Contemporary Issues in International HR Management
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Contemporary Issues in International HR Management
This course is part of International Human Resource Management Specialization
Instructor: Sage Instructors
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What you'll learn
Analyze the impact of new technologies on international HRM and work organization.
Evaluate global regulations, employee representation, and multinational practices.
Assess sustainability and strategic HR approaches in contemporary global contexts.
Details to know
June 2026
6 assignments
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There are 6 modules in this course
This course examines emerging challenges and strategies in international HRM, highlighting technology, regulation, and sustainability. Understanding these trends is critical for HR professionals addressing global workforce complexities.
Learners will explore restructuring practices, platform work, international regulation, and employee representation. The course equips participants to analyze and respond effectively to evolving global HR scenarios. It combines contemporary research with real-world case studies and critical discussions, providing both theoretical insight and practical application. Interactive videos, readings, and quizzes reinforce analytical and strategic thinking skills. This course benefits HR professionals, managers, and students aiming to understand advanced international HRM topics. No prior experience is required, making it accessible to learners seeking specialized knowledge. This course is part three of a three-course Specialization designed to provide a comprehensive learning pathway in this subject area. While it delivers standalone value and practical skills, learners seeking a more integrated and in-depth progression may benefit from completing the full Specialization. This Specialization is based on the book International Human Resource Management, by Miguel MartΓnez Lucio and Robert Mackenzie. Copyright Β©2022 by Sage Publications Limited. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies. Published by Sage Publications Limited, London. Used by arrangement with Sage Publications Limited.
This module explores the global drivers and impacts of organizational restructuring, examining how different countries regulate and implement policies to support affected workers. Learners will compare national approaches, analyze the role of key actors, and reflect on the effectiveness of various restructuring regimes.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Overviewβ’1 minute
6 readingsβ’Total 40 minutes
- Introductionβ’6 minutes
- Contextual factors that shape restructuringβ’7 minutes
- Restructuring regimesβ’7 minutes
- UKβ’5 minutes
- Australiaβ’8 minutes
- Critical reflections: comparing national restructuring regimesβ’7 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 16 minutes
- Comparative Approaches to Restructuring and Workforce Policyβ’16 minutes
This module explores how technological advancements have transformed the organization of work, from mechanization and assembly lines to computerization and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Learners will examine the evolving relationship between humans and machines, the influence of management theories, and the global diversity in technology adoption. Case studies and historical perspectives provide insight into the complex factors shaping workplace change.
What's included
1 video8 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Overviewβ’1 minute
8 readingsβ’Total 47 minutes
- Introductionβ’10 minutes
- Technology and the organization of work across timeβ’4 minutes
- Mechanization, division of labour and the assembly lineβ’6 minutes
- Computerization: merging automation, information and communication technologiesβ’6 minutes
- 'Gonna get myself connected': humanβmachine relations and the Fourth Industrial Revolutionβ’5 minutes
- Case study: Warehouse work β too tricky to automate?β’6 minutes
- Insurrections, interruptions, institutionsβ’5 minutes
- Conclusionβ’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 16 minutes
- Technology and the Dynamics of Work Organizationβ’16 minutes
This module explores the rise of digital platform business models, examining their defining features, the nature of platform-based work, and the influence of venture capital on their sustainability. Learners will analyze real-world examples such as Uber to understand the disruptive impact of platforms on traditional industries and consider the challenges and future viability of these organizational forms.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Overviewβ’1 minute
3 readingsβ’Total 32 minutes
- Introductionβ’6 minutes
- What are platforms and platform business models?β’6 minutes
- Characteristics of platform workβ’20 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 16 minutes
- Platform Work and Global Labor Dynamicsβ’16 minutes
This module explores the evolution and complexity of regulating work and employment at the international level. Learners will investigate key actors, frameworks, and the shifting roles of states and supranational bodies in shaping labor standards. The module also addresses contemporary challenges, including ethical considerations and the impact of globalization on regulatory practices.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Overviewβ’1 minute
6 readingsβ’Total 38 minutes
- Introductionβ’6 minutes
- The changing context of regulationβ’6 minutes
- The tapestry of transnational regulationβ’6 minutes
- The EU: soft law with a harder edgeβ’5 minutes
- Cooperation, competition and new agendasβ’10 minutes
- Conclusionβ’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 16 minutes
- Global Labor Regulation and Its Complexitiesβ’16 minutes
This module explores the various models and institutional frameworks for international employee representation, focusing on how workers organize across borders within multinational companies. Learners will examine the regulatory environments that shape labor organizing and transnational agreements, gaining insight into both formal and informal mechanisms of employee representation.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Overviewβ’1 minute
3 readingsβ’Total 39 minutes
- Introductionβ’4 minutes
- Forms of international employee and worker representationβ’31 minutes
- Conclusionβ’4 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 16 minutes
- Global Labor Representation and Challengesβ’16 minutes
This module examines how sustainability principles intersect with International Human Resource Management, focusing on economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Learners will explore the strategic role of HR in promoting sustainable practices within global organizations and critically assess the tensions and synergies among different sustainability goals.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment
1 videoβ’Total 1 minute
- Overviewβ’1 minute
5 readingsβ’Total 36 minutes
- Introductionβ’9 minutes
- HRM and economic sustainabilityβ’4 minutes
- Social sustainabilityβ’7 minutes
- Environmental sustainabilityβ’11 minutes
- Conclusion: reflective discussionβ’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ’Total 16 minutes
- Sustainability and Human Resource Managementβ’16 minutes
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