International Human Resource Management – HRM 109

Question 1

Using references to academic research analyse and explain the main human resource issues, dilemmas and complexity facing Playfair & Co. as a result of its decision to build an international presence. You may focus on one or two selected issues for deeper analysis.

Introduction

Playfair & Co was incepted in year 1973 providing IT Consultancy. Among the consultancy services provided by this company were giving advises (result oriented and guarantees to deal with issues arising out of systems integration), developing a consulting business advising on IT and business strategy, advising on supply chain integration, alliances, mergers and acquisition and change management.  

There are two types of consultants for Playfair & Co. The first one is the ‘veterans’, comprising of senior managers who have resigned from their higher post and is in their early 60s. They also have good network and tend to work well with the senior employees of their client companies. The other types were the ‘younger consultants’. The age range from 27-40s with less management experience and has the tendency to hop job. About half of this group is women and normally they leave to join other competitors. (Source: Case Study of HRM 109).

Due to its successful businesses, Playfair & Co., decide to expand its wing TBC….

In my opinion, the main problem faced by Playfair & Co is due to poor performance management system:

Performance Management (PM)

According to Mwita (2000), ‘Performance Management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. In other words, it is about a system that starts TBC….

An effective PM system should be able to set new employees up to succeed so that they can help the organization to achieve its goals and objectives. On top of that, TBC….

In the case of Playfair & Co, I am of the opinion that the performance management system is very weak and is poorly emphasizes. No doubt it was initially successful in TBC….

Based on the above mentioned problem and dilemma faced by the management of Payfair & Co, I am of the opinion that the management In India, there is a greater concern of the management style of its local manager. He seems to be recruiting most of his family members to work in the business. He is also trying to reduce bonus payment of its employees for the purpose of sacrificing profit to build more market share. On top of that, the local manager also failed to submit the performance appraisals of its employees to the HQ in London for the past six months and is affecting the employees’ morale. In other words, there seems to lacking of supervision and monitoring to this manager. TBC….