1. Conducting international comparative research Chris Brewster Professor of International HRM, Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK Radboud University, Nijmegen 9 February 2012

2. Conducting international comparative research OUTLINE: Introduction: –why conduct international comparative research? –some conceptual issues Issues in comparative research Examples – some findings Conclusions

3. Why? Its fun It enhances understanding It challenges stereotypes, and best-practice managerialism Its publishable

4. Why comparative? Universalist vs Contextual Paradigms the Universalistic paradigm –theory –methodology the Contextual paradigm –theory –methodology other paradigms Brewster, C. (1999) "Different Paradigms in Strategic HRM: questions raised by comparative research" in Wright, P., Dyer, L., Boudreau, J. and Milkovich, G. (eds), Research in Personnel and HRM, JAI Press Inc, Greenwich, Connecticut pp 213-238.

5. Cultural and Institutional explanations of differences the Cultural explanation the Institutional explanation –neo-institutionalism; –legal systems; –political systems; –VoC; –regulationist the meaning of words

6. Varieties of Capitalism Liberal Market Economies Co-ordinated Market Economies Hall and Soskice, 2001 Nordic economies (Flexicurity economies) Mediterranean economies Transitional Economies (CEE) Whitley, 1999; Amable, 2003;

7. Varieties of Capitalism and what about: –Communist/Capitalist states? –Transition states? –African states? –Latin American states? Jackson and Deeg 2006

8. Convergence vs Divergence convergence theories –market-led/US –institutional/European (world vs regional?) “divergence” theories maybe it’s a bit of each… Mayrhofer, W. and Brewster, C. (2005) “European Human Resource Management: researching developments over time” Management Revue 16, (1): 36-62

9. Directional Convergence: trends EXTENTEXTENT T I M E

10. Final Divergence EXTENTEXTENT T I M E

11. How? Collaboration Value of teams Team management Data collection/ response rates Rules and requirements Publication

12. Example findings: data Cranet – academic HRM specialist in each of over 50 countries Consecutive CRANET surveys on International Strategic Human Resource Management: 1991, 1995, 1999/2000, 2004/5, 2009/10 (separate sample frames) (http://www.CRANET.org )http://www.CRANET.org Postal questionnaire for the senior HRM specialist of organisations (>100 employees); all sectors; translated into local language; full population survey in most cases/ samples in larger countries 12

13. Examples – some findings Country; size; sector all matter – generally in that order (not for training) There are common trends – there is very little sign of final convergence MNCs are different – but not very different Varieties of capitalism (especially Amable) works fairly well in Europe Role of HRM department varies with country

14. Conclusions Practically: –Standardisation/ differentiation paradox Theoretically: –Legitimation seems to be important –What price “best practice” HRM or management generally? –and…?

15. Conducting international comparative research Questions? Comments? Chris Brewster Professor of International HRM, Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK 9 February 2011

16. Conducting international comparative research Thank you! and good luck! c.j.brewster@henley.reading.ac.uk

18. Selected Publications Books: Brewster, C. and Mayrhofer, W., (eds) (2012) A Handbook of Research into Comparative Human Resource Management Practice. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham Brewster, C., Carey, L., Dowling, P., Grobler, P., Holland, P. and Warnich, S. Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage (4 th edition), Oxford University Press, South Africa, Cape Town Brewster, C. Sparrow, P. Vernon. G. and Houldsworth, L. (2011) International Human Resource Management. (3 rd edition), CIPD, Wimbledon Chapters: Brewster, C. and Mayrhofer, W. (2009) Comparative HRM: the debates and the evidence. In Collings, D.C. and Wood, G. (eds) Human Resource Management: a critical approach. Routledge, London (278-295) Sparrow, P., Brewster, C. and Ligthart, P. (2009) Globalizing Human Resource Management: examining the role of networks. in Sparrow, P. (ed) Handbook of International Human Resource Management: integrating people, process and context. Wiley, Chichester (363-388)

19. Selected Publications (continued) Articles: Mayrhofer, W., Brewster, C., Morley, M. and Ledolter, J. (2011) Hearing a Different drummer? Evidence of convergence in European HRM Human Resource Management Review 21 (1): 50-67 Croucher, R. Brookes, M., Wood, G. and Brewster, C. (2010) Context, strategy and financial participation: A comparative analysis. Human Relations 63: 835-855 Makela, K and Brewster C. (2009) interpersonal relationships as conduits of interunit interaction within multinationals: how well do different types of relationships work? Human Resource Management 48, (4): 591-614 Brewster, C., Wood, G. and Brookes, M. (2008) Similarity, Isomorphism or Duality: recent survey evidence on the HRM policies of Multinational Corporations British Journal of Management 19 (4): 320-342 Mayrhofer, W. and Brewster, C. (2005) “European Human Resource Management: researching developments over time” Management Revue 16, (1): 36-62 Brewster, C., Sparrow, P. and Harris, H. (2004) The Role of the Human Resource Management Function in Internationalisation Human Resources and Employment Review 2, (2): 68-75