Coping Systems for Employee Turnover. A Case Study Research of Multinational Corporations in Singapore

Tesis , 2002 , 284 Páginas , Calificación: 1

Economía de las empresas - Negocios, Investigación de operaciones

As business activities become increasingly global and cross-nationally intertwined, human resource management is no longer defined by national boundaries. In particular, multinational corporations (MNCs) face the challenge of managing their globally dispersed work force effectively. Yet, the field of international human resource management (IHRM) remains an understudied domain, lacking substantial empirical and conceptual research. Also, a prevailing focus on quantitative data suggests a need for deeper qualitative investigations, which allows a more profound assessment of the context in which IHRM unfolds.

Thus, a multiple case study was conducted through exploratory and semi-structured interviews with managerial employees at six western MNCs which maintain their regional headquarters for South-East Asia in Singapore. The initial guiding objective was to provide a more thorough understanding of the forces that influence IHRM. Due to the exploratory nature of the research set-up, this broad focus has narrowed during the conduct of the study and the subsequent data analysis. Based on the interviews, employee turnover emerged as a key concern for international organizations operating in Singapore. Although a tight local labour market has led to the effect that job turnover is a widespread phenomenon, there is a lack of research addressing this issue and the resulting implications for foreign MNCs.

The present study’s focus on employee turnover also takes into account the growing importance of local staff for MNCs. Indeed, by acknowledging the critical role that local nationals play at the host country level, it will be increasingly imperative for international organizations to establish effective retention strategies. Despite this obvious significance, the field of managing employee turnover also remains considerably underdeveloped.

Building on the results of the conducted multiple case study, the purpose of this work is to fill the described research void and generate well-grounded theory in a process that is twofold. First, the text aims at providing an in-depth analysis of potential determinants of employee turnover at international organizations. In the second step, these factors will serve as a basis for developing effective coping mechanisms in the context of IHRM at MNCs.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
• LIST OF FIGURES.
• LIST OF TABLES.
• Introduction.
  • Human Resource Management in an International Context: Purpose and Scope of this Work..
  • Outline and Structure of this Work....
• Case Study Research in Singapore: National Context, Research Methodology and Results
  • Relevant Factors of the Singaporean Context
    • Resource-related Characteristics.
    • Institutional Characteristics..
    • Cultural Characteristics
  • The Methodological Framework.
    • Case Study Research as Approach to Qualitative Investigation
    • The Research Design..
  • Approaching the Case Data: Results of the Study.
    • Major Challenges and Issues in the Singaporean Context.
    • Cross-Case Analysis of Variables and Relationships
  • Summary: Employee Turnover as a Key Concern at Multinational Corporations in Singapore...
• Employee Turnover - A Holistic Perspective on the Findings from Singapore...
• Employee Turnover at Multinational Corporations - An Assessment of Derived Variables and Relationships .
  • Research in the Field of Employee Turnover: An Overview
  • Multinational Corporations as Key Players in the Global Arena.
    • Multinationals in the Face of Multiple Organizational Environments.
    • The Role of Regional Headquarters.
  • Conceptual and Empirical Perspectives on Employee Turnover at Multinational Corporations
    • Evaluation of Contextual Variables
    • Evaluation of Firm-Specific Variables..
  • Toward a Framework for Contextual and Organization-Level Determinants of Employee Turnover at Multinational Corporations.....
  • Summary: Multinational Corporations Have to Cope with Multiple Determinants of Employee Turnover..
• Managing Employee Turnover - An Analysis of Adequate Coping Systems for Multinational Corporations.
  • The Function and Design of Organizational Coping Mechanisms in the Context of Employee Turnover.
    • The Nature of Organizational Coping with Employee Turnover..
    • A Typology of Turnover-Related Coping Mechanisms.
    • Expanding the Scope: An International Perspective..
  • Assessing Turnover-Oriented Coping Mechanisms at Multinational Corporations: The Impact of Country-of-Origin Effects
    • The Role of National Origin for Multinational Corporations
    • Implications for the Design of Turnover-Oriented Coping Strategies at Multinational Corporations.
    • Limitations to Country-of-Origin Influences: The Issue of Transferring Human Resource Practices Across Cultures
  • Tackling Employee Turnover through International Staffing and Expatriation Policies
    • The Role and Design of International Staffing Systems.
    • The Impact of Expatriation Policies on Host Country Nationals' Attachment to Multinational Corporations
    • Components of Expatriation-Related Coping Mechanisms for Employee Turnover at Multinational Corporations
  • A Comprehensive Coping System for Employee Turnover at Multinational Corporations.
  • Summary: Multinationals' Effective Management of Turnover Is Subject to Diverse Influences and Coping Strategies
• Conclusion....
• REFERENCES
• APPENDIX:..
  • TABLE OF CONTENTS
  • APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE CASE STUDY INTERVIEWS
  • APPENDIX 2: INTERVIEW AT A FRENCH SPECIALITY CHEMICAL MNC.
  • APPENDIX 3: INTERVIEW AT A GERMAN CHEMICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL MNC.
  • Appendix 7: Second Interview at a German Chemical and Pharmaceutical MNC.

