Critically examine the strategic benefits and drawbacks associated with a UK based multinational enterprise deploying parent country nationals to manage a subsidiary in a country of your choice as opposed to locally based managers. Draw upon relevant theory to substantiate your answer.
• Reading materials 2 on this site (international assignments) should provide useful background. Of course you should draw upon a wider range of sources (particularly journal articles) to answer this question in a comprehensive and analytical fashion.
• The set text (Harzing and Pinnington, 3rd edition (Sage) – chapter by Harzing and Reiche) on ‘international assignments’- or the previous edition (Harzing and Van Ruysseveldt 2nd/E (Sage) – chapter by Harzing on ‘composing an international staff’ should provide useful reference.
• The online papers on the subject of expatriation/ international assignments at www.harzing.com should also be helpful.
• As well as lecture notes, we have undertaken class based exercises group which help cas+?2ght on this question (in particular the advantages/ drawbacks of employing home country/ host country and third country nationals).
• While the question relates primarily to international staffing/ expatraition, you may draw upon international management theory as appropriate (e.g. Perlmutter) to provide greater theoretical depth.
• The general ‘rules’ of writing PG essays apply to this work- for example concerning structure and focus, using and referencing academic journals etc. articles as appropriate, adopting a reflective/ evaluative rather than purely descriptive style and spelling/ punctuation.