HR Challenges and Cross-Cultural Analysis: Crockett & Jones Expansion

This report delves into the HR-related challenges faced by Crockett & Jones, a shoe manufacturer, as it considers expanding its operations into China, Vietnam, and Ethiopia. The report begins with an introduction to human resources and their critical role in organizational success, followed by a cross-cultural comparison of the three potential expansion countries, focusing on employee relations, labor mobility, leadership, management training, and employee professionalism. The analysis then utilizes Hofstede's cultural dimensions, including power distance index, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance, to highlight cultural differences and their implications for HR practices. The report provides recommendations based on these insights, aiming to assist Crockett & Jones in navigating the complexities of international expansion and managing its workforce effectively across diverse cultural contexts. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and their implications for the company's strategic decisions.

HR-related issues

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.............................................................................................................................3
TASK 1......................................................................................................................................3
Cross cultural comparison......................................................................................................3
Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions.............................................................................................6
Conclusion and recommendations:............................................................................................9
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................10
Books and Journals:.............................................................................................................10

Introduction
Human resources basically a set of people who builds the working team in the
organisation (Barcus and Trudeau, 2018). Human resources is the most essential element that
is it the reason of success and failure of business. Every organisation has set of people’s i.e.
human resource which give their efforts to accomplish organisational goals and objectives.
Human resource department is the separate department which deals with all human resources
related activities but it depends on the size of business. Small size of organisation does not
require separate human resource department whereas large size of organisation has separate
human resource department that deals with all HR related activities. To handle HR is not the
easy task for anyone because every employee has different own perspective, behaviour, etc.
So there are many issues occur related to HR in the organisation. In this context, Crockett &
Jones is undertaken for understanding HR related issues and solving their problems. Crockett
and Jones is the company that manufactures shoe in Northampton, England. This report
covers the expansion of their shoe manufacturing into another countries.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
Cross cultural comparison
It is very obvious when the company wants to shift their manufacturing unit into another
country than the face lot of problems. Because to shift the manufacturing unit into unknown
world as not a easy task, it requires a lot of efforts. To shift the partial manufacturing units of
shoe company i.e. Crockett & Jones is very tough because their environment is different that
maybe not adjusted by the company. Shifting of manufacturing units in another country leads
to expansion of their business and make their business globally. So that they increase their
productivity and profitability. There are many factors that affect the organisational culture of
Crockett & Jones that can be internal or external. Crockett & Jones wanted to expand their
business to China, Vietnam or Ethiopia (Broughton, Voss and Rodríguez Contreras, 2020).
These three countries have their own nature and culture that definitely affect the organisation.
Cross culture comparison is compares the sociological, cultural and psychological factors. If
the company e wants to expand their business in three countries then they should compare the

culture show that they get flexible to deal with upcoming situations. Crockett & Jones is the
Northampton business so that's why we can be face many issues which are mentioned in the
following points:
 Employee relations
Employee relation is one of the main important factor that influence the organisation
culture. Employee relations refers to the relation between employees and employers in the
working environment. Because employees are the main source of productivity of
organisation. So when the Crockett & Jones wants to expand their business then they should
know about the importance of employee’s relations and maintained them to deal with
upcoming situations. Crockett & Jones wanted to expand their business in China, Vietnam or
Ethiopia. All three country have different culture that affects the working environment of
business. So firstly it is better to understand the culture of these three countries to deal with
them and to make their culture according to them.
China is one of the developed Nations that lead their organisation in the global market.
China is the manufacturing hub where all organisation wanted to manufacture their products
and services. Because they have lot of people who wanted to work as it is the first position in
terms of population.
Ethiopia is also aims to become Africa's manufacturing hub so that de capture the whole
market and lead to other countries. Ethiopia is the country that focuses on feeding
manufacturing hub so that it will become the leader of manufacturing units in front of global
market. For that create many opportunities to become the leader of manufacturing global
market (EDM7007 and Yusuf, 2019).
Vietnam is the country that is on number one position because of their manufacturing cost
are low, having skilled labour force, economic stability and geo political stability. Vietnam
emerging number 1 from 7 emerging Asian countries in respect of manufacturing units.
It is analysed that China is the developed the nation and having many competitors so that
Crockett and Jones can face a large amount of problems to shift their manufacturing units
partially. Vietnam is better than Ethiopia because it is a number one position in the emerging
Asian countries.
 Mobility of labour

