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 reinforce 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