Apple Company Staffing - Case Study Example

Apple Company Staffing Name: Institution: Date Executive Summary The report offers an evaluation of the Apple Company staffing challenges in China. In the wake of its proposed expansion in China, the organisation has faced hurdles in acquiring the required workforce for the market. As such, this report presented a critical evaluation f the staffing issue and consequently presents viable recommendations for the Company. On one hand, the report analysis evaluated the core consideration factors that Apple Company should consider including the market culture, corporate culture, and employee skills needed. Moreover, the report establishes that Apple has three alternatives to staff its operations including expatriation, domestic workforce, and use of the USA trained Chinese workforce. Finally, the report recommends that the Company should use a hybrid of all the listed approaches in its staffing process. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 1.0 Introduction 4 2.0 Issues for Consideration 4 2.1 Cultural Integration 4 2.2 Corporate Culture 5 2.3 Employee Growth and Development 6 3.0 Staffing Strategies Available for Apple Company 6 3.1 Recruiting the Domestic Chinese Workforce 7 3.2 Expatriating USA company employees 7 3.3 Using USA trained Chinese Employees 8 4.0 Recommendations for Staffing 9 4.1 Expatriating Executive Management Employees 9 4.2 USA Trained Middle Workforce 10 4.3 Low-Level Domestic Chinese Workforce Staffing 10 5.0 Conclusion 11 References 12 1.0 Introduction This report offers a critical analysis on the Apple Company proposed expansion in the Chinese market. In this context, the Apple Company is facing numerous staffing challenges in its expansion strategy and is unable to acquire the required workforce. This is an issue of international human resource management (IHRM). This report offers a critical focus of the scenario with the aim of providing strategic staffing recommendations. The report offers an evaluation of key issues to consider in selecting the right staffing approach and the available staffing approaches and the most viable ones for the Apple Company. 2.0 Issues for Consideration In the development of a staffing strategy and an approach in IHRM, organisations should consider a number of strategic issues in the market. This report section explores the key issues that the Apple Company should consider prior to developing its staffing strategy for the proposed Chinese market expansion. 2.1 Cultural Integration The first key element for evaluation when developing a staffing strategy in IHRM is the concept of cultural integration. In this case, cultural integration is described as the process and extent to which the expected new workforce would fit into the existing market conditions, especially with the society values. In the evaluation of market integration, the Hofstede cultural dimensions theory comes into play. Under the theory, different nations and societies have differing market cultures. In particular, the cultural aspects that are likely to impact on an organisational workforce include the power distance, employee individualism and collectiveness aspects respectively. In recruiting new employees, an organisation should ensure that the employee traits fit into the market and society characteristics. As Brewster and Mayrhofer (2012, 65) noted, the development of an organisational workforce that fits into the existing market conditions allows for increased operational efficiency. In this case, the analysis established that an integrated workforce with the society allowed for increased understanding between the employees and the customers, reducing the risks and potential for conflicts in the market. In the case of the Apple Company, an evaluation should be developed on the manner in which the Chinese market culture varies from the USA market previously served. In this case, the key aspects of the culture are the element of collectiveness where the society is more focused to collaborations and partnership in the market, rather than on individualism. Consequently, the Apple Company should consider a staffing process and approach that will enable it to recruit and acquire employees who fit into the Chinese culture o collectiveness to increase the probability for customer satisfaction and loyalty in the long run period. 2.2 Corporate Culture The second consideration factor in employee staffing and recruitment is the element of an organisational corporate culture. Alvesson (2013, 86) described an organisational corporate culture as the belief and manner in which an organisation operates. The existing organisational culture impacts on the nature of services offered to the customers. In this context, the development and retention of a sustainable corporate culture, organisations are able to develop a brand image, which forms a part of their brand equity and competitiveness in the long run period. One of the fundamental advantages of retaining a corporate culture is the standardisation of services to the customers. In this case, the Apple Company has developed brand equity and the market reputation for an innovation culture and a high focus and service delivery quality to the customers. This has been its main driving force for its current market success in China and the USA. In order to expand its competitiveness in the Chinese market, there is need to ensure the retention of these values. Thus, this analysis notes that the Apple Company should consider rolling out and applying a staffing and recruitment approach that will enable it to retain its existing market reputation and image in the Chinese market. 2.3 Employee Growth and Development A third consideration factor in developing an employee staffing and recruitment strategy is the nature and skills for the desired employees. In this case, different organisations have different skills and talents needs. As Catano (2009, 279) argued, different recruitment and staffing strategies attract a different set of employee skills and expertise in the global market. Therefore, prior to developing and using a specific employee staffing strategy, one should consider the required set of skills in the market. In the case of the Apple Company, the need is to expand into the major areas in the Chinese market. As such, some of the basic skills of the employees required is the ability to converse effectively using the local Chinese dialects. Moreover, it requires employees with high customer service skills to expand and increase its market effectiveness in the Chinese market. 3.0 Staffing Strategies Available for Apple Company In the process of staffing for its employees, Apple has diverse alternatives. This section evaluates the alternative staffing strategies available for the Apple Company. In the analysis, this report notes that there are three main staffing strategies that the Apple Company can apply. 