Mobility of labour is very important for the organisation function. It refers to the number
of people that wants to move their jobs from one to another within the same economy.
Because labour inspector means that do to work for achieving organisational goals and
objectives. So it is very necessary for the organisations that they should consider mobility of
labour van that span the business in other countries.
In China the rate of mobility is very high because they have lot of working peoples that
walking to work. Mobility of labour is low in Ethiopia as compared to Vietnam.
 Leadership and management
Leadership and management as one of the important elements of organisation that indulge
their all efforts to make the business manageable with the help of leadership. Leadership is
the act where the leader motivates employees towards organisational goals and objectives so
that they achieve their targets easily e and effectively. It is very important for the organisation
that they have good leaders to manage their business.
Leadership and training as the internal management activity that company makes with
their owner efforts. So it is not depend upon the countries, Crockett and Jones want to do
business and other countries that they should focus on their leadership and management
qualities so that they deal with all external factors which affect the organisational culture
behaviour.
 Management training
It is very necessary to train the people who work a new organisation. Crockett and Jones
is new for all the three countries because expand their business in China, Vietnam or
Ethiopia. That’s why it is so important for the organisation to train the new people for
handling all upcoming situations because the environment is dynamic. With the help of
management training they are being capable to deal or cope up with all unknown situations
that affect the organisation culture and working environment (Sarvaiya, Arrowsmith and
Eweje, 2019). It is very helpful for organisation to achieve their targets and goals with
acceptability of new market.
It is also internal activity that can be manage and in hand of Crockett and Jones that can
be developed nicely with good leadership. Management training creates smoothly functions

running business that leads productivity and profitability for the organisation in the new
market (Kroelinger and et.al., 2019).
 Professional management of employees
Employees should have professional nature so that they cannot create personal barriers to
achieve the organisational objectives and goals. It can only be make and maintain with proper
dealing to internal and external factors. It is very essential for organisation success because
professionalism is leads to productivity that creates more and more profits which helps to
survive in the market.
From the above discussion it is analysed that there are many factors which affect the
organisation when they expand the business through shifting manufacturing units into to
another countries. Because the culture of a country is different from other countries sweet is
very difficult for any organisation to discover their products and services in the new country
(Dean, 2018). It can be better understand with the hofstede's cultural dimensions because it
gives the important points which helps to business understand the nature and culture of
another countries.
Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions
Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions is the set of six dimensions that helps to ascertain basic
differences between cultures of one to another countries. It was founded by great export that
is Geert Hofstede. There are six dimensions to make differences in the culture of one to
another organisation or countries. In the below points, differences between culture of China,
Ethiopia or Vietnam discussed:
 Power distance index
It will focus on the inequality or equality that can be involved in the cultural society.
Power distance index basically chat the power of members distributed equal or unequal in the

organisation. It depends upon the countries nature that they follow which type of relationship
in the organisation. It can be determined by the two rates i.e. high rate or low rate. As shown
in the figure that China sets at 80% that means it is the higher ranking of power distance
index. It basically means that the society accepts inequality in China. So Crockett and Jones
expand their business in China they should focus on power distance index that affect the
organisation purchase positive or negative. Vietnam and Ethiopia as at 70% that means they
both are in same position of power distance index. It is very necessary to make the decision
of choosing one country after the comparison of other dimensions of Hofstede's Cultural
Dimensions. If the company have high power index it makes some inequalities with members
of company whereas if the company has low power index done they get more equal with
numbers. Low power distance index makes the employees happier and satisfied which
directly leads the productivity and profitability of the organisation (Feng, 2020).
 Individualism/collectivism
In this dimension it determine the degree of interdependence of members to other
numbers. That simply means individualism is refers to use more I instead of we. That gives
the negative look because the company who wants to expand their business in other countries
than they should be collected so that deal with all upcoming unknown situations with group
of members. It is very necessary for Crockett and Jones that should go for collectivism. All
three countries score 20 that means they are looking forward to collectivism which is very
good for organisation culture. Because the team always in group which leads to
perfectionism. In this type of culture, Crockett & Jones get the flexible nature of employees
that helps to achieve their goals and objectives easily and accept them new environment.
Individualism it is no that basically refers to increase the rate of collectivism.
 Masculinity/femininity
Masculinity and femininity refers to the perception of country or organisation towards the
working environment for males and females. In most of the country masculinity preface
which means that they thought females are not capable of being doing jobs in a better way.
But this fact is wrong because females are equal capable to males. So it is very necessary
when the company wants to expand their business through the shifting of partial
manufacturing units into another countries than they should know about the factor of
masculinity and femininity. Because the workers who work in the organisation are in both
category that means male or female (Patel, Clevenge and Abdallah, 2018). It is very essential

