Managerial Selection Decisions in Multinational Corporations: Teaching International Business Using Problem-Based Learning

Abstract

Companies face many challenges as they staff managerial positions in overseas operations, including decisions on whether to staff using expatriates, host-country nationals, or third-country nationals. We developed an exercise—designed to help students understand the differences between these three groups of employees—that requires students to develop a set of criteria that would form the basis for choosing the candidate they deem to be the best one. In addition, the exercise can serve as a springboard to discussion of the different training and compensation requirements for each of the three different types of employee. The steps involved in the exercise are presented together with suggestions for debriefing the exercise.

Keywords:

• Problem-based learning
• International human resource management
• International management
• Classroom exercise

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daniel S. Zisk

Dr. Daniel S. Zisk is a Lecturer of Management and International Business at James Madison University. Previously, he held a number of corporate executive management positions in the United States and China.

Marion M. Owyar-Hosseini

Dr. Marion M. Owyar-Hosseini is Director of the International Business Program at James Madison University. She teaches International Management and Strategy. Her research interests focus on management and organizational behavior topics in the international context.

Philip B. DuBose

Dr. Philip B. Dubose completed his doctorate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is Professor of Management at James Madison University. He teaches courses in organizational behavior and project management, and his research interests include organizational citizenship behavior, conflict management, and third party resolution.