Creating social capital in MNCs: the international human resource management challenge

摘要

Social capital has assumed a critical role in the successful implementation of global strategy for multinational companies (MNCs). The article focuses on the ways in which the international human resource management (IHRM.) system and those responsible for it influence the creation and utilisation of social capital in MNCs. It examines the challenges posed to IHRM by the wide diversity of definitions and manifestations of social capital found in the multiple cultural contexts of the global business environment and provides a framework on how to approach the cultural influences on the definitions and behavioural expressions of social capital. It also critically assesses the recommendations that have been made regarding developing social capital in MNCs, the competencies most critical to the ability to develop social capital in multiple cultural settings, and provides a set of recommendations for future research in this area.