Knowledge that Transforms

This paper broadens the conceptualization of multinational corporation (MNC) knowledge management to include the importance of active involvement in a liaison role by host country nationals (HCNs), particularly those working directly with expatriates. Based on our field research and work experience in international settings as well as current research literature, we identify and consider several beneficial components of this liaison role in local knowledge management, including cultural interpreter, communication facilitator, information resource broker, talent developer, and change partner. We also call for future research to help build upon our present model and to provide practical guidance in human resource (HR) policy and practice to help organizations take advantage of this potentially valuable liaison role.

As business leaders increasingly understand the importance of effectively managing a global workforce, attention turns to the human resource (HR) function. But as HR groups focus largely on best practices, they lose sight of the constantly shifting demands of a global environment that requires next practices. We propose a new Dynamic HR framework that allows HR managers constantly to renew and reintegrate their practices throughout the organization in a way that focuses on flexible entrepreneurship and coordinated networking among dispersed HR managers. Such demands require HR managers who not only are connected with one another across the globe, but also are one step ahead of shifting local and global demands. Using practical examples from IBM, we discuss techniques that might help HR become more dynamic.

The body of knowledge on organizational learning is believed to be large and fragmented. Therefore, this knowledge seems to be of limited use to practitioners. We, however, present an alternative review of the most important publications on organizational learning that deals explicitly with learning barriers. The structural causes of problems with organizational learning are related to malfunctioning components of the cybernetic learning system of the organization. Thus, it became clear that the body of knowledge on organizational learning is less fragmented and does not contain any contradictions. This resulted in our construction of a framework in which the major contributions on organizational learning are integrated. It allows practitioners to use strengths of multiple theories to analyze change management problems.

From a social learning perspective, factors predicting seeking future international assignments and that are more or less under control of the human resource management department through training were examined. We tested our hypotheses on data from 745 Dutch peacekeepers. It appears that preparation, adventurism, and cultural empathy are important factors in willingness to expatriate again. Peacekeepers scoring high on self‐effi cacy are more willing to accept future international assignments than peacekeepers scoring low on self‐effi cacy. Further, the relationship between adventurism and seeking future international assignments is stronger for peacekeepers scoring high on self‐effi cacy than for peacekeepers scoring low on self‐effi cacy.

By examining the case of American and European firms operating in Japan, this article contributes to the central debate of how and when multinational corporations (MNCs) learn from their foreign subsidiaries. Through structural equation modeling, we assess how specific human resource management (HRM) practices (critical thinking encouragement, supervisory encouragement, learning incentives, deployment of internal mechanisms and processes, expatriation, and corporate training) enhance (1) knowledge transfer outflows from the subsidiary to other parts of the MNC and (2) the subsidiary's performance in its local market. We find learning orientation to be a key antecedent of all HRM practices we investigated. From a practical point of view, a noticeable finding relates to the lack of effects of critical thinking encouragement on market knowledge acquisition and dissemination when (1) there is a significant presence of expatriates in the subsidiary and (2) when local managers have access to training programs at headquarters (HQ) and other affiliates.

In this paper, we examine the career histories of the chief executive officers (CEOs) affiliated with the 500 largest organizations in Europe and the 500 largest in the United States. Our purpose is to determine whether frequent career moves across employers, a phenomenon we label an “external labor market strategy,” brings greater career rewards than moves inside the same organization. The results reveal that an external labor market strategy is negatively related to career success. On both continents, CEOs who have spent a smaller fraction of their career in their current organization or have changed employers more often have taken a longer time from the start of their career to be promoted to the most influential corporate positions. The labor market institutions in the 22 countries sampled do not influence the relationship between an external labor market strategy and career success, while the specific geographic region in which the employers are located has a limited impact on this relationship.

In this introduction to this Special Issue, we briefly describe the knowledge perspective that has emerged in management research over the last two decades, discuss its current and potential future relations to Human Resources Management (HRM) research, and summarize the papers in this issue.

In the current career climate characterized by change and turbulence, employees may demonstrate limited psychological attachment to their employers. Rousseau (1998) suggested that organizations can elicit psychological attachment from employees by reinforcing perceptions of organizational membership and demonstrating care and support for them. The effectiveness of these strategies, however, may depend on individuals' personality traits. In this study, we examined the moderating effect of locus of control in the relationship among four valued aspects of the work environment—information sharing, job significance, opportunity for learning, and availability of rewards for performance—and employees' intentions to stay. In two empirical studies, we found that information sharing, job significance, and locus of control interacted to positively affect intentions to stay and that opportunity for learning, availability of rewards for performance, and locus of control also interacted to increase intentions to stay. Implications of these results for theory building and practice are discussed.

Overemphasis on financial performance criteria to award incentives for CEOs has often been mentioned as one of the main culprits behind recent corporate scandals. In response, there is a growing chorus for inclusion of social performance criteria in the design of executive compensation schemes. To date, however, very little is known about the true benefits of this practice. This article critically discusses the potential advantages and pitfalls of this recommendation.