MMD004: International Business and International Human Resource Management

Module code: MMD004

Module provider: International Business and Strategy; Henley Business School

Credits: 10

Level: NA

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Rita Fontinha, email: r.fontinha@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 8 September 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This course is intended for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers. This is an advanced course focusing on the key academic debates regarding the issues in managing human resources in the multinational enterprises (MNEs) with an understanding of cross-national differences in HRM. 

The course aims at: 

• Providing an overview of academic debates in international human resource management with acritical review of influential literature in the field. 
• Providing an awareness of HRM issues and practices in contemporary MNEs to prepare researchers for doing work which is relevant to the practice of management. 
• Developing some practical skills, namely through preparing and making brief presentations, and being actively involved in class discussion. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that the student will be able to: 

• Understand key issues and concepts related to comparative HRM and management of human resources in the multinational enterprises.  
• Critically evaluate various approaches in managing human resources in multinational organisations.  
• Students will also develop their presentation and discussion skills through brief presentations.  

Module content

The course consists of a number of sessions. During each session there will be a class discussion. Each class participant will also have the opportunity to present a research outline and should prepare 10-15 minutes, max. 10 slide presentation. 

The course will address the following topics: 

• Comparative HRM: cultural and institutional theories 
• Comparative HRM practices 
• International HRM strategy 
• Knowledge global capabilities and HRM in MNEs 
• Global staffing and expatriation 
• Expatriate management 
• Transfer of HRM practices in MNEs 
• organizing the global HRM function in MNEs 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The sessions will be a mixture of lectures, class discussions. Participants will be given opportunity to give a presentation of their PhD research.  

Study hours

At least 8 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The following penalties for work submitted late will normally apply:  

Assessments with numerical marks 

• where the piece of work is submitted up to 30 calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark; 
• where the piece of work is submitted more than 30 calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.  

Assessments marked Pass/Fail  

• where the piece of work is submitted within 30 calendar days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;  
• where the piece of work is submitted more than 30 calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.  

Groupwork  

Where the work submitted late is a piece of groupwork submitted on behalf of the whole group, the penalty will apply to all members of the group. Individual contributions to groupwork submitted separately by each member will be subject to a late penalty only for the individual contributions that are late 

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes can be found at:  

https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf?la=en&hash=8A89870FCA07250F482BFA8CD308588F

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work. 

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs