The management of expatriates: messages from Europe?

Much of our knowledge of expatriation and the processes of managing expatriates comes from North American researchers analysing the policies and practices of North American multinational corporations. This article uses that base of understanding, but argues that there has been an increasing stream of research into IHRM in Europe, which remains largely “invisible” to the North American specialists. Given the paucity of research in the area in general and the need for a more international understanding which can arise from examining different contexts, the article suggests that commentators outside Europe may find useful insights in the European analyses.     

The effects of offering flexible work practices to employees with unpaid caregiving responsibilities for elderly or disabled family members

Approximately one in 10 employees in Australia, the United States, and Europe have unpaid caregiving responsibilities for elderly or disabled family members. This combination of employment and caregiving roles is problematic when there is conflict between their simultaneous demands. Flexible work practices can be an important mechanism for assisting these employees. However, limited attention has been given to determining the benefits of flexible work practices for these employees, or the process by which these effects arise. We address these gaps via a survey of employees with unpaid caregiving responsibilities for family who are elderly or disabled. Results indicate that greater availability of flexible work practices improves perceptions of workplace support for combining caregiving and employment. This effect was partially and sequentially mediated by disclosure, practice utilization, and practice helpfulness. Additionally, practice availability had a direct positive effect on practice utilization, while disclosure had a direct positive effect on perceived support. Overall, the findings demonstrate the benefits of flexible work practices for employees with caregiving responsibilities. The study also points the way to interventions that can improve the effectiveness of flexible work practices by demonstrating how the potential benefits of these practices are translated into actual improvements in perceived support.     

Design and cultural identity

European Editor of International DESIGN(New York) and, author of New American Design(Rizzoli International Publications New York)     

Cultural differences in Germany and Australia

This article discusses examples of cultural differences between the German and Australian cultures, their implications in the marketing and business decision making function, and provides recommendations for successful business conduct between Germans and Australians. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

International human resource management in the 21st century: emerging themes and contemporary debates

This article introduces the special issue of Human Resource Management Journal on International Human Resource Management in the 21st Century. We begin by considering some of the key aspects of the changing landscape of international business and the key emergent issues for IHRM at the beginning of the 21st century. Key themes which we consider include: the changing nature of the global economic landscape, with a particular focus on India, China and Central and Eastern Europe; increasing global terrorism in the post‐9/11 world; the changing nature of careers; and, finally, changing patterns of global staffing. We then conclude by outlining the content of the special issue.     

Faculty turnover within academics: The case of business professors

One cause of educational problems within business schools may be rapid turnover of faculty. The various consequences of that turnover, both good and bad, and a beginning for solution efforts, are the subject of this analysis.     

Robotics: Challenges for the human resources manager

Robots present industry with the exciting possibility of improving productivity and cutting costs. But there are other kinds of costs involved—the human costs—and it is these that the human resources manager must keep to a minimum through careful planning and implementation of the new technology.     

CONCEPTUALIZING LEADERSHIP PROCESSES: A STUDY OF SENIOR MANAGERS IN A FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY*

Established methodologies of leadership research have placed unnecessary constraints upon our capacity to examine creatively actual leadership practices and to generate fresh insights into their dynamics. A regeneration of leadership research depends upon the development of new frameworks of interpretation which yield new or deeper understanding of processes to which the term ‘leadership’is usually attributed. To this end, the article presents a conceptual framework founded upon well established traditions of social enquiry which have been underutilized in leadership research. The value of this framework is demonstrated through the analysis of data taken from an intensive field study of leadership processes amongst senior managers. It is argued that this methodology for leadership research serves to answer calls for increasing the practical relevance of leadership research without making unacceptable sacrifices to its intellectual credibility.     

雀巢不想把巢做大?

<正> 不流血的胜利 “如今不管你走到哪里,管理理论家和实践家都会告诉你,变革是有利的,并且是必须的。然而对于雀巢这个世界级的长寿企业而言,情况并非如此。相反,如果你能够慢速地发展,但确定持久地发展,那么就不需要流血的变革而赢得最后的胜利。” 不久之前,一位华尔街的记者问起雀巢的执行总裁彼得·布雷贝克(PeterBrabeck),坐在全球最大的食品公司老总的位置上,他对企业发展有什么看法。布