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Through an empirical inquiry into manufacturing joint ventures companies in Vietnam setting, this paper aims to examine the relationships among knowledge sharing and its antecedents such as organisational culture, ethics, and human resources localization.

An analysis of data returned from a questionnaire survey among middle level managers in these manufacturing joint ventures companies was conducted via analysis of variance and structural equation modelling.

The study findings display the correspondence between control culture and ethics of justice. Flexibility culture, on the other hand, tends to nurture ethics of care, which in turn positively impact localization of intellectual capital. The influence of intellectual capital localization on knowledge sharing is also discerned.

The study offers insight into the linkage pattern of knowledge sharing and its antecedents, organisational culture, ethics, and human resources localization, in manufacturing joint venture companies in a Vietnam business context.

This study examines the interactive effects of work values and organisational commitment on localisation.

This study draws on human capital theory, and reports on a survey of 200 expatriate managers working in Qatar.

We find that localisation is negatively associated with work values and positively associated with organisational commitment. Furthermore, work values appear to influence organisational commitment.

Despite a surfeit of literature on localisation of human resources, few studies previously have explored its relationship with work values and organisational commitment. This chapter presents empirical research on the issue from Qatar, a country in a region which remains under-researched in the literature.

This paper seeks to provide an overview of the concept of “localization” of human resources in Qatar. Relative to the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (GCCCs), economic development began late in Qatar due to political and economic factors such as the influx of an immigrant labour force and changes in the education system. Now, with one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and the highest per capita income, Qatar has vigorously embraced rapid economic expansion. However, in a small country awash with natural resources, and with a population engulfed by expatriates, the issue of “localization” is a pressing economic and social issue.

This paper reviews the national human resource situation in this atypical context, and seeks to determine the factors that impact on “localization” in this small, yet important Gulf nation.

There are some common barriers to “localization” throughout the GCCCs. These can be summarized as: an inefficient quota system; a culture that is focused more on prestige than performance; strict cultural practices concerning women in the workforce; education systems that are not market driven; and an inequitable social contract and distribution of oil and natural gas wealth in the GCCCs.

While much attention has been directed to the concept of “localization” in developing countries, “Qatarization” has received no attention in the scholarly literature, despite the resounding political and economic role that Qatar has in the GCCCs.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between localization (Omanization) practices and financial performance in Oman.

Firms listed in the Muscat Securities Market were surveyed. Data were obtained from 73 firms. Financial performance data (average ratio of market value to book value) were obtained from published records.

Results indicated that localization practices were related to financial performance after controlling for size, type of firm, average price earnings ratio of the industry and Omanization levels.

The measure of localization did not specify the level at which Omanization practices are focused on. This is a limitation of this study, and future research must measure localization practices for different levels in the organization.

From a practical perspective, the results of this study suggest that organizations in the Arabian Gulf can enhance their performance by implementing systematic localization human resource management practices. The authors believe that this study makes a significant preliminary contribution to the understanding of localization practices and financial performance in the Arabian Gulf region.

These results are encouraging for managers who argue for integrating locals into the workforce rather than engaging in localization practices for public relations purposes. Sincere localization efforts develop local human capital.

Study was conducted in the Sultanate of Oman, an Arabian Gulf country. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of localization practices and financial performance in the Arabian Gulf. This study therefore contributes to and extends the growing literature on localization practices in the Arabian Gulf in general and Oman in particular.

To analyse the scope of localization strategies and corresponding benefits of these strategies to subsidiaries of international companies in the automobile industry in Thailand.

The authors have adopted the case research method to investigate localization strategies of subsidiaries of seven companies (Toyota, Hino, Honda, Isuzu, DaimlerChrysler, BMW, and Auto Alliance) as well as 14 of their dealers and suppliers in Thailand. The information was gathered by conducting in‐depth multiple interviews with 120 local and expatriate employees at various levels in the organizations; by referring to annual reports, policy documents and internal reports of these companies; and by observation during plant visits.

Contrary to the belief that international companies implement localization strategies to simply match the local market environment, it was found that these companies implement a wide range of localization strategies to achieve multiple benefits. The paper identifies nine areas of localization: localization of strategic decision making; building and exploiting the local knowledge pool; deployment of local human resources; localization of R&D; localization of products; use of local supplier networks; adaptations to manufacturing processes; local deployment of subsidiary profits; and localization of corporate image. These localization strategies are not just based on the principle of “cost‐based localization” but are based on “value‐based localization.” These strategies work in tandem and create value through a system of multiple benefits, such as managements' ability to comprehend and deal with uncertainty in the operating environment; make informed decisions to respond to challenges in developing efficient local assembly and marketing systems; cost reduction; higher degree of commitments by local employees; product customization and acceptance; and greater brand equity and image as a good corporate citizen.

