Investigation of contextual factors in shaping HR approaches and determining the success of international joint venture projects: Evidence from the Canadian telecom industry

Performance problems in international joint venture (IJV) operations have been linked to inadequate attention to human resource issues during the formation stage of IJV projects. However, little research has considered how HR approaches are brought to the strategic agenda during the IJV formation stage, and no research has investigated the factors that facilitate or impede the shaping of these HR approaches to improve IJV success. This paper analyzes seven IJV case studies and reveals some contextual factors that facilitate (or impede) the consideration of HR approaches in IJV projects, more specifically at the formation stage. Our results suggest that the shaping of HR approaches in the IJV formation stage is influenced by key individual, organizational, and cultural factors such as composition of the IJV team, firm’s distribution of power and decision-making style, organizational frame of reference, and socio-cultural distance between IJV partners.