Human Resource Management in contemporary transnational companies

Abstract

In this chapter, we will discuss the latest evolution in human resource management (HRM) in transnational organizations and the emergence of the global professional as a new profile within these organizations. The structure of the chapter is as follows. In the first section, we will discuss the global context within which transnational companies and global professionals need to work. Afterwards, we present an overview of classical theories and key concepts relevant to transnational companies and their employees. In the third section, we will discuss the implications of the transnational form of international development for several HRM issues within contemporary companies. For each section presented in this chapter, we will first discuss the ‘mainstream’ approaches and then reflect on them by drawing on more critical literature. Finally, the chapter ends by discussing the benefits of studying HRM from a critical perspective and making recommendations in terms of organizations, managers and employees.