global HRM: labor force;Research Paper Outline: Each team must provide all of the following information for their assigned country. All papers must consider the following variables (one variable per group member) in detail (per the instructions above on “

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Team Project (20%= 10% Individual Component and 10% Group Component): Students will be assigned to project teams within the first several class meetings and be given a randomly assigned country to research. Each team member is required to write a VERY TIGHTLY WRITTEN 2-page (single-spaced) Executive Summary that fully addresses one of the sections of the outline below. At the conclusion of each section, the writer will assign a “smiley-face” rating to how favorable the variable is to an international business decision. Those reports, then, will be edited and assembled at the group level for submission as ONE paper (each section will be individually graded and become 50% of the “Individual Weight” for the assignment, the rest coming from peer evaluations and individual performance during the presentation), along with a summary sheet that represents each smiley-face variable rating and indicates a summary “smiley-face” judgment (and explanation). THE PROJECT TEAM IS EXPECTED TO EDIT THE REPORT AND ENSURE THAT its “Introduction,” flow, integrity, and quality of research (particularly sources) meets professional relevance and readability standards. This assessment AND the average of each individual section will be computed and contribute to 50% of the “Group Component”.

Each team will also produce and deliver a 15-18 minute presentation to a mock Executive Team on the substance of their research and then take an additional 3-5 minutes soliciting and responding to questions. This will allow each group member 1:45-2:15 minutes to present their section (will be timed). The individual presentations will count (AFTER adjusting for “Peer Evaluations”) as 50% of the Individual Grade. The quality of research, analysis, “smoothness” and flow of the presentation will contribute to 50% of the “Group Component” grade. The content of these presentations (major points only) will be the basis of 2 late-semester quizzes.

Research Paper Outline: Each team must provide all of the following information for their assigned country. All papers must consider the following variables (one variable per group member) in detail (per the instructions above on “Executive Summaries”) sufficient to make a “go-or-no” decision regarding doing business in your assigned country.

Section 1: Competiveness
• Institutions
• Infrastructure
• Financial market sophistication
• Technological readiness
• Business sophistication
• Innovation

Section 2: Economic Environment
• Macroeconomic stability
• Goods market efficiency
• Most current GDP and 5-year trend
• Key industries

Section 3: Social Environment
• Population demographics: gender, ethnicity, age, education and literacy distributions
• Health
• Language(s) spoken
• Religious beliefs
• Social norms

Section 4: Labor Force
• Labor market efficiency
• Size and demographics
• Wage Levels

Section 5: Political Environment
• Form of government
• Stability of government

Section 6: Legal/ Regulatory Environment
• Employment regulations: hiring/firing, benefits, time off
• Industrial/Union relations
• Immigration policies

Section 7: Cultural Environment
• Hofstede’s dimensions: Power Distance, Individualism or Collectivism, Masculinity or
Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Long-term or Short-term orientation
• Gestland’s dimensions: Deal focus versus relationship focus; Informal versus formal;
Rigid-time (monochromic) versus fluid-time (polychromic); Expressive versus reserved
Cultures; Communication style: Low or High Context, Formal or Informal

Section 8: Business and HR Challenges:
• Describe what the key business and HR challenges would be for a U.S. multinational firm entering this country
• Address how HR policies and practices should be adapted to the local environment and culture specifically focusing on staffing, performance management, compensation, training, and global leadership programs