Global guides for managing people

These two textbooks on human resource management both, for once, include a global perspective - particularly Maryann Albrecht's edited collection on managing diversity in the workplace in an international context. Ashly Pinnington and Tony Edwards do provide a brief discussion on internationalisation but mainly from within our own culture.

Pinnington and Edwards claim that their book offers a comprehensive introduction to key concepts and practices in human resource management. They offer differing models of HRM and its impact on the nature and development of employment law and industrial relations. They then explore strategic elements, policy and practice of HRM, incorporating career development and culture, the management of inflow and outflow of employees, human-resource planning, motivation, financial reward and performance management, learning and development and the management of change.

The text concludes with a section on the role of internationalisation in the way firms manage their employees and in the way that multinational organisations act as bearers of national systems of HRM to the countries in which they operate. It finally offers opinions on the future development of HRM.

Albrecht suggests that her reader will develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that managers and human-resource managers need for success in their international environments. Contributors develop the theme of international HRM, exploring differing cultures around the world and the implications for human resource management. They discuss trends and issues in dealing with employees from those cultures, providing suggested solutions and offering tools needed to implement them.

Both texts offer something for those who wish to explore issues in human resource management from a national and international perspective. The texts meet the authors' objectives and should prove to be a useful addition to students' libraries.

Richard Underwood is senior lecturer, Business School, University of Wolverhampton.