Spanning the Globe
Executive Summary
This paper analyzes the case – spanning the globe, which helps understand the various HR issues faced by Mr. Eric Christopher who is the Associate Director for Global HR Development at Tex-Mark. Tex-Mark is a computer input and output manufacturing firm with its head office in San Antonio. After its establishment in the 1970s, they have over 5 production facilities, 3 research and new product development facilities over the world. Additionally, they have 7 international sales, distribution and customer service centers universally but mainly concentrated in Asia. Below is a brief company and employee history to aid with the case study analysis.
The first step in identifying the various challenges faced by Tex-Mark included listing the various problems, both explicit (short term) and implicit (long term). Some factors like language barriers have maintained a trend in that there have been more than one occasions of it arising. Other factors included cultural insensitivity and internal factors like Training and Development failure.
The second step involved using different methods of analysis like the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats), Human Resource Policies and also a Risk analysis that can affect expatriates on the assignment as well as internally impact the company and its foreign structure alignment. The SWOT helped understand the various aspects of staffing international operations and also understanding the different opportunities Tex-Mark has in relation to its competitors. Risk analysis helps us understand the different personal factors that could affect individual performance.
Lastly, the solution phase gives key clues and solution sets based on my personal recommendation and understanding of the case study. These include increasing spending on R&D to better understand host country culture and different ways for expatriates to adjust to them.
1. Introduction
1.1 Company History
Tex Mark is a computer input
This paper analyzes the case – spanning the globe, which helps understand the various HR issues faced by Mr. Eric Christopher who is the Associate Director for Global HR Development at Tex-Mark. Tex-Mark is a computer input and output manufacturing firm with its head office in San Antonio. After its establishment in the 1970s, they have over 5 production facilities, 3 research and new product development facilities over the world. Additionally, they have 7 international sales, distribution and customer service centers universally but mainly concentrated in Asia. Below is a brief company and employee history to aid with the case study analysis.
The first step in identifying the various challenges faced by Tex-Mark included listing the various problems, both explicit (short term) and implicit (long term). Some factors like language barriers have maintained a trend in that there have been more than one occasions of it arising. Other factors included cultural insensitivity and internal factors like Training and Development failure.
The second step involved using different methods of analysis like the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats), Human Resource Policies and also a Risk analysis that can affect expatriates on the assignment as well as internally impact the company and its foreign structure alignment. The SWOT helped understand the various aspects of staffing international operations and also understanding the different opportunities Tex-Mark has in relation to its competitors. Risk analysis helps us understand the different personal factors that could affect individual performance.
Lastly, the solution phase gives key clues and solution sets based on my personal recommendation and understanding of the case study. These include increasing spending on R&D to better understand host country culture and different ways for expatriates to adjust to them.
1. Introduction
1.1 Company History
Tex Mark is a computer input