How Global HR Norms Are Really Made — And Why That Matters for Global Mobility

Episode Description 
In this episode, Ben discusses a research paper by Tony Edwards and his co-authors that examines how global HR norms are created and negotiated inside multinational companies. Rather than treating global practices as simple headquarters-driven rollouts, the episode explores norm-making as a dynamic, contested process — and explains why this perspective is highly relevant for Global Mobility.

What This Episode Covers 
• why global HR and Global Mobility norms are constructed rather than imposed

• how negotiation and contestation shape global practices

• the role of individuals in translating and legitimizing global norms

• why policy alone rarely explains success or failure in Global Mobility

• what this means for designing and governing Global Mobility frameworks

Three Key Takeaways 
• global norms emerge through interaction, not implementation

• resistance and negotiation are part of effective global norm-making

• Global Mobility professionals play an active role in shaping global practices

Referenced Article 
Edwards, T., Almond, P., Murray, G., & Tregaskis, O. (2021). International human resource management in multinational companies: Global norm making within strategic action fields. Human Resource Management Journal, 32(3), 683–697. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12422

Host 
Hosted by Benjamin Bader, Professor of International HRM and co-founder of MasteringGM®.

Subscribe 
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