Mr. Eric Christopher Case

Executive Summary

This paper analyzes the case - spanning the globe, which helps understand the various HR issues faced by Mr. Eric Christopher who is the Associate Director for Global HR Development at Tex-Mark. Tex-Mark is a computer input and output manufacturing firm with its head office in San Antonio. After its establishment in the 1970s, they have over 5 production facilities, 3 research and new product development facilities over the world. Additionally, they have 7 international sales, distribution and customer service centers universally but mainly concentrated in Asia. Below is a brief company and employee history to aid with the case study analysis.

The first step in identifying the various challenges faced by Tex-Mark included listing the various problems, both explicit (short term) and implicit (long term). Some factors like language barriers have maintained a trend in that there have been more than one occasions of it arising. Other factors included cultural insensitivity and internal factors like Training and Development failure.

The second step involved using different methods of analysis like the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats), Human Resource Policies and also a Risk analysis that can affect expatriates on the assignment as well as internally impact the company and its foreign structure alignment. The SWOT helped understand the various aspects of staffing international operations and also understanding the different opportunities Tex-Mark has in relation to its competitors. Risk analysis helps us understand the different personal factors that could affect individual performance.

Lastly, the solution phase gives key clues and solution sets based on my personal recommendation and understanding of the case study. These include increasing spending on R&D to better understand host country culture and different ways for expatriates to adjust to them.

1. Introduction

1.1 Company History

Tex Mark is a computer input and output manufacturer and supplier. It initially started out as an extension from Dell Computers. What has made them a successful firm is their ability to offer lower prices, exceptionally good and competent sales staff and a cost sensitive production. These factors have made Tex-Mark a successful company in the printer and optical scanner industry.

1.2 Employee History

Eric Christopher joined Tex- Mark after working for SouthWest Airlines for four years. He is originally from the Hill Country Village district of San Antonio. He later went on to gain his bachelors degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas with a Major in History and Minor in Spanish.

Eric has much experience with languages, as he is proficient in Spanish, French, Italian, German and a little bit of Cantonese as well. After graduating from Baylor University, he embarked on a Europe and South America trip. This would have definitely helped him understand the culture and ethnics of the countries he had visited.

2. Comprehensive Case Analysis

This in-depth analysis of Tex-Mark helps understand the various internal and external circumstances that affect the human resource function faced by the company. This will give us an insight into how to tackle the current HR dilemma faced by Eric and also address the various miscommunications eg: budgetary concern.

2.1 Problem Identification Stage

Tex-Mark has expanded dramatically since the 1970s. After having opened 4 additional production facilities in Mexico, Scotland, India and China respectively, there arises a strong need for coordination in terms of their human resource aspect for international employees. Tex-Mark is currently facing a string of problems that has been affecting the deployment of expatriates and also in most cases of repatriation. Some of their issues are:

2.1.1 Culture Insensitivity

Fred Banks who is the Plant Engineer for Tex-Mark had been sent to the 3 different production facilities of the company to start off the initiation process. Although Fred had been incredibly successful at setting up the facility in Scotland within eleven months, he was rather unsuccessful at his attempt with the Mexico plant and eventually, the Indian plant as well.

Due to the economic uncertainty in the period, the set up time was exceptionally long. Also, Fred and his team had not been able to successfully adjust to their Mexican counterparts. They had not treated the local and national agencies with respect and that affected the business component of the whole structure. This is an implicit problem has been identified as it occurs in more than one scenario.

2.1.2 Expatriation failure

The Jaipur, India plant needed a sudden change in its lead engineer due to a personal problem of one of the chosen expatriates. This caused Eric to choose Fred on an almost instinctive basis due to his previous experiences and technical abilities. Although Eric had designed a Training and Development pre-departure program, it was designed for the original candidate without taking into consideration the needs and requirements of Fred. As one scenario may not be applicable for all, this may have posed as a problem for Fred.

2.1.3 Training and Development Failure

Tex-Mark had no particular emphasis or compulsions for expatriates to go through the pre-departure activities that included country briefings, reading assignments etc. Fred being one of them was unwilling to adjust to the local engineers and the government of India causing