Conducting international comparative research

Chris BrewsterProfessor of International HRM,

Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK

Radboud University, Nijmegen

9 February 2012

Conducting international comparative research

OUTLINE:•Introduction:

– why conduct international comparative research?– some conceptual issues

•Issues in comparative research

•Examples – some findings

•Conclusions

•Conclusions

Why?

• Its fun

• It enhances understanding

• It challenges stereotypes, and best-practice managerialism

• Its publishable

Why comparative? Universalist vs Contextual Paradigms

• the Universalistic paradigm– theory– methodology

• the Contextual paradigm– theory– methodology

• other paradigms

Brewster, C. (1999) "Different Paradigms in Strategic HRM: questions raised by comparative research" in Wright, P., Dyer, L., Boudreau, J. and Milkovich, G. (eds), Research in Personnel and HRM, JAI Press Inc, Greenwich, Connecticut pp 213-238.

Cultural and Institutional explanations of differences

• the Cultural explanation • the Institutional explanation

– neo-institutionalism;– legal systems; – political systems;– VoC;– regulationist

• the meaning of words

Varieties of Capitalism

• Liberal Market Economies

• Co-ordinated Market EconomiesHall and Soskice, 2001

Nordic economies (Flexicurity economies)

Mediterranean economies

Transitional Economies (CEE)Whitley, 1999; Amable, 2003;

Varieties of Capitalism

• and what about:– Communist/Capitalist states?– Transition states?– African states?– Latin American states?

Jackson and Deeg 2006

Convergence vs Divergence

• convergence theories– market-led/US– institutional/European(world vs regional?)

• “divergence” theories• maybe it’s a bit of each…

Mayrhofer, W. and Brewster, C. (2005) “European Human Resource Management: researching developments over time” Management Revue 16, (1): 36-62

Directional Convergence:trends

E

X

T

E

N

TT I M E

Final Divergence

E

X

T

E

N

TT I M E

How?

• Collaboration

• Value of teams

• Team management

• Data collection/ response rates

• Rules and requirements

• Publication

Example findings: data

• Cranet – academic HRM specialist in each of over 50 countries

• Consecutive CRANET surveys on International Strategic Human Resource Management: 1991, 1995, 1999/2000, 2004/5, 2009/10 (separate sample frames) (http://www.CRANET.org )

• Postal questionnaire for the senior HRM specialist of organisations (>100 employees); all sectors; translated into local language; full population survey in most cases/ samples in larger countries

12

Examples – some findings

• Country; size; sector all matter – generally in that order (not for training)

• There are common trends – there is very little sign of final convergence

• MNCs are different – but not very different

• Varieties of capitalism (especially Amable) works fairly well in Europe

• Role of HRM department varies with country

Conclusions

• Practically:– Standardisation/ differentiation paradox

• Theoretically:– Legitimation seems to be important– What price “best practice” HRM or management

generally?– and…?

Conducting international comparative research

Questions? Comments?

Chris BrewsterProfessor of International HRM,

Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK

9 February 2011

Conducting international comparative research

Thank you! Thank you! and good luck!and good luck!

c.j.brewster@henley.reading.ac.uk

Selected Publications

Books:

• Brewster, C. and Mayrhofer, W., (eds) (2012) A Handbook of Research into Comparative Human Resource Management Practice. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham

• Brewster, C., Carey, L., Dowling, P., Grobler, P., Holland, P. and Warnich, S. Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage (4th edition), Oxford University Press, South Africa, Cape Town

• Brewster, C. Sparrow, P. Vernon. G. and Houldsworth, L. (2011) International Human Resource Management. (3rd edition), CIPD, Wimbledon

Chapters:

• Brewster, C. and Mayrhofer, W. (2009) Comparative HRM: the debates and the evidence. In Collings, D.C. and Wood, G. (eds) Human Resource Management: a critical approach. Routledge, London (278-295)

• Sparrow, P., Brewster, C. and Ligthart, P. (2009) Globalizing Human Resource Management: examining the role of networks. in Sparrow, P. (ed) Handbook of International Human Resource Management: integrating people, process and context. Wiley, Chichester (363-388)

Selected Publications (continued)

Articles:• Mayrhofer, W., Brewster, C., Morley, M. and Ledolter, J. (2011) Hearing a Different

drummer? Evidence of convergence in European HRM Human Resource Management Review 21 (1): 50-67

• Croucher, R. Brookes, M., Wood, G. and Brewster, C. (2010) Context, strategy and financial participation: A comparative analysis. Human Relations 63: 835-855

• Makela, K and Brewster C. (2009) interpersonal relationships as conduits of interunit interaction within multinationals: how well do different types of relationships work? Human Resource Management 48, (4): 591-614

• Brewster, C., Wood, G. and Brookes, M. (2008) Similarity, Isomorphism or Duality: recent survey evidence on the HRM policies of Multinational Corporations British Journal of Management 19 (4): 320-342

• Mayrhofer, W. and Brewster, C. (2005) “European Human Resource Management: researching developments over time” Management Revue 16, (1): 36-62

• Brewster, C., Sparrow, P. and Harris, H. (2004) The Role of the Human Resource Management Function in Internationalisation Human Resources and Employment Review 2, (2): 68-75