Knowledge that Transforms

Human resource strategy research has focused primarily on the effects of business objectives and other organizational contingencies on organizational‐wide human resource systems and policies. Relatively little attention has been paid to the human resource function at the business implementation level. The multiple constituency approach was proposed to be a meaningful conceptual basis for analyzing the activities and effectiveness of the human resource department at the firm's operating level. A research project involving three separate studies found support on the validity of the multiple constituency approach. Constituency perspectives differed in both the activities desired of the human resource department and criteria meaningful for evaluating its effectiveness. The largest discrepancy was between constituencies with a strategic focus and constituencies with an operational orientation. Implications of the research findings and of the multiple constituency approach for strategic human resource management research and practice are discussed.

This study of common patterns of communication and behavior in mergers and acquisitions relied on a survey of twenty‐one managers and professionals in acquired organizations in three separate mergers or acquisitions (M/A). The survey used focused interviews to construct three cases. Common patterns are identified and a syndrome is specified connecting communication variables with rumor mills, employee turnover, and employee commitment to the new organization.

Pacific Rim business is the fastest growing in the world. To remain competitive, no major North American firm dare ignore Asia. Traditionally, very few women have held managerial and executive positions in Asia, Can North American firms successfully send female expatriate managers to Asia or must they limit international management positions to men? To answer this question, fifty‐two women were interviewed, each of whom had held at least one management position in Asia. They were overwhelmingly successful. The study describes who the women are, how they were chosen, and their professional experience as female expatriate managers in Asia.

In order to delineate the current state of the art of overseas relocation programs in U.S. multinational corporations, the extant literature was reviewed in the areas of expatriate personnel selection, training and career‐pathing. The implications of the study's findings for U.S. MNCs are discussed and recommendations for policy change are offered.

Guided by a general manager's perspective of human resources management (HRM), this paper identifies key factor affecting the introduction of HRM innovations in organizations. Because the essence of market and technological leadership is the development of the organizational capacity to carry out inventive ideas, it is critical to understand the main forces influencing HRM innovation. Following a definition of HRM innovation, six propositions are discussed using current and historical examples. Since HRM innovation also involves change in the social system of the organization, the adoption and diffusion of these innovations can be attributed not only to external environmental forces but also to social processes.