Americanization as a global model for research in Human Resources

Abstract

The American model of management and HRM is the subject of much interest and enthusiasm in many business schools and relevant institutions. The supposed dynamism and change-oriented approach of American HRM is a subject of many textbooks and seminars by gurus and consultants. Yet the reality is that much of this interest misses two fundamental points: the role of local context in mediating such models and transforming them, and the social costs of specific types of American approaches which make ongoing restructuring a fetish. The paper tries to show that we need to be aware of the reality and costs of what some perceive to be the “American way” in HRM.