USA & CANADAGabrielle De Pourtalès

Philippine Jungmann

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

I/. CONTEXTS : POLITICS, ECONOMICS, CULTURAL

II/. Managing the Human Resources

CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION Economically interwined :

Close geographical location Strong trade relations Commun socio-economic and historical backgrounds Similar organizational characteristics

Numerous distinct differences in HRM functions and relationships between employees

Many transformations in both countries because of the globalization

I/. Global environment - Economy US economy is the largest in the world :

25 to 35 % of the world market A leading industrial power with highly diversified and

technologically advanced production systems

 Canada is a competitive free market economy : Dependent on international trade and investments + 10% of the world’s demand for grain

US & Canada : safe places for foreign investors beause of the stable and safe business environment : both provide good examples of managing accross cultures.

I/. Global environment -Politics Both enjoy stable political systems and are federal

democracies Differences in their approach to government and

political agendas Canada has a constitutional monarchy and a

parliamentary democracy. US has a constitution-based federal system

Dominated by two major political strands, the Republicans and the Democrats.

I/. Global environment -Culture US & Canada :

Multicultural societies Most of the population are foreigners Small power distance Individualism Masculinism (US more) Low uncertainty avoidance (US is lower) Influenced by protestant work ethics and the

commitment and dedication of skilled

I/. Global environment -Culture

“ American culture is deal-focused, informal, monochromic and moderately expressive » Gesteland, 1996

American tend to do business immediately and like to express their business concerns explicitly.

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES

CONTEXTS :

Both are knowledge-based, diverse and relatively stable due to the international competition and technological developments.

Market sector in constant changes : Unemployment educated workforce Older and healthier Workforce : 67% of 15-64 years old Flexible working practices Diversity : women’s and immigrant’s labour A rise in public and services sectors

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES

ORIGINS : Modern practices were borned in the US and West Europe

Taylorism, Mc Donald’s operations manual, American dream Optimistic, humanistic and superficially simple

Industrial developments, polictial and socio-economic changes caused changes in HRM in terms of : Strategic awareness, Trade union avoidances, Legally binding employee-employer agreements, Management of diversity.

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES

« Many responses by employers to these changes were traditional : layoffs dramatically reduced employment in many industries, and the use of part-time and casual workers rose substantially » Thompson, 1998

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION : Several ways like poaching, headhunting, e-information ...

A preference to hire already trained employees and to attract a skilled and talented workforce

Vocational education

Equal opportunities laws controlled by the EOEC

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESSOURCESReward and Remuneration : performance appraisal used in order to determine the

appropriate reward for each employee the level of pay depends on whether the organization is

unionized or non-unionized. Canada :

minimum wage policy in all provinces but the rate can differ NWT at $8.25 per hour and Nunavut at $10.00 per hour.

US : FLSA regulates the pay and hours of employees. Minimum wage varies between states Federal minimum wage rate was 7.25$ per hour in 2009

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESSOURCES

Employee relations Trade union :

Differents approachs to employee relations signs of convergence as a result of the increasing presence of

US multinational companies in Canada. labour relations in Canada were very similar to those in the

US Trade unions became more accepted, better organized, and

stronger in Canada than in the US

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESSOURCESEmployee relations : Trade Unions

Canada : tradition of union recognition and collective bargaining. the most stable system first trade unions were formed by craftsmen about the 1870s the labour movement has become more organized and grown further apart

from its US counterparts over the last 20 years union density has declined more gradually

US : US employers prefer not to deal with trade unions first trade union were « the craft unions » around the 1880s trade unions in the US have been weakerand less organized

II/. MANAGING HUMAN RESSOURCESEmployee relations : Collective bargaining

collective bargaining agrements are legally binding adopt a cooperative

Canada : the process of collective bargaining is decentralized

US : the national labour relations board has responsability for making

sure that labour-management negotiations are conducted according the existing employment laws

trade union have opted for cooperative approach to meet their demands

CONCLUSION American and Canadian have

differents maneers to managing their own employees, do not have the same organizations organisms like trade unions but still have a lot in commun and have to keep on their interwined practices to involve at the same time of the market and the economy changes.