Career management model
The work environment is constantly changing due to various factors. Some of the factors which contribute to changes in the work environment include changes in technology and technical professionals, and the need for innovations and inventions in organizations. It is for these reasons that managers and professionals need to come up with ways to manage their careers. This poses challenges to the managers since the traditional approaches of career management are no longer effective (Werner, 2012).
In managing one’s career, individuals face a number of decisions which they are supposed to make in the process. It is for this reason that a career management model has been developed so as to help individuals manage their careers properly. The model gives the individual an ideal process to manage their careers (Werner, 2012).
Globalization has stimulated the need for companies to develop a management model that will help them guide their employees in managing their career. If an employee properly manages his career, he will have improved performance and the same will be reflected in the organizational performance. The organization’s performance gives the companies a competitive edge over their rivals.
A proper career development model is one that fulfils personal goals, creates work balance as well as achieving the organizational goals (Riusala & Suutari, 2000). The model should, therefore, begin with setting the goals that the organization wishes to fulfil. The goals should be short term, intermediate as well as long term (Sims, 2007). It is vital to note that the value of human capital is becoming increasingly popular. Organizations are using the value of human capital to gain a competitive advantage. The model should, therefore, help improve the value of these resources.
ABC is a multinational company that is based in the US. It has a subsidiary in Japan where it has sent employees from the US to work at the subsidiary as expatriates. At the same time, the company has also hired Japanese employees. This section presents a model that the company will use to manage its employees.
The process of career management follows four major steps. The first step is the identification of ones own information. The employee should understand information about himself. Among the information, that the individual should gather includes the things that he or she enjoys doing, his or her talent, as well as how work is important in their life. This stage is referred to as the assessment stage or the career exploration stage (Greenhaus, 2010).
The second step is carrying out research regarding the job. This is where one should find information on what alternative jobs are available in and outside the organization (Greenhaus, 2010). They should know what exactly the position of a manager or the position they are taking is responsible for and what is the salary expected from the job. One should identify prospects and may also carry out informational interviews. ABC employees should look for the opportunities that are interesting to them both in the US and Japan.
Ones they are through with these, they can now make a decision on what job they want to take and set the goals they want to achieve. The goals set by individuals should be in line with organizational goals (Johns Hopkins University, 2010). They should then take action in the next step that will lead them to achieve the goals set. They can take action that will lead them to secure an interview for the job so that he can achieve the goals set. They will decide on whether to accept the job or reject it.
The final step includes readjustment or transition. Here, the employees will regroup themselves. ABC employees will be required to work in a new environment and therefore they should adjust to the new culture.
Challenges
International management is faced by a number of challenges which hinders its performance. The first key challenge is how to integrate host country managers into the management of the company’s subsidiaries company. The US and Japan have different cultures, and hence the management processes will be different. This poses a challenge to the managers as they try to adapt to the new management models (Perkins & Shortland, 2006).
The other challenge that the model will face is the cultural difference. This will include different languages used by the two countries. The employees will also have different beliefs, norms and taboos (Sparrow, 2008). This might hinder their performance if the differences are not well managed (Bjorkman & Stahl, 2006).
Hofstede’s cultural dimension can be used to explain how cultural differences affect multinational organizations. This is a dimension that gives a description of the effects that culture has on its members as well as the way these values relate to human behaviour. The structure used in this model is derived from factor analysis. This theory is extremely valuable when carrying out research especially cross-cultural psychology as well as in international management (Luger, 2009).
The theory gives four dimensions that explain cultural differences. The first one is the individualism- collective dimension the second one is the uncertainty avoidance dimension, and the third one is the power distance dimension and finally the masculinity-femininityy dimension (Johann, 2008).
References
Bjorkman, I., & Stahl, G. K. (2006). Handbook of research in international human resource management. Cheltenham. Edward Edgar Publ.
Greenhaus, J. H., Callanan, G. A., & Godshalk, V. M. (2010). Career management. London: SAGE.
Johns Hopkins University. (2010). Career Management Model Human Resources. Web.
Johann, R. (2008). Cross-Cultural Management: The case of the DaimlerChrysler Merger. Munchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH.
Luger, E. (2009). Hofsteede’s Cultural Dimensions. Munchen: Grin Verlag GmbH.
Perkins, S. J., & Shortland, S. M. (2006). Strategic International Human Resource Management: Choices and Consequences in Multinational People Management 2nd Edition. London. Kogan Page.
Riusala, K., & Suutari, V. (2000). “Expatriation and careers: perspectives of expatriates and spouses”, Career Development International, 5 (2), 81 – 90.
Sims, R. R. (2007). Human resource management: Contemporary issues, challenges and opportunities. Greenwich, Conn: Information Age Publ.
Sparrow, P., (2008). Handbook of international HR. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Werner, J. M., & DeSimone, R. L. (2012). Human resource development. Mason, OH: South-Western.