South African MNCs' HRM Systems and Practices at the Subsidiary Level: Insights From Subsidiaries in Ghana

Abstract

Despite the extensive literature on the HRM systems and practices of MNCs from developed countries, there are serious gaps in our understanding of emerging countries multinationals HRM practices and systems at both home and host countries. We take a step towards enhancing our understanding on this issue by empirically exploring the similarities and differences of both HRM systems and practices of MNCs originating from South Africa, one of the BRICS countries, operating in Ghana. The study reveals that with the exception of compensation and industrial relation practices which are localised EMNCs HR systems and practices are mainly transferred to subsidiaries with minimal adaptation to contextual realities. Further research and practical implications are discussed.

The role of country-level institutional factors in escaping the natural resource curse: Insights from Ghana

“…Subsequently, decades of intervention from the World Bank and the various structural adjustment and economic recovery programs by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ghana is said to be one of the fastest growing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa (Adams et al, 2017). It is seen as a beacon of democracy and progress in Africa, where international businesses strive, due to its socio-economic-political stability and peaceful environment (Adams et al, 2017).…”

The internationalization of African firms: Opportunities, challenges, and risks

“…The ability to execute effective human resource management strategies is also important (Debrah, Oseghale, & Adams, ; Ibeh et al, ). A recent study by Adams et al () finds that South African multinationals were able to build competitive advantage in Ghana by leveraging global HR best practices. However, many prospective or newly internationalizing African firms do not appear to have developed sophisticated management systems and practices like the more mature South African firms.…”

“…Our understanding of this phenomenon, especially its behavioral and strategic management dynamics, however, remains limited, as most of the extant studies have an economics orientation or narrow exporting focus (Ibeh et al, ). On a positive note, a burgeoning stream of relevant literature is now emerging (see, e.g., Adams, Nyuur, Ellis, & Debrah, ; Boso, Oghazi, & Hultman, ; Gonzalez‐Perez, Vasquez‐Melo, & Rios‐Molina, ; Horwitz, ; Ibeh, Awa, Makhmadshoev, & Madichie, in press; Luiz, Stringfellow, & Jefthas, ; Misati, Walumbwa, Lahiri, & Kundu, ; Ngwu, Adeleye, & Ogbechie, ; Ovadje, ; Rwehumbiza, ; White & Van Dongen, ). These have helped to increase our understanding of the internationalization behavior of African firms.…”

FDI Spillovers on Corporate Social Responsibility: The Channel of Labor Mobility

“…Theoretically, spillovers can take place through the labor mobility channel when workers and managers with MNE work experience are hired by domestic firms, or start their own business. As MNEs usually devote great efforts to staff training [84,85], their employees are able to accumulate knowledge and skills which can be transferred to domestic firms with labor mobility. However, the labor mobility channel has not until recently been empirically tested probably due to data constraints.…”