• third, the ability of local managers to control access to the labour market and product standardisation distribution channels. expertise and information may effectively stymie directly or indirecuy (strategic driver of resource power): and.
• inally, the host country partner may have extensive IJV experience resulting in the same enhanced decisional power discussed for MNE standardization previously. Further, in dealing with large centralised economies, there exists a significant central pool of experience in UVs that may not be company specific, yielding cross-company experience and expertise far in excess of many MNEs unique developmental histories (strategic driver of experience).
where these differences operate in favour of the Ilocality. the probability of "locar" HRM practices would increase Conversely. differences in favour of the foreign MNE tend to re- inforce standardisation Thus the strategic drivers elaborate die tension between standardisation and localisation of the enterprises on human resource management issues. From the perspective of causality, practices and policy emerge at the level of the JIV as either localised. standardised or hybrid (with both localised and standardised features) as a result of partner and JIV influence and relative decisional authority as determined by the inter- organisational and contextual drivers. With the rise of JIV formation in China. however,there is an unprecedented opportunity to assess these potential differences in the context of markedly different sets of HRM practices and policies, and thereby document the impact of MINE drivers on the development process. The four strategic "drivers" provide a framework to assess the probability of dominance in decisions regarding the HR systems of the JIV. Asxminga continuum of possible HR practice from a model identical to that of the foreign (western) partner to a model identical to that of the Chinese partner at the other (with the possibility of hybrid models in between), the drivers allow us to predict the likely placement of the resulting JIV HR system within this continuum
3. Testing the framework through a comparative case study
From the above framework we can begin to develop a firmer basis and proposition for testing the derivation of HRM practice in the Sino-foreign joint venture. Currently, models and analysis of Sino-foreign HRM practices are derived largely from western academic re- search. This has lead to a Euro-centric emphasis on MNE prerogatives and expertise in the construction of international HR practice. An acknowledgement of power diff considerations be- nd equity ownership would enrich the current emphasis on homogeneous of national and industry contexts.
Using the four drivers outlined above and the idea of "conflicting voices between the partners, the framework allows us to assess the relative likelihood of both disagreement and victory". Both the expertise and consistency drivers would tend to establish a platform for disagreement: if you believe your organization's HRM policies and practices are clearly superior and must be adopted as a consistent suite, it leaves little room for a negotiated resolution or adaptation on either side. If there is a conflict at the level of HR strategy. the latter two drivers (internationalisation experience and resource power) may help us to better understand the outcome of that conflict. Of course, if there are distinct differences