Based on concrete illustrations of seven companies, this study identifies nine distinct areas for planning and implementing localization strategies and their corresponding benefits. The managers of subsidiaries can benefit by focusing their localization efforts in these areas to gain maximum advantage from host country context and then translate these advantages into a competitive international strategy.

CEOs of subsidiaries in emerging markets can learn how to build and harness local advantages for global competitiveness by implementing a wide range of localization strategies.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the drivers that influence subsidiaries of international companies in the automobile industry in Thailand and how automobile companies pursue localization in response to these drivers.

Using case research method, examined seven leading automobile manufacturers – Toyota Motor (Thailand); Hino Motors (Thailand); Honda Automobile (Thailand); Isuzu Motors (Thailand); BMW (Thailand); DaimlerChrysler (Thailand); and Auto Alliance (Thailand) – as well as 14 of their dealers and suppliers in Thailand. In total 120 Thai and expatriate managers were interviewed.

Extending the knowledge body from existing research, this study found that there are four drivers for automobile manufacturers to adopt localization strategies. Those are host country characteristics, industry characteristics, company characteristics, and market characteristics. The results show that automobile manufacturers react to drivers by localization of their decision making, building and exploiting knowledge pool of local suppliers and distributors, increasing numbers of Thais at the management level while decreasing the number of expatriates, increasing R&D activities locally, localizing products, increasing usage of local suppliers, adapting manufacturer processes, reinvesting at subsidiary, and localizing corporate image. However, these vary in degree from company to company. Localization strategies produce benefits that go beyond allowing automobile manufactures to compete within the local situation, also enabling them to overcome challenges and use their successes to transform the parent company and other subsidiaries and eventually contribute to the parent company's globalization strategy.

Managers in subsidiaries may first implement localization strategies to cope with driver factors to mitigate risks and uncertainty. By adopting localization, managers should not focus only on short term benefits to gain local advantages in host countries, but these advantages at the subsidiary should be transmitted to the parent company and other subsidiaries to build a competitive international strategy.

CEOs of subsidiaries in emerging markets can learn what drivers influence localization strategies and how to cope and create local advantages for global competitiveness by implementing wide range of localization strategies.

Since there are increasing international concerns with both the positive and negative impacts of globalization on indigenous and national development, how to manage the realities and practices of globalization and localization in education for maximizing the benefits and minimizing the disadvantages for the development of individuals and their local community inevitably becomes a key issue in educational development particularly in the developing countries. Proposes a typology of multiple theories of fostering local knowledge and human development to address this key concern. These theories have varied emphasis on global dependence and local orientation and therefore they have their own characteristics, strengths, and limitations. The typology can provide a wide spectrum of alternatives for policy‐makers and educators to conceptualize and formulate their strategies and practices in developing local education. Also presents how to facilitate individual learning and organizational learning in fast‐changing local and global environments and how to foster both individual knowledge and institutional knowledge in schools as the major contribution to the growth of local knowledge and local development. It is hoped that the theories and ideas raised in this paper can benefit the ongoing international efforts for globalization and localization in education for the future of our next generations in the new millennium.

This paper aims to explore the key risk factors affecting the Personnel Localization Management of international construction projects under the major public emergencies represented by the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic (hereinafter COVID-19) and how the public emergency affected the Personnel Localization Management from three levels: staff turnover rate, the number of different personnel, the salary and performance of workers. The paper also helps to enhance the construction enterprises' response capacity of major public emergencies and provides a comprehensive framework of optimization strategies for the Personnel Localization Management of international construction projects (hereinafter projects).

The main research method of this paper is the case study, and ten representative international construction projects are selected for case study in China construction enterprises (hereinafter CCE). And this study used the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and comparative analysis to find out all potential risk factors under the COVID-19 and analyze how the epidemic affects the Personnel Localization Management of projects which based on the primary data from 10 projects obtained through in-depth interviews and the secondary data from China First Metallurgical Group and Central South Construction Group's Overseas Enterprise.

