For this assignment, you will apply decision-making to the process of international human resource management as you determine which of the four final applicants to hire into a global executive position.You are a member of the management committee of a MNE that conducts business in 23 countries. While your company’s headquarters is located in the Netherlands, your regional offices are located fairly evenly throughout the four hemispheres. Primary markets have been in the European Union and North America; the strongest emerging market is the Pacific Rim. Company executives would like to develop what they see as a powerful potential market in the Middle East. Sales in all areas except the Pacific Rim have shown slow growth over the past two years.
At present, your company is seeking to restructure and revitalize its worldwide marketing efforts. To accomplish this, you have determined that you need to hire a key marketing person to introduce fresh ideas and a new perspective. There is no one currently in your company who is qualified to do this, and so you have decided to look outside.
The job title is “Vice President for Global Marketing”; an annual salary of $250,000-$300,000, plus elaborate benefits, an unlimited expense account, a car, and the use of the corporate jet. The person you hire will be based at the company’s headquarters in the Netherlands and will travel frequently.
A lengthy search has turned up four people with good potential. It is now up to you to decide whom to hire. Although all the applicants have expressed a sincere interest in the position, it is possible that they may change their minds once the job is offered. Therefore, you must rank them in order of preference so that if your first choice declines the position, you can go on to the second, and so on.
First, read the biographies of each applicant. As you are doing this, rank each of them from 1 to 4, with 1 being your first choice, and explain your reasons for their ranking.
For your essay this week, respond to the following questions using the decisions you have made with your rankings.
- The first section of your paper should be an overview of your rankings and reasons for your decisions.
- Did your decision include any culturally based biases you may have—for example, feelings, personality traits, or politics in your rankings?
- Did you make any observations that you feel would have been fully acceptable in your own culture, but were not accepted in other cultures? If so, explain.
- What implications do you believe any of the applicant’s cultural differences would have in business dealings? In what countries or cultures?
- What expatriate adjustments for the candidate need to be considered? How will the company handle these?
- Explain the decision-making process you used to make your decisions.
