Content of Mila Lazarova’s sessions:

The course will cover the fundamentals of international human resource management in a global context, from both organizational and individual perspective. The first part of the course will examine key aspects of managing human resources in multinational companies (MNCs) (e.g., impact of institutional environments and cultural values on HRM, transfer of HR practices, role of boundary spanners, HRM in the face of the strategic imperatives of integration and localization, basics of global talent management). The second part will focus on individuals, examining the benefits and challenges of pursuing a career across borders and discussing key issues that tend to arise in the work and career of globally mobile professionals (e.g., should one undertake global mobility and what type of global mobility, how to best leverage the developmental opportunities mobility provides, individual and organizational responsibilities in managing individual global careers). The course is highly interactive and is designed to maximize student learning and create a positive environment in the classroom by balancing time dedicated to lecture, discussion, cases, and engaging exercises.

Content of Jelena Cerar’s Sessions:

• Part I: Experimentation with Talent Management In this lecture, students will develop a foundation in experimenting with talent management challenges. We will examine several existing experiments conducted within the field, analyzing their outcomes and lessons learned. Through active participation in an experiment, students will also have an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing evolution of (global) talent management practices.
• Part II: Talent Management in the Digital Age The second part of this lecture will shift focus to the rapidly changing landscape of talent management in the digital age. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how organizations are harnessing technology to adapt and thrive in this new era of managing talent globally.

The course designed to help students develop their understanding of the challenges and strategies associated with HRM in a global context and gain skills needed to navigate the complexities of effectively managing HRM in MNCs. Upon successful completion of the course, they will be better able to

• Describe and discuss the cultural, institutional, and organizational factors that shape HRM in MNCs;
• Understand the factors that contribute to successful rollout of HR practices globally;
• Critically evaluate the role of HRM for transfer of corporate culture and knowledge and the development of social capital within MNCs;
• Examine the strategic role of global mobility within MNCs and the challenges of managing global mobility;
• Gain insight into the experiences of global employees and understand the various paths to crafting a global career;
• Differentiate between different types of global work roles and identify the opportunities and challenges that each can bring;
• Reflect on and critically evaluate their own future global career choices;
• Critique extant practices related to the management of global employees and recommend viable improvements;
• Develop their ability to take a holistic approach to examining the complexities of operating (and working) across borders;
• Demonstrate improved research, presentation, and critical thinking skills.

Regular attendance is a requirement to pass this course. Attendance of at least 80% of the total course is mandatory for succesful completion of the course.

The course is comprised of lectures, case analyses, discussions, and a student team research project. It is highly interactive and aims for intensive student involvement. Thus, success in this course depends on students fully engaging and participating in class discussions and activities. The course involves a team research project on the future of global mobility and global careers.

Assessment will be based on both individual and team performance. Breakdown of assignments with percent of total grade as follows:

• Class participation - 35% (assessed by instructor and peer evaluations)
• Written case brief (in pairs) -  5%
• Global career reflection paper (individual) - 25%
• Research paper (group) - 35%

Please note that successful in-class participation involves not only attending class but also preparing before class, frequently and thoughtfully contributing to the discussion, engaging in a thoughtful analysis of the discussed cases, actively participating in activities, and synthesizing across readings and discussions. You are expected to have read in advance all the required reading materials and cases and be prepared to discuss them. The course also suggests a number of optional readings. My suggestion is to at least skim them for high level ideas even if you do not have time to read them.

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