International Human Resource Management
Assignment Brief
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Module Name |
International Human Resource Management |
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Module Code |
BH7633 |
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Assignment Title |
Literature review in IHRM (you may use your own title) |
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Assignment Task |
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Choose ONE of the topics below.
Write a critical literature review of the chosen topic and identify the key emerging issues. This assignment entails examining a range of relevant academic and practitioner sources to identify different perspectives on the chosen topic. Your work will be assessed in terms of three key criteria (for a detailed description of the criteria, please see the assessment feedback grid provided in the Module Handbook):
A good literature review evaluates rather than simply reproduces existing arguments. Do not make unsubstantiated generalisations and do not rely simply on describing and/or listing a series of disparate points from different sources. Not every source will be of equal worth. You need to show that you have used your sources selectively to develop a well-informed and balanced assessment of the key debates and issues within the literature on the chosen topic. Use the Harvard referencing system. Pay attention to presentation and layout. Keep it simple. Use sub-headings where appropriate to guide the reader through your work. If you need help with this arrange to see someone at the BLASC desk in the library. |
Sample Answer
Global Staffing and Talent Management in International Human Resource Management
Introduction
In an increasingly globalised economy, organisations must attract, develop and retain skilled employees across diverse regions. Global staffing and talent management have therefore become crucial aspects of International Human Resource Management (IHRM). These practices ensure that multinational corporations (MNCs) maintain the right balance of global consistency and local responsiveness in managing people. This literature review critically explores the evolution, strategies and challenges of global staffing and talent management, drawing on academic and practitioner perspectives. It also identifies emerging trends that are reshaping how global organisations manage talent across borders.
Understanding Global Staffing and Talent Management
Global staffing refers to how organisations deploy employees across international operations, including the selection, placement and movement of staff (Tung, 1987). Talent management extends beyond staffing to include the attraction, development and retention of high-performing individuals who contribute to the firm’s international competitiveness (Collings and Mellahi, 2009). Together, these concepts address both the short-term operational need for qualified employees and the long-term strategic goal of building leadership capacity worldwide.
Tarique and Schuler (2010) argue that global talent management (GTM) is now a strategic priority as firms compete for scarce skills across borders. MNCs must align their global staffing models with business strategy, balancing the use of parent-country nationals (PCNs), host-country nationals (HCNs), and third-country nationals (TCNs) to optimise performance. This balance is influenced by factors such as cultural differences, cost efficiency, and host-country legislation (Harzing, 2001).
Strategic Approaches to Global Staffing
Three dominant approaches to global staffing have emerged: ethnocentric, polycentric, and geocentric models (Perlmutter, 1969). The ethnocentric model prioritises home-country control, often using expatriates for key positions to maintain corporate culture and strategy alignment. While this ensures consistency, it can lead to cultural insensitivity and limit local innovation. The polycentric model, on the other hand, delegates decision-making to local managers, improving cultural adaptation but sometimes reducing global integration. The geocentric model aims to combine both, recruiting the best talent regardless of nationality.
Modern research suggests that geocentric staffing is becoming the most effective approach in complex multinational environments. Brewster et al. (2016) highlight that global firms increasingly view talent as a universal asset rather than a local one. However, achieving a geocentric model is resource-intensive and requires strong global mobility infrastructure and equitable talent policies.
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