3.1 Recruiting the Domestic Chinese Workforce The first alternative for the Chinese proposed expansion is the use of the domestic Chinese workforce. In this case, the Chinese market has developed and expanded its workforce in the global market. In this context, World Bank (2009, 110) noted that literacy levels have increased exponentially in the Chinese market. This has had the overall impact of increasing the existing labour market quality and skills base. Consequently, as a result of these developments, the market has increased its labour force quality and international organisations are increasingly sourcing from the market. The adoption of the domestic market staffing approach will yield a number of benefits to the Apple Company. First, the overall cost of employment and rewards will be reduced in the Chinese market, allowing for reduced operational costs for the venture. Secondly, the Chinese workforce is well conversant and ingrained in the existing domestic culture, especially in the local dialect language use. This implies that the use of the local domestic workforce will reduce the potential for workforce and market culture conflicts in the market. However, the gained benefits are not without potential challenges. The key challenge will be the lack of an engrained innovation culture in the market. In this context, the already existing innovation and high-quality customer service for the Apple Company will be lost. In this case, recruiting a new Chinese workforce that is not aware of the company’s existing culture will reduce their ability to apply the strategy in the market. Hence, this will reduce the company’s ability to attain a competitiveness edge through its corporate culture application. 3.2 Expatriating USA company employees The second staffing strategy for the Apple Company is the use of an expatriate workforce from the USA to China. The use of this staffing approach will enable the Company to gain a number of strategic advantages. First, the organisation will increase its use of the existing organisational corporate culture as a source of sustainable competitiveness edge. The expatriate employees have been ingrained in the organisational culture in the market. Thus, by expatriating them to the Chinese market will ensure that the organisation will extend its market competitiveness’. This will create long-term market sustainability. However, the use of this staffing approach will create challenges for the company in China (Liu, Zhang and Zhang 2010, 41). One of the key challenges is the lack of employee understanding of the domestic culture. In this regard, the USA expatriates lack an understanding of the domestic languages, which will make it imperatively hard to communicate and related with the key customers and other market partners. Consequently, this will reduce the intended growth and market success respectively. Further, there is the risk of increased employee management costs. First, the expatriates will have to be compensated with a higher reward system for their devotion and contribution towards the companies endeavours. The consequent separation of families and their social circles would require such organisations to reward and compensate the employees. This could serve as a tool for increasing the overall employment costs in the market, a virtual that could reduce the company’s desired profitability in the long run period. 3.3 Using USA trained Chinese Employees The third staffing strategic approach for the Apple Company is the use of USA trained Chinese workforce. In this case, the organisation under this system should single out employees who have been trained in the USA but currently reside in China. The use of this workforce will ensure the acquisition of a workforce that understands the domestic market. This includes the society culture and the use of the required language respectively. The acquisition of such a workforce that understands the Chinese market will propel the Apple Company to effectively integrate its workforce with the existing market base. Moreover, the USA educated workforce understands the USA culture. As such, it is imperatively easier to train them and integrate them into the already existing workforce. This will ensure the coordination of the Chinese and the USA workforce and the opportunity for a business opportunity respectively. However, the key challenge is that training the on the Apple Company requires both time and resources. As such, the organisation will need to spend additional resources on training and equipping the workforce with the required resources. 4.0 Recommendations for Staffing Based on a critical analysis of the existing alternative Apple Company staffing approaches, this report argues that the use of a combined and supportive staffing strategy is the best alternative for use. 4.1 Expatriating Executive Management Employees The first stage of the staffing process roll out should be the expatriation of the executive management employees. In this case, the choice for the executive management employee expatriation is based on the fundamental need to retain the Apple Company corporate culture. In this case, the expatriates will extend the culture to their new locations in China. Moreover, the expatriation of the executive management's only will reduce the expatriation costs in the market. This will ensure that the Apple Company HR management costs will be sustainable in the long run period. However, in the roll out of this staffing strategy, it should be clear that the approach is not a long-term strategy but a medium staffing strategy. The expatriates will be trained and coached on the Chinese market culture needs and practices. However, they will, in turn, be expected to train and coach the domestic workforce, focusing on impacting the organisational culture poor to their repatriation back to the USA. 4.2 USA Trained Middle Workforce The second stage in the proposed hybrid staffing strategy is the staffing of the USA educated Chinese workforce for the middle level management. On one hand, the employees have an understanding of the USA culture. Thu, this will ease the process of developing relations with the expatriated executive management, with minimal conflict and misunderstandings as would be the case with a domestic Chinese workforce. The expatriates will be expected to relate directly with this middle-level management workforce in coaching and mentoring on the key corporate values and culture. As such, the middle-level managers’ performances will be evaluated against their ability to learn and understand the Apple Company corporate culture. Moreover, the USA educated Chinese workforce will be expected to serve as a conduit between the management and the market. In this case, they understand the market culture and language, making it easy for them to interact and study the market. 4.3 Low-Level Domestic Chinese Workforce Staffing The final recommendation for the Apple Company staffing is the staffing of its low-level employment with the Chinese domestic workforce. This recommendation is based on a number of factors. First, it is a low-cost employment opportunity for the company, reducing its employee management costs. Moreover, the fact that they understand the domestic market culture propels the organisational market success. 5.0 Conclusion In summary, the report offers a critical analysis f the staffing challenges that the Apple Company faces. As such, it enumerates the key issues for consideration including required skills, corporate culture, and domestic culture respectively. Moreover, it identifies that there are three alternative staffing Approaches for the Chinese market. Finally, the report recommends on a combined application of the staffing strategies in the market. References Alvesson, Mats. 2013. Understanding organizational culture. Los Angeles: Sage.  Brewster, Chris, and Wolfgang Mayrhofer. 2012. Handbook of research on comparative human resource management. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.  Catano, Victor M. 2009. Recruitment and selection in Canada. Toronto: Nelson Education. Liu, Gordon G., Shufang Zhang, and Zongyi Zhang. 2010. Investing in human capital for economic development in China. Singapore: World Scientific.  World Bank. 2009. Reshaping economic geography. Washington, D.C.: World Bank. Read More