The findings show that the outbreak of the major public emergencies not only greatly increased eight risk factors but also directly led to an increase in staff turnover rate. Meanwhile, the numbers of Chinese and local managers and workers are all affected, and an increase in the number and the salary performance of local workers can be reduced, to a certain extent, to the cost-to-output ratio of the projects. The findings would help construction enterprises better cope with Personnel Localization Management and enhance the response capacity of major public emergencies.

This study will broaden researchers' horizons regarding “Personnel Localization Management under major public emergencies” and “risk factors of Personnel Localization Management in an international context.” Furthermore, construction enterprises looking for a better mechanism of Personnel Localization Management can benefit from research findings and lessons learned from the authors' case study during or before an outbreak of major public emergency. Lastly, the framework of optimization strategies for Personnel Localization Management can be used both for research purposes and practice issues in international construction projects.

The findings from the authors' case study offer the direction for international construction enterprises in China and other countries to formulate effective measures, strengthen overseas business and establish a crisis management mechanism for Personnel Localization Management under major public emergencies, and the findings provide emergency plans for projects to improve the public crisis handling capacity and respond to major public emergencies such as the COVID-19.

This study analyzes the impact of the COVID-19 on the Personnel Localization Management of international construction projects from the perspective of personnel. This study provides a theoretical reference for the international construction industry to actively respond to major public emergencies. Besides, the research is conducive to improving the emergency response mechanism in the construction industry, and further promoting the high-quality and globalized development of international construction.

This study provides other researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the risk factors affecting the Personnel Localization Management of projects under the COVID-19 and insight for further research on localization management, risk management, and project management.

Despite the growing economic importance of Africa, the region has received scant attention in the international human resource management literature. The purpose of this paper is to address the gap in examining human resource management (HRM) practices in Western multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) subsidiary operations in Ghana, which is a significant foreign direct investment market in Africa. Focusing on recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, and rewards management viewed through the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) framework, the research emphasizes that effectiveness of the MNEs’ cross-cultural operations has necessitated embracing localization across a range of practices in accordance with the Ghanaian cultural landscape and specificities.

The paper draws on 37 in-depth interviews with managers and employees in eight subsidiaries of British, European and US MNEs in Ghana. Interviews were conducted in 2015 in three locations – the capital city Accra, Tema (in the south) and Tamale (in the north).

The research reinforces earlier literature emphasizing the importance of paternalism and family and to a lesser extent patronage, but presents new findings in highlighting the erstwhile unexplored role of local chiefs in influencing HRM practices in Western MNEs in Ghana. Utilizing the AMO framework, this paper highlights practices within each HR area that influences performance through impact on employee AMO.

The research informs MNE managers about the strategic importance of observing local cultural practices and designing appropriate strategies for ensuring both operational effectiveness and successful cross-cultural collaboration with local managers and employees in Ghana. It is suggested that if managers implement practices that foster and enhance employee AMO, subsidiaries may benefit from employee potential and discretionary judgment.

This paper contributes to a dearth of literature on HRM practices of Western MNEs’ subsidiaries in Africa by examining the extent to which MNEs strategically localize their practices to accommodate specificities of the host country cultural context and operate successfully.

The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze what effects the headquarters’ (HQ) business strategy and corporate culture, the local network embeddedness of the foreign subsidiary, and HQ-subsidiary communication have on the staff localization of foreign subsidiaries. The authors carry out empirical analysis on how localization of foreign subsidiaries ultimately affects the performance of foreign subsidiaries.

This study is an empirical analysis on the determinants of staff localization and the relationship between staff localization and corporate performance. In this study, the five hypotheses were proposed and tested using survey data. The authors randomly selected a total of 800 companies as subjects and conducted a survey. The final 222 survey data including HQs and subsidiaries were used for empirical analysis. The statistical analyses such as reliability test, factor analysis and regression were used.

This study shows that there was a higher level of staff localization by the foreign subsidiary when the investment goal was market-oriented investment, the Korean foreign subsidiary had stronger local network embeddedness and there was better HQ-subsidiary communication. In addition, the relationship between localization and subsidiary performance shows an inverted U-shape. Such results will give various implications to companies.

The research that takes a multilayered consideration on factors of the HQ, subsidiaries, and the HQ-subsidiary relationship is rare. To overcome such limitations, this study carried out a survey in order to find more in-depth decision factors. Specifically, this study analyzed the effects of three large aspects of investment goals and corporate culture from the aspect of the HQ, local network embeddedness from the aspect of foreign subsidiaries, and the level of HQ-subsidiary communication from the aspect of HQ-subsidiary relations, and how they affect staff localization.