A study of the employment system of Japanese multinational retailers in Hong Kong

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

International Journal of Human Resource Management

Publication Date

10-1-1997

Volume

8

Issue

5

First Page

629

Last Page

643

Keywords

Employment system, Hong Kong, Japan, Multinational, Retail

Abstract

This study examines the employment system of Japanese multinational retailing corporations in Hong Kong through two case companies - Morioka and Okadaya. The human resource management (HRM) practices - recruitment and selection, remuneration, and training and development - of the companies are studied. The different HRM practices applied to different groups of employees within each case company are compared using an employment systems model. The employment system is structured and multi-layered. The development of the structured employment system is then analysed in relation to the cultural and sectoral factors. It is shown that only the cultural characteristics of the Japanese parent companies can explain the ethnocentric management approach used in which Japanese personnel are employed in the internal labour marker (ILM) and local employees are employed outside the ILM. Economic and labour market conditions in both parent and host countries and sectoral characteristics have also contributed to the stratification of the employment system among the local employees. The implications of this study are that the long-term development of Japanese multinational retailers will be weakened if the structured employment system persists.

DOI

10.1080/095851997341423

Print ISSN

09585192

E-ISSN

14464399

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Chapman & Hall

Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Wong, M. M. L., & Hendry, C. (1997). A study of the employment system of Japanese multinational retailers in Hong Kong. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 8(5), 629-643. doi: 10.1080/095851997341423

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