Managing the Workforce:
International Perspectives
COUNTRY PRESENTATIONS
Dr. Yonatan Reshef
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BEFORE YOU BEGIN
STEP ONE
 SEE ME AT LEAST ONCE, NO LATER
THAN ONE WEEK BEFORE YOUR
PRESENTATION IS DUE
 DISTRIBUTE YOUR PRESENTATION
OUTLINE ONE WEEK BEFORE YOUR
PRESENTATION IS DUE
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BEFORE YOU BEGIN
STEP TWO
 ON THE DAY OF YOUR PRESENTATION,
MEET IN CLASS AT LEAST 30 MINUTES
BEFORE WE START
 SET UP THE COMPUTER
 SET UP FOOD, ARTIFACTS, ETC.
 IF NECESSARY, REARRANGE THE CLASS
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STEP THREE
 INTRODUCE THE GROUP MEMBERS
 SET THE AGENDA/PLAN FOR THE
NEXT 90 MINUTES
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BASIC FACTS
 MAP
 SIZE OF POPULATION
 SIZE OF COUNTRY
 LANGUAGE(S)
 CAPITAL
 RELIGION
 ETHNIC GROUPS
 EU MEMBER – ALL BUT JAPAN
 EMU – ONLY FRANCE AND GERMANY
 LITERACY
 LIFE EXPECTANCY
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HISTORY
 IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENTS
THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE HRM/IR
SYSTEM
–
GERMANY
– JAPAN
WW II
–
SWEDEN
» 1932 - ELECTION OF THE S.D. PARTY
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THE SETTING
 ECONOMIC
– UNEMPLOYMENT RATES/TRENDS
– EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS
– WORKFORCE SIZE
– MAIN EXPORTS/IMPORTS
– MAIN TRADE PARTNERS
– EXCHANGE RATE
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THE SETTING
 POLITICAL
– THE MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES
– GOVERNMENT PARTY
– GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN
IR/HRM AND THE NOTION OF
VOLUNTARISM
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THE SETTING
 LEGAL
– RELEVANT (IR/HRM) LEGISLATION
– THE EVOLUTION OF THIS LEGISLATION
– THE ROLE OF UNIONS IN LABOR
LEGISLATION
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THE SETTING
 SOCIAL
– IS SOCIETY HOMOGENEOUS?
– THE POLITICAL CULTURE
» GERMANY
» FRANCE
» CANADA: ALBERTA VS. ONTARIO
– CLASS STRUCTURE
– OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY
– GENDER ISSUES
– GENERAL: GEERT HOFSTEDE. 1984 (2 ND
ED.). CULTURE’S CONSEQUENCES. SAGE.
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THE SETTING
 TIME
– 30 MINUTES
 PRESENTATION OPTIONS
– FRONTAL LECTURING
– A GUIDED TOUR
– FOREIGN STUDENTS
– EXHIBITS
– A REVIEW QUIZ
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THE HR/IR SYSTEM
STRATEGIC CHOICES
 HRM FLOW
– RECRUITING
– TRAINING
– RETAINING
– EXITING
» VOLUNTARY
» MANDATORY
» FORCED
 LAYOFFS
 DISCIPLINARY
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THE HR/IR SYSTEM
STRATEGIC CHOICES
 REWARD AND RECOGNITION
–
MONETARY
» PAYMENT SYSTEM
» INCENTIVE PROGRAMS; BONUSES
–
NON-MONETARY
» RECOGNIZING HIGH-PERFORMERS
» DEALING WITH LOW-PERFORMERS
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THE HRM/IR SYSTEM
STRATEGIC CHOICES
 WORKER INFLUENCE
– PASSIVE (SURVEYS) VS. DIRECT
CHANNELS OF REPRESENTATION (JOINT
COMMITTEES)
– AD-HOC (FOCUS GROUPS) VS.
CONTINUOUS (QUALITY CIRCLES)
– VOICE VS. DECISION MAKING POWER
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THE HRM/IR SYSTEM
STRATEGIC CHOICES
 WORK DESIGN
– TASKS: BROAD VS. NARROW
– TRADITIONAL VS. TEAMWORK
– SKILLED VS. UNSKILLED
– SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT VS. HPWS
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THE HRM/IR SYSTEM
 UNIONS
– MAIN UNIONS
– UNIONIZATION LEVELS
– UNION GROWTH AND DECLINE
– INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICS
– ROLE IN THE WORKPLACE
– CHALLENGES TO UNIONS
– UNION RESPONSES TO CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
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THE HRM/IR SYSTEM
 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
– STRUCTURE
» SWEDEN VS. UK
– AGENDA
» NARROW, ECONOMIC VS. BROAD, POLITICAL
– IMPORTANCE TO LOCAL/NATIONAL HRM
» CANADA VS. GERMANY
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THE HRM/IR SYSTEM
 STRIKES
– FREQUENCY
– VOLUME (WORKDAYS LOST)
– SCOPE (WORKERS INVOLVED)
– FORM
» JAPAN
» FRANCE
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THE HRM/IR SYSTEM
 TIME
– 40 MINUTES
 PRESENTATION OPTIONS
– FRONTAL
– INTERVIEWS
– CASE STUDY(IES)
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CURRENT EVENTS
(LAST FIVE YEARS)
 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE
RELEVANT TO THE HRM/IR SYSTEM
 TIME
– 5-10 MINUTES
 PRESENTATION OPTIONS
– FRONTAL
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LESSONS FOR CANADA

WHY IS THERE NO … IN CANADA?
 WHAT PRACTICES/INSTITUTIONS WOULD
YOU LIKE TO “IMPORT” TO CANADA?


CAN IT BE DONE? WHY?
WHAT SHOULD “YOUR COUNTRY” TAKE
FROM CANADA?
 TIME
– 5-10 MINUTES
 PRESENTATION OPTIONS
– FRONTAL
– Q&A
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THE PRESENTATION CORE
COUNTRY CORE
ENGLAND  VOLUNTARISM
 GOV. INVOLVEMENT IN HRM/IR
SWEDEN  SWEDISH MODEL
GERMANY  CO-DETERMINATION
FRANCE
JAPAN
 PATERNALISM
 WEAK LABOR INSTITUTIONS
 SLOW LEGAL DEVELOPMENT
 LIFE-TIME EMPLOYMENT
 SENIORITY-BASED PAY SYSTEM
 ENTERPRISE UNIONS
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GENERAL
 TWO 5-MINUTE BREAKS
 FOOD
 VIDEOS/CASE STUDIES
 ARTIFACTS
 REMEMBER, YOU CANNOT PRESENT
EVERYTHING IN 90 MINUTES
 CLASS DISCUSSION
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GENERAL
 TIME YOURSELVES
 BE ORGANIZED
 MAKE SURE THAT CASES/VIDEOS
ARE WELL INTEGRATED INTO THE
GENERAL PRESENTATION
 KEEP THE FLOW/SMOOTH
TRANSITIONS
 PACKAGING VS. SUBSTANCE
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