In search of the changing role of the corporate human resource function in the international firm

There has been considerable research on the issues of board-level representation by personnel/HR directors and senior HR managers' involvement in strategic decision making. Since the early 1990s there has been a growing interest in international HRM, reflecting the growing recognition that the effective management of human resources internationally is a major determinant of success or failure in international business. There is also evidence that HR constraints often limit the effective implementation of international business strategies. More recently, it has been argued that the more rapid pace of internationalization and globalization leads to a more strategic role for HRM as well as changes in the content of HRM. Yet, while there have been some attempts to integrate international corporate strategy and human resource strategy, surprisingly, the role of the corporate human resources function has been neglected, particularly in the context of the international firm. This article seeks to redress the balance. The question addressed is: what is the role of the corporate HR function in the international firm? To answer these questions empirical research was conducted in thirty UK international firms. We found an emerging agenda for corporate HR in international firms which focuses on senior management development, succession planning and developing a cadre of international managers. We conceptualize this as a strategic concern with developing the core management competences of the organization, and argue that it can be usefully analysed from the perspective of the learning organization.     

Mortality Among the Elderly in Sweden 1988–1997

By replacing the exponential growth in a Makeham function with a straight line at very high ages, graduated mortality rates gives an acceptable adherence to observed data.     

Geodemographic and socioeconomic characterization of the retail attraction of leading hypermarket chains in Spain

This paper aims at examining the impact on demand of the competitive positioning strategies developed by the leading hypermarket chains in Spain. Specifically, the purpose is to carry out a geodemographic and socieconomic characterization of the potential consumers of each chain. As retail attraction has traditionally been divided into three components, distance, mass and image, a gravitational model is proposed which distinguishes them and facilitates the evaluation of existing differences across any a priori segmentation base. The empirical test identifies significant geodemographic differences in the retail attraction of hypermarket chains. Chains seem to target the whole market by developing an image balanced against the advantages and disadvantages derived from the spatial coverage strategy. Social class is not as good an indicator of hypermarket choice as expected, although some interesting patterns have been detected.     

我国公共基础设施的规模效应及结构效应分析——基于1996-2010的制造业行业数据

基于三要素的成本函数,本文利用1996—2010年20个制造业行业的面板数据,考察了以能源、交通以及邮电通讯为代表的公共基础设施对产业部门的要素投入数量以及要素投入结构的影响。结果表明:公共基本设施投入不仅具有降低行业平均成本的作用,而且对行业成本结构具有显著影响。相对于劳动投入,要素投入更加向资本和中间品倾斜。     

企业集团内部审计职能优化

随着我国企业集团的快速发展,企业集团内部审计地位、职能和作用等方面的现状和存在的问题引起人们的关注。本文仅从内部审计职能理论认识发展与现实内部审计职能弱化这一差异问题着手,结合企业集团发展现状,探讨如何有主次的、有侧重的、有取舍的优化内部审计职能,以提高企业集团内部审计效能,使内部审计在企业集团中的作用真正地得以发挥。     

货币流通速度的变化与经济波动的实证分析

本文使用1990—2007年年度数据研究了我国货币流通速度变化率与实际总产出增长率之间的动态关系。通过相关性分析、脉冲响应分析以及方差分解技术深入分析了我国货币流通速度变化率、货币供应量增长率对实际总产出增长率的影响，实证结果表明我国货币流通速度对实际总产出的增长具有“加速器”的作用。基于实证分析的结论同时结合当前我国的经济形式，本文认为加大降息力度并实施积极的财政政策对防止经济的下滑具有极其重要的意义。     

转型社会政府审计战略定位:一个分析框架

中国经济发展过程是多元利益主体形成的过程,利益主体多元化促使政府职能转型.本文以市场经济下政府职能为分析的出发点,阐述了我国转型社会政府审计三层次战略定位,从而构建了一个转型社会政府审计战略定位的理论框架.     

重新定位县级政府职能 促进县域经济发展

县域经济是一种行政区经济，要大力发展县域经济，必须对县级政府在区域经济发展中的职能定位进行重新认识。     

基于SVECM的我国经济增长动态效应的实证研究

本文应用结构向量误差修正模型(SVECM),实证分析1990-2008年我国投资、消费、进出口对经济增长的动态效应.实证结果显示:消费对经济的短期和长期冲击均高于投资和进出口,消费对投资冲击大于投资对消费冲击,消费和投资未产生相互挤出效应;经济波动以消费为主,世界经济波动对我国经济波动显著增强.     

韩资企业经营困境对我国企业“走出去”的启示

自中韩建交以来,韩国利用地理位置、文化背景、生活习惯等方面与中国基本相近的优势,加大了对中国的直接投资,并且获得了巨大的成功。然而,近来部分韩企出现经营困境,某些韩企甚至非法外逃。韩资企业在中国衰落的原因是多方面的。研究这种现象及其产生的原因,对中国企业"走出去",提高应对投资环境变化的能力有重要借鉴意义。