MN7374 Seminars 2019-2020
Seminar 2
This session will consider specific management practices (lean production)
and business models (Uber) in different countries. This should help us in
applying cultural and institutional perspectives to specific practices. Feel free
to refer back to the ‘varieties of capitalism’ framework.
We will consider the following questions:
a. How do cultural and/or institutional factors shape the way lean production
or Uber work in different countries?
b. Would you be able to make a living as an Uber driver?
Please read and engage with the following before the session:
1) Stewart, P. (2014), ‘Lean production and globalization: a ‘revolutionary’
management agenda and the re-making of labour intensification’, in
Martínez Lucio, M. (ed.) International Human Resource Management. An
Employment Relations Perspective. Chapter 7: 137-158. (this is the essential
reading for Lecture 4)
2) Karnik, M. (2017) Uber in India is fundamentally different from the
West, https://qz.com/india/926220/uber-in-india-is-fundamentally-different-fromuber-in-the-west/
3) Ask yourself whether you can make it in the Gig Economy and play the
following game: https://ig.ft.com/uber-game/
Seminar 1
This session will consider the factors influencing multinational companies operating in other
countries. After this seminar, you should have a clear understanding of two of the main
concepts used in the module: ‘cultural’ and ‘institutional’ factors.
We will consider the questions:
a) Why do MNC subsidiaries sometimes adopt different practices than the HQ?
b) What is meant by ‘cultural’ and ‘institutional’ factors?
Please read the following before the session:
1) Tayeb, M. (2005), ‘Going international: Managing HR across the world’ in Tayeb, M. (ed.)
International Human Resource Management, Oxford University Press: Oxford. Chapter 5. (ebook available)
2) Reuters (2019), ‘Huawei plans to shift research center to Canada from
U.S.’, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-huawei-tech/huawei-plans-toshift-research-center-to-canada-from-u-s-globe-and-mail-idUSKBN1Y7062
