AIB 2012 Conference Proceedings - Academy of International ...

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Of the human resource management methods adopted by corporate headquarters, we found that providing
training and development to international managers is having an impact on changing how these human
resources are utilized. We also found that the greater human resource management policies and practices led to
high performance. (For more information, please contact: Shiho Nakamura, University of Ritsumeikan, Japan:
snakamu@fc.ritsumei.ac.jp)
The Role of MNC Headquarters in Reverse Diffusion of HRM Practices
Michal Lemanski, WU Wien / UE Wroclaw
What is the role of the MNC headquarters in the process of reverse diffusion of HRM practices A fast growing
body of research provided valuable insights on diffusion of organizational practices from the corporate
periphery, but to a lesser extent covered roles that organizational actors play in the process of such diffusion.
Analyzing 117 instances of diffusion of human resource management practices that originated in emerging
market subsidiaries of 45 MNCs we identified seven headquarters' roles that enhance or hinder diffusion but
have not been identified in previous studies. We report on what is presumable the first large-scale study of the
role played by the headquarters in the process of diffusion of practices from foreign subsidiaries, and discuss
the implications of the results for research and practice. (For more information, please contact: Michal
Lemanski, WU Wien / UE Wroclaw, Poland: leman@poczta.onet.pl)
Cultural Distance and the International Migration of Top Managers: Evidence from European Boards
Padma Rao Sahib, University of Groningen
Kees van Veen , University of Groningen
This paper investigates the role of various distance measures in explaining the presence of top managers of
different nationalities on European boards. Based on data on 5500 board members from 15 countries in the
period 2005-2007 we find that the greater the cultural distance between the country of origin of a top manager
and the country in which the company is headquartered, the lower the percentage of top managers of that
nationality in the board. We conclude that the labor market for European top managers remains un-even and
seem to develop in a fragmented way. Managers of different countries have different opportunities and this
depends on characteristics of the home and host county. (For more information, please contact: Padma Rao
Sahib, University of Groningen, Netherlands: p.rao.sahib@rug.nl)
Session: 1.5.9 - Competitive
Track: 1 - Institutions, Governance, and CSR
Business and Society - Rethinking the Boundaries
Presented On: July 1, 2012 - 16:15-17:30
Chair: Paul Vaaler, University of Minnesota
International Standards Certification Matters More for Firms in Institutionally Weak Countries
Leo Sleuwaegen, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School and University of Leuven
Micheline Goedhuys, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
This paper builds on a rapidly developing literature showing the importance of quality certificates, in particular
ISO standards, for the efficient development of firms. The novelty of this paper is that it uses firm level data
from 59 developing countries and systematically tests whether the propensity to obtain certification and its
effect on firm performance is differently affected in countries where markets are missing or institutions are
weak, in supporting the efficient use and allocation of inputs and outputs. We find evidence that certification is
AIB 2012 Conference Proceedings
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