for Crockett and Jones that they should know the most important dimension of Hofstede's
cultural dimension. All score of feminine means that society prefer males more than females
even when the females are the person who care for others and vice versa.
 Uncertainty avoidance
Uncertainty avoidance refers to the way of dealing by society e of upcoming unknown
activities because the future cannot be seen. It is the rate where which shows that how much
organisation of country accept the unknown happenings from there flexible or rigid nature.
Ethiopia get higher points i.e. 55 that means Ethiopia have less capability as compared to
China and Vietnam to accept the uncertainty. China is entrepreneurial that means Chinese are
entrepreneur real hu who adopt the upcoming situations. It is very important dimension that
to accept the uncertainty or to avoid uncertainty. Because acceptance leads to the business
successful by taking risk and avoidance leads to failure of business because they did not
accept the unknown happenings which can be beneficial or not. Crockett and Jones expand
their business through shifting the manufacturing unit into another country that means they
face a lot of uncertainty which cannot be avoidable. They have to face or deal with them so
the firm can get more focused on upcoming issues. Uncertainty avoidance is not just the
element it is the truth where the company should not avoid uncertainty they have to be
inflexible nature so that they comfortable with ambiguity.
 Long-term orientation
Every company has set of goals and objectives which can be short term or long term.
Short term objectives means that they are not focused on long term orientation which cannot
require much more things to do. But Crockett and Jones are looking forward to expand their
business through shifting their partial manufacturing units into these three countries. So that
they are looking forward to long term orientation. Long term orientation objectives means
that the appointment of employees are workforce is depend upon their term of services that
they give to the organisation. No single workers or employees accept the short term
orientation programme of any company because they are thought that if they want to do job
in somewhere than they should go for long term period. So that's why it is very necessary for
any organisation. Crockett and Jones have hi long term orientation that means they choose
those countries who have same perspective of regarding their organisation (Fernandez,
2019).

 Indulgence
Indulgence basically the meaning of socialization where the person try to control those
impulses and desire. Sweet is very necessary for the organisation that day short no the
indulgence of people who work in their organisation. Low rate or weak control refers to
indulgence whereas higher rate or strong control is called restraint. Ethiopia is score what is
that means they have a strong control as compared to two other Nations that is China and
Vietnam. China score very less i.e. 24 that means it is the restaurant society in which they
have a tendency of pessimism and cynicism.
From the above explanation of half state culture dimension it is analysed that Crockett and
Jones should focus on the dimensions that help to achieve their targets easily and cope up
with new environmental issues related to HR (Deka and et. al., 2018).
Conclusion and recommendations:
It is concluded from the above discussion that HR activities is not easy task for any
organisation especially when the company wants to expand their business in other countries.
Because the countries nature is not same in everywhere. So it is very necessary for
organisation that they should make their nature flexible to achieve the target market and
goals. It can be we done only one the company identified the problems maybe upcoming in
near future through focusing on essential factors such as mobility of labour, dynamic nature
of environment, etc. It can be deal with better understanding of cross culture comparison with
the use of hofstede cultural dimension. It helps to understand the culture by making
differences. It is recommended that when the company wants to expand their business
through partial shifting of manufacturing units into another country than they should focus on
the internal and external factors which affect the organisation. It can be done through proper
application of tools and techniques which helps to measure the cultural dimensions of another
countries. It becomes helpful for success the business in the new environment.

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