HRM 8010 Module 2 Written Assignment: Hiring and Paying Across Three Countries Example

One Job Architecture, Three Pay Markets: Hiring and Compensation at Kestrel Biologics

Student Name

Doctor of Business Administration, Thomas Edison State University

HRM-8010: Seminar in Global Human Resource Management

Mentor Name

Month Day, Year

One Job Architecture, Three Pay Markets: Hiring and Compensation at Kestrel Biologics

Introduction

Module 1 found that Kestrel needs about 140 additional bioprocess technicians and 30 quality specialists over three years across three countries. This assignment turns to how they will be hired and paid. The challenge is to keep standards consistent, since a technician in Cork must meet the same good manufacturing practice requirements as one in New Brunswick, while recognizing that labor markets, laws and expectations differ. Farndale et al. (2010) describe the corporate HR function's role in global talent management as setting standards and building networks while leaving local hiring decisions to each country.

Hiring Strategies by Country

The selection core is common: a structured interview and a practical assessment of aseptic technique, because the job's critical tasks are the same everywhere. Channels differ because talent is found in different places. In Singapore, government-supported traineeship programs are the most reliable source of new technicians, while in Cork the large number of nearby plants makes rehiring former employees and referrals unusually productive.

Armstrong and Mitchell (2019) stress hiring for the right person in the organizational context, not only for technical skill. For Kestrel, fit means comfort with strict procedures and documentation, since deviations in a biologics plant can ruin a batch worth millions of dollars. Structured questions about following procedures under time pressure assess this more reliably than unstructured impressions.

A Global Job Architecture With Local Pay

Kestrel should define its jobs once, globally: the same job families, levels and competency expectations at every site. This allows employees to move between sites, makes career paths visible and supports internal equity within each site. Pay ranges, however, should be set locally from market data in each country, because wages, taxes, benefits and costs of living differ widely. A technician in Singapore and one in New Jersey hold the same job level but are paid according to their own markets.

Statutory and customary benefits also differ. Irish employees expect pension contributions and a generous leave entitlement; Singapore's Central Provident Fund requires employer contributions; American employees value health insurance above most other benefits. The total rewards package should therefore be built locally around a common philosophy: pay at the 60th percentile of each local market for critical roles, so Kestrel can attract experienced staff without leading every market.

Incentives and National Culture

Incentive design should consider culture without stereotyping. Gerhart and Fang (2005) reviewed the evidence on national culture and HRM and found that differences between countries explain less of the variation in individual values than often assumed, and that organizational practices and individual differences matter a great deal. For Kestrel, this argues for a common incentive structure, a team bonus tied to batch success and safety at each site, adjusted locally only where law or strong market custom requires it. Individual bonuses for technicians are avoided everywhere, because they could encourage shortcuts in a process where quality depends on following procedures exactly.

Retention Where Rivals Recruit

In Cork, where nearby plants recruit Kestrel's trained technicians, the company will add a retention bonus paid after two and three years of service, and a technician career ladder with three levels tied to certification. These address the most expensive problem identified in Module 1: losing technicians soon after Kestrel has trained them.

Conclusion

Kestrel can hire and pay consistently across three countries by keeping the job framework, selection core and incentive philosophy global while setting channels, pay ranges and benefits locally. This design supports both quality and mobility and responds to the specific labor market pressure at each site.

References

Armstrong, S., & Mitchell, B. (2019). The essential HR handbook: A quick and handy resource for any manager or HR professional. Career Press.

Farndale, E., Scullion, H., & Sparrow, P. (2010). The role of the corporate HR function in global talent management. Journal of World Business, 45(2), 161-168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2009.09.012

Gerhart, B., & Fang, M. (2005). National culture and human resource management: Assumptions and evidence. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16(6), 971-986. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190500120772