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Human resources and international joint venture performance: a system perspective

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Abstract

Building on general systems theory, we argue that the multi-system nature of the international joint venture (IJV) drives two distinct but inter-related sets of human resource (HR) issues: a set whose core is mainly within the venture subsystem (within-IJV HR set), producing a detrimental impact on venture performance; and a set associated mainly with the relational tension along the interface between the parent and the venture subsystem (relational/interface HR set). The relational set is detrimental at the system level, but actually has a positive performance impact at the venture subsystem level. Hierarchical regression results from a sample of 265 China-based IJVs offer support for the above hypotheses developed around the two sets of HR issues. We discuss implications for IJV theory, research, and practice.

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Notes

  1. We assume a case of an equity-based joint venture.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Professor Mary Ann Von Glinow and three anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2002 Academy of Management meeting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management of Organizations, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong

    Yaping Gong

  2. Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University, USA

    Oded Shenkar

  3. Department of Management, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA

    Yadong Luo

  4. Office of the Vice-President, Lingnan University, Hong Kong

    Mee-Kau Nyaw

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  1. Yaping Gong
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  2. Oded Shenkar
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  3. Yadong Luo
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  4. Mee-Kau Nyaw
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Correspondence to Yaping Gong.

Additional information

Accepted by Mary Ann Von Glinow, Departmental Editor, 15 November 2004. This paper has been with the author for two revisions.

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Gong, Y., Shenkar, O., Luo, Y. et al. Human resources and international joint venture performance: a system perspective. J Int Bus Stud 36, 505–518 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400154

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400154

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