6WBS0014 / 6WBS0015 (International Human Resource Management): Individual Report

6WBS0014 / 6WBS0015: International Human Resource Management
University of Hertfordshire

Assignment title: Coursework 2 – HR Consultancy Report for the MNC

You are required to write a consultancy report for a United Kingdom-based MNC seeking to establish a subsidiary abroad.

You are expected to submit an individual report of 1,800 words (+/-10%) (excluding cover sheet, diagrams, table of contents, appendices, and references).

As an independent, external HR consultant, your report should include:

• Introduction of chosen country and MNC: Briefly describe the country context and your selected MNC (real or fictional). The focus should be on the country’s context rather than specifics of the company, though industry comparisons can be used.
• Key HR considerations: Identify 3–5 important factors for establishing a subsidiary. Justify why these are critical, with reference to HR functions and cross-cultural issues.
• Function management recommendations: Specify which functions of the MNC should be managed from UK Headquarters (HQ) versus managed locally in the selected country. Functions may include recruitment, performance management, learning and development, and management roles. Provide a rationale for your recommendations.

• Hollinshead’s International and Comparative HRM, Chapter 4, “Staffing the multinational enterprise: expatriation and managing across borders”
• Sustainability and risk assessment in foreign operations
• Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and cross-cultural adaptation
• Functions of IHRM and critical HR decision-making factors
• Legal requirements, labour market conditions, industrial relations, and health and safety regulations
• Four influences framework: country of origin, dominance, international integration, host country effects
• Ethnocentrism, polycentrism, and geocentrism applied to practical scenarios
• Role of host vs local managers and glocalisation strategies
• Considerations for establishing a subsidiary in a developing nation and implications of Foreign Direct Investment
• Black’s model of in-country adjustment

Your report should demonstrate critical analysis, using a range of academic and industry sources to support your arguments. Focus on depth over breadth, critically evaluating a few key HR considerations rather than superficially covering many.

• 78%

This assignment tests your ability to apply international HRM theory to real-world MNC decisions.

Common challenges include:

• Insufficient country context analysis: Students often focus on the company but neglect cultural, legal, and social factors in the host country.
• Weak justification of HR factors: Many reports list factors without linking them to MNC operations or strategic objectives.
• Poor function allocation reasoning: Students sometimes fail to clearly explain why certain HR functions should remain HQ-controlled or be localised.

Strong submissions clearly:

• Analyse key HR considerations within the host country context
• Apply IHRM frameworks such as ethnocentrism, polycentrism, geocentrism, and Black’s adjustment model
• Provide practical recommendations for managing HQ vs local functions
• Support arguments with academic and industry sources

• Anchor your report in theory: Use Hollinshead’s and other recommended texts to justify recommendations
• Integrate cross-cultural insights: Apply Hofstede and glocalisation concepts meaningfully
• Critical depth: Focus on 3–5 HR considerations and analyse them in detail
• Clear function allocation: Explain why certain HR functions are localised or remain HQ-based
• Evidence-based: Use examples, case studies, and academic references to support recommendations

• Deep knowledge of IHRM: We help students apply theory to practical international HR scenarios
• Critical analysis support: Assistance in identifying and analysing the most relevant HR factors
• Report structuring: Guidance on organisation, coherence, and linking theory to recommendations
• Academic rigor: Ensures references, citations, and industry examples are properly integrated
• High-quality submissions: Helps students achieve top marks with clarity and depth

If you need help with this International Human Resource Management report, our team knows exactly how to handle both the consultancy analysis and the practical HR recommendations.