MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES 

Resits

(This essay comprises 100% of the total course marks).

How can the HRM department prepare and support an expatriate worker for an overseas

work assignment in Qatar?

Write an essay-style assignment outlining how HRM processes such as the management of

expatriates, training, reward and performance management, can be used to support the

(fictional) case of a female manager from a US-based corporation who has been given an

international expatriate assignment to work in Qatar. Your assignment should consider both

the support that can be given to her prior to the start of her expatriate assignment, as well

as during the expatriate assignment. Details of the female manager, the (fictional) company

she works for, and her family situation, as described below.

Melissa Lamont (aged 40), is a senior female manager who works for a large multinational

news media corporation based in the USA. She has been given a three-year international

assignment to work in the corporation’s Middle-Eastern office, which is based in Doha. While

in Doha, Melissa will be the deputy manager of the business and economics team,

responsible for reporting on business and economic issues in the whole Middle Eastern

region. The (male) manager of the team is a Qatari national with 20 years experience

working for the company, 10 of which were in the USA, and 10 in Qatar. There are 50

journalists in the business and economics team that are based in Doha. About 70% of the

journalists in the team are male, the average age of people in the team is 32 years. The team

is made up of a range of nationalities, with 10% being Qatari, 40% being from other Middle

Eastern countries, and 50% being journalists from Europe, and the USA. The business

language spoken within the company is English.

Melissa has worked for the US-based news media organization for 10 years, based in New

York. She has US nationality, and has never worked overseas before. Melissa is married, and

her husband (aged 38) works as a freelance journalist. He, along with their two children, will

move to Doha for the term of her assignment. Melissa’s husband is able to continue his work

as a freelance journalist while based in Doha. Melissa’s children are a girl (aged 8) and a boy

(aged 6), both of whom will attend school in Doha. None of the family have any serious

medical issues, and are healthy. English is the only language Melissa speaks.

(if you make any assumptions about Melissa, her family, or company, that are NOT detailed

in the case, state them in your assignment)

In discussing how HRM processes can support Melissa, make links to relevant HRM

literature, concepts, and examples. In doing so, when you refer to any HRM processes, or

concepts, define and explain them.

This is a 2,500 word assignment (plus/minus 10%).

Your assignment should have a brief introduction and conclusion. There is no need for an

executive summary, or a table of contents, but the use of section headings is encouraged.

You should also include a full Harvard-style reference list, giving details of all the sources

that you have used.

Submission Deadline:

This needs to be uploaded to MyAberdeen by: 18 September 2022 by 9am (DOHA TIME)

Criteria for Assessment: Your essay will be marked against the elements outlined in the

table below and the associated criteria. It should be noted that additional emphasis will be

placed on the ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Argument’ criteria in determining your overall grade:

Element Criteria

Knowledge Knowledge of academic literature, concepts, and examples on the topics

of international HRM, management of expatriate workers, other relevant

HRM concepts on reward, training, and recruitment

Structure/Presentation Essay format required.

Structure contributes to clarity in answering the question.

Logical presentation of concepts.

Clarity of writing

Argument Identification and discussion of key issues and topics

Conclusions summarise arguments.

Sources Reading, understanding and practical application of academic textbooks

and articles and other relevant sources.

Harvard style of citation required as per Business School guidelines.

What are you being asked to do?

• You should offer a framework or definitions of expatriate management

• Refer specifically to the impact of HR interventions such as selection, reward,

learning and development, performance management.

• You should discuss the advantages and merits of expatriate management

• You should note the impact of national culture for managing expatriates

• You should construct an argument based upon your critical analysis of the issues

involved and to support your recommended strategies

• You should note the Qatarisation strategy and its impact for expatriate management

• Your argument should be supported by citation. You must give credit to the works of

others that you use. Any work that you cite, must appears in your bibliography. Any

works that are NOT cited should not appear in the bibliography.