employee Relations
? Staffing and Selection
? Compensation and Benefit Programs
? Affirmative Action (if applicable to the country)
? Competence of workforce (education/training)
? Turnover rates
? Medical and health systems
? Cultural dimensions. How do they affect the practice of HR? How will they affect the

functioning of the location?
? The way the organizations are structured in the country
? Political and economic stability, currency exchange issues
? Quality and performance standards to create the best place to work for
? Mechanisms to attract, recruit and select, and retain qualified talent
? Value, empower, motivate, and reward employees
? Generating a cohesive culture when leading the organization’s vision and mission
? Nepotism
? Ethical concerns regarding hiring, child labor, bribery, etc.
? Salary levels expected by host nationals
? Availability of housing, schools, benefits, etc. for expatriates
? Other compensation and benefit concerns
? Language
? Religion and level of orthodoxy
? Other norms of the business community (e.g., greetings, meetings, negotiation)
? Women in business
? Group norms (e.g., individualism/collectivism)
? Level of formality (i.e., deference, hierarchy)
? Value of time and time consciousness

Each paper should be neatly typed, should use appropriate graphics, and should be
approximately 8-12 pages in length, not counting title page, reference page(s) or
appendices.

In addition, each paper should be neatly typed, free of grammatical and spelling errors,
doubled-space, 12-point font Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, and adheres to
current APA guidelines.

Papers will be graded according to the rigor of the questions asked, the research and
information provided, how well the questions are answered in the research, and the
depth and breadth of their research scope.

Generally speaking, papers that are merely informational are not sufficiently rigorous to
show academic understanding and strength. A paper that develops the strategic link
between international human resources and global business strategy and follows the
business strategy through to the human resources strategy and the specific issues and
tactics.

Course Project Deliverables

This assignment has two components: a proposal and an outline. Submit the outline
and proposal as one document as a total of two pages, not including the title and
reference page(s).

Proposal and Outline DUE 3/13

Proposal

The one-page proposal must include your main topic, any ancillary topics, three to four
researched references (peer-reviewed) that show your proposed topic has academic-
based articles available, and any assumptions that you may have concerning your topic
as well as possible expected outcomes or conclusions.

Outline

The one-page outline draft should be high level with the expectation that as you
complete additional research, more detailed information may be included on an ongoing
basis.

Submit the outline and proposal as one document as a total of two (2) pages not
including the title and reference page(s).

Criteria and Description

Title Page Title Page is per APA 7th edition guidelines

Proposal

A one-page proposal. Include your main topic and any ancillary
topics that you will include. Include three to four researched
references that show your proposed topic has academic-based
articles available. Include any assumptions that you may have
concerning your topic as well as possible expected outcomes
or conclusions.

Outline

A one-page draft. At this point, your outline is necessarily high
level with the expectation that as you complete additional
research, more detailed information may be included on an
ongoing basis.

Reference
Page

Must have at least three references and properly formatted per
APA 7th edition.

Documentation,
APA
Formatting, and
Editing

The paper has been spelled-checked for accuracy. Properly
referenced, formatted according to current APA,Style and free
of grammatical errors.

Course Project Draft Paper DUE 3/27

This assignment is a rough draft of the course project paper.

Criteria Descriptions

Documentation
and Formatting

It is properly referenced according to APA guidelines.

Organization
and
Cohesiveness

It is written in a cohesive manner that flows from stated assumptions.

Editing It is spell-checked for meaning as well as accuracy.

Content

Paper demonstrates and explains the evolving role of a Strategic Human
Resource Management topic that reflects one of the major topics of the
course.

In addition to functional topics, including issues in staffing, employee
learning, employee relations, performance management, total rewards, and
HR information systems, this paper included topics that mirrored the course’s
primary objectives. Student worked with the instructor on submission of a
topic and instructor approved the topic.

Course Project Final Paper DUE 4/17

The complete and polished course project final paper. The 8 to 12-page paper must
include the following details.

? Introduction and Background
? International Human Resource Strategy
? Comparative Analysis

Criteria Descriptions

Introduction
and
Background

Subject, cities selected, how comparable, why important,
relevant and sufficient background information produced and
presented

International
Human
Resource
Strategy

Assembled and examined, philosophical approach assessed,
used more than sufficient “Details” listed above

Comparative
Analysis

Research and Documentation correctly applied at a graduate
level of analysis synthesis and evaluation

Quality and
Presentation

Overall quality and presentation of the finished paper, charts,
graphs, formatting, section headings, cover page, table of
contents, references, appendices and strict adherence to APA
writing guidelines included