The benefits of global teams for international organizations: HR implications

Abstract

In this special issue we aim to advance the theoretical, conceptual and empirical knowledge about the relationship between global teams and human resource management in international organizations. We argue that although the prevalence of global teams in international organizations is rapidly rising, simultaneously affecting the management of firms on global, regional and local levels, the response of firms and scholars alike to such changes has been slower, especially in the area of IHRM. The HR function in organizations could play a vital role in understanding, managing and leveraging the benefits of global teams to ensure that they contribute positively to the performance of firms, organizational units, and people. We demonstrate that there is still a disconnect in this respect and we highlight several areas in which the increasing use of global teams may challenge our conventional understanding of IHRM issues, and at the same time offer solutions for improvement in international organizations. The selected articles in this special issue provide both theoretical and practitioner implications by highlighting the need to explore the relationship between global teams and IHRM more generally and fully, as well as the need for HR practitioners and IHRM scholars to focus more on the ‘human’ and less on the ‘resources’ aspect. We trust that readers of this issue will agree that the articles all offer novel insights into key issues that open new avenues for further research in this nascent yet promising area.     

Do strained bilateral relations affect tourists’ desire to visit a country that is a target of animosity?

ABSTRACT

This study examines the attractiveness of destination tourism offerings when the destination country and the source market country are engaged in ongoing political and economic conflict. The study is set in the Russia–United States (US) context, where Russia is the tourism-generating region and the US are the vacation destination. Specifically, the study investigates how the desire of Russian tourists to vacation in the US is affected by perceptions of the US as a country and as a vacation destination, animosity toward the US, and Russian tourists? level of national attachment and ethnocentric tendencies. The study found that country image, destination image, and general animosity have a direct effect on intention to visit. The effects of consumer ethnocentrism and national situational animosity on intention to visit are mediated by destination image and country image respectively.     

Consumer Preferences for Health Care Reform Options

This study uses the 1992 Health and Retirement Study to examine consumer preferences for four health care reform options: tax-financed national health insurance, personally subsidized Medicare extensions, publicly subsidized nursing home insurance, and tax credits for health insurance purchases. Males, non-Caucasians, the self-employed, those in excellent health, and those who reside in the Northeast favor national health insurance, while those with high levels of liquid and non-liquid assets tend to disfavor it. Males and those with higher expectations of living in nursing homes tend to favor personally subsidized Medicare extensions to cover nursing homes and home health care. Those with higher expectations of living in nursing homes also favor publicly subsidized nursing home insurance. Relatively little support for subsidized nursing home insurance is found among males and those with high levels of liquid and non-liquid assets. The self-employed tend to support tax credits for health insurance premiums.     

落入国际美元本位制陷阱

目前的世界经济僵局即美元汇率的陷阱是在国际美元本位制的背景下形成的。美国最大的外债国——东亚国家被迫具有“两难的美德”:它们的货币对世界主导货币的急剧升值会导致商业竞争力的损失、经济增长减缓以及通货紧缩。在缺乏资本控制手段的情况下,持有美元资产的附加负面影响是国内的利率不断下降,接近于零。同时,美国在需要外国资金以防止信用崩溃的这层意义上也落入了“陷阱”。而且,过分依赖外国借款加速了美国“去工业化”的步伐。     

Market value analysis of a Chinese e-commerce holding group: a multicriteria approach

There has been a worldwide expansion in the offer of services via web portals. E-commerce companies have experienced the fastest and steadiest growth, with the corresponding effect on their value. Among the main problems faced is the possible overvaluation of these companies and, particularly, their share prices. Consequently, it would be of great interest to determine the best manner in which to calculate and correct their market value. This study combines a multicriteria method and the valuation ratio to determine the value of a Chinese e-commerce holding group. This company was chosen due to the wide catalogue of e-services it offers.     

Consumer Information,Insurance, and Doctor Shopping: The Elderly Consumer's Perspective

One possible strategy to minimize costs of health care is to provide consumers with information pertaining to its relative cost. However, the effectiveness of programs to dispense information on medical services has been difficult to evaluate because very little is known about incentives for doctor shopping. The demand for medical services information (doctor shopping) among elderly consumers and the effect of health insurance purchases on shopping decisions are assessed.     

Corporate identity management and employees’ responses

Main goals in this study are to analyse the effects of corporate identity management (CIM) on the employees’ responses, and the moderating effects of two employee personality traits: proactive personality and resistance to change. Two hundred and ninety-three branch managers in the banking sector in Spain participated in the study, and their responses were analysed through structural equation modelling. Results show that organizational identification is a key variable to explain the CIM effects on employees’ responses. Moreover, employees’ proactive personality and resistance to change exert a moderating influence on the way identification leads to extra-role behaviours. Human resource practices should take into account that proactive employees are more prone to externalize their identification by spreading positive WOM. Besides, identification with the organization will lead to loyalty, especially in employees with low resistance to change.     

Quantifying Sources of Risk in Global Food Operations and Supply Chain

The food industry plays a significant role in food supply. However, it is increasingly facing a significant number of risks to tackle. This article provides insight into sources and quantification of risk, which can restrict food operations and supply chain performance. Certainly, risks imposed by today's constantly changing global environment makes it imperative for food and agribusiness firms to develop purposeful proactive and predictive risk management for their global supply chains. We proposed the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model to analyze sources of risks attached to the focal firm's global food operations and supply chain. The identified risks were from a review of relevant literature, expert opinions from the focal firm supply chain C‐level executive, and consultants in the food industry. We grouped the identified risks into seven categories and discussed the risk mitigation strategies. We validated the proposed model using a case study involving a focal food and agribusiness firm with global presence. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

高分辨率铁尾矿遥感光谱特征分析与信息提取

遥感监测尾矿是矿山调查和监管的科学方法,也是地理国情监测的基础内容。研究了铁尾矿遥感影像解译标志和光谱特征,建立铁尾矿遥感信息的提取技术流程。利用尾矿光谱特征与纹理结构的特点,构建了铁尾矿遥感增强处理的RTI数学模型。并以唐山地区的铁尾矿及固体废弃物作为研究区,分析了模型的影响因子和有效性。为尾矿资源的自动监测和目标提取提供了新的处理手段。     

土地出让与房价的互动对居民消费影响研究

土地供给政策在房地产市场宏观调控中扮演了重要角色,对房价和居民消费产生了重要影响。基于1999--2011年全国31个省区市面板数据,本文运用面板联立方程模型研究了土地出让与房价波动对居民消费的影响。结果发现：土地出让与房价存在负向的互动关联,两者的相互作用抑制了房价对居民消费的促进作用;土地出让面积的增加通过房价的传导作用,对居民消费产生了挤出效应。进一步分析发现,房地产财富效应存在显著的区域差异,东部地区的房地产财富效应显著大于中西部地区。