Galina NAPREEVA
Belarusian Sate University
Minsk
BELARUS
ABSTRACT:
JVs and mergers with foreign partners, very often as a result of privatization, have become the most – appealing model of companies’ development and growth for the firms in the transition markets and on Belarus, one of the post-soviet states, in particular.
Based on case studies and a vast practical experience the author presumes that the new type of companies create a lot of cultural conflicts and misunderstanding. Hence the integrating HR function in the new cross-cultural environment calls forth the necessity for HR managers to be involved in all steps of the processes. The author aims to analyze the cultural diversity issues in training and development plans and practices in several companies employing international teams.
While being concerned mostly with the financial success and profitability the Belarusian of foreign managers often ignore the human factor which is no less important in the pre – acquisition or founding stage, moreover in the post-acquisition practice and development stage. On the other hand, the analysis of the best examples of the companies with the more progressive HR practices (including cross-cultural diversity training) show that whenever the managers and HR professionals are concerned with the importance of the issues the danger of taking false decisions is reduced, the integration processes are intensified, the corporate culture is reinforced, the employees turnover and withdrawal are diminished.
The results acquired by questionnaires, employees interviews and direct observations suggest that there is no standard approach to cultural diversity issues in practice yet. The organizations differ in the degree to which they are aware of the necessity to do cross-cultural diversity work and introduction the issues into their HR development plans. To illustrate the different state of diversity training in the companies that are engaged in diversity work a three – stage model is suggested.
KEY WORDS: JVs, mergers, Belarus, HR practices, HR professionals, cultural conflicts, diversity.