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis aims to contribute to the field of international human resource management (IHRM) by examining employee turnover at multinational corporations (MNCs) in Singapore. The study utilizes a qualitative, inductive comparative case study approach to generate theory through data analysis. The research focuses on understanding the factors that influence employee turnover at MNCs in Singapore and developing effective coping mechanisms for this issue within the context of IHRM.

• The impact of the Singaporean context on employee turnover at MNCs.
• The role of contextual and firm-specific variables in influencing employee turnover.
• The development of a framework for understanding the determinants of employee turnover at MNCs.
• The analysis of coping mechanisms for managing employee turnover at MNCs.
• The importance of country-of-origin effects and cultural considerations in designing effective coping strategies.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the research topic and outlines the purpose and scope of the study. It highlights the growing importance of IHRM in a globalized business environment and the need for deeper qualitative research in this field. The chapter also provides an overview of the study's structure and methodology.

Chapter two delves into the Singaporean context, examining relevant factors such as resource-related characteristics, institutional characteristics, and cultural characteristics. It then presents the methodological framework of the study, including the rationale for using a case study approach and the research design. The chapter concludes with a summary of the key findings from the case study research, highlighting the challenges and issues faced by MNCs in Singapore, particularly in relation to employee turnover.

Chapter three provides a comprehensive overview of employee turnover, examining both conceptual and empirical perspectives. It explores the role of MNCs in the global arena and analyzes the impact of contextual and firm-specific variables on employee turnover. The chapter culminates in the development of a framework for understanding the determinants of employee turnover at MNCs.

Chapter four focuses on managing employee turnover, analyzing the function and design of organizational coping mechanisms. It examines the nature of organizational coping with employee turnover and presents a typology of turnover-related coping mechanisms. The chapter also explores the impact of country-of-origin effects on the design of coping strategies and discusses the challenges of transferring human resource practices across cultures. It concludes with a comprehensive coping system for employee turnover at MNCs.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The keywords and focus themes of the text include employee turnover, international human resource management (IHRM), multinational corporations (MNCs), Singapore, case study research, qualitative research, contextual variables, firm-specific variables, coping mechanisms, country-of-origin effects, cultural considerations, and expatriation policies.

• Universidad: University of Hannover
• Calificación: 1
• Autor: Sebastian Reiche (Autor)
• Año de publicación: 2002
• Páginas: 284
• No. de catálogo: V185821
• ISBN (Ebook): 9783668289130
• ISBN (Libro): 9783867467001
• Idioma: Inglés
• Etiqueta: coping, systems, employee, turnover, case, study, research, multinational, corporations, singapore