Answer TWO questions
All questions carry EQUAL marks
You have seven days to complete this examination, but it is expected that you spend no more than three times the duration of the original examination completing it.

Each essay answer should be no more than 1500 words in length. You must not exceed the specified word limit. This is a maximum word limit (+10% does not apply). Markers will be instructed that they do not have to mark anything beyond the 1,500 words limit. You will not be penalised for answers that are shorter than the limit; answers will be given credit for being comprehensive, rather than for being a certain length.

You should provide a bibliography with each essay answer. The bibliography is excluded from the word count; however, in-text references will be included in the word count. Please include the word count for each essay answer.
The use of electronic calculators is not permitted

Answer TWO questions
1. Discuss globalisation and the various ways in which it has affected employment.
Explain, by drawing on Institutionalist and/or Culturalist arguments, why important
differences in employment continue to exist. Illustrate with specific examples of
employment practices.
2. Discuss the stakeholder and shareholder models of corporate governance with
reference to two contrasting country cases. To what extent has the perceived rise
in shareholder capitalism affected the quality of employment in these countries?
3. Important distinctions tend to exist between vocational education and training
(VET) in liberal and coordinated market economies. Address these differences by
discussing two contrasting country cases.
4. Discuss how different welfare regimes can hinder or promote the participation of
women in the labour market. Include references to three welfare models. Illustrate
your answer with references to policies in specific countries.
5. Discuss the Flexicurity policies in the Netherlands and/or Denmark. How
successful have these policies been in balancing security and flexibility in recent
decades?
6. Discuss the different staffing strategies that multinational corporations (MNCs)
may follow and explain why they may prefer to appoint home country nationals at
management positions in their subsidiaries. Discuss the differences in staffing
between MNCs from different regions.
7. ‘Structural factors do not have determining effects; rather, internal political factors
can override the influence of structural factors. Equally, however, political
processes do not operate independently of structure, but are shaped and
constrained by it’ (Edwards et al., 1999: 290-1)’. Discuss the diffusion of HRM
practices by Multinational corporations (MNCs) across their subsidiaries in
reference to this citation.
8. The offshoring of jobs has caused much controversy within the academic debate.
Discuss positive and negative arguments by assessing the number of jobs that
may be affected and the potential costs and benefits of offshoring.
9. Standing (2008) provides a rather critical evaluation of the ILO’s ability to improve
global working conditions. Discuss some of the challenges that the ILO faces and
whether alternative strategies can support better working conditions.
END OF EXAMINATION PAPER