HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN CENTRAL-EAST EUROPE: POLICIES AND PRACTICES

In the 21st century, both countries and organizations recognize that in the "global knowledge economy" the most precious resource is human talent. Skilled people can walk out the door and seek a new position in another company or another country. Career changes rather than lifelong jobs seem prevalent. Both national culture and corporate culture influence where and how workers seek employment and fulfillment. While there are convergent tendencies in management, there is also much diversity, from nation to nation and even within a region. We explore recent trends and directions in human resource management in Central - East Europe in a comparative setting, using findings from a recent survey. We also cover briefly the historical and institutional background in the field. Our findings indicate that both external factors (government policies, economic conditions, etc.) and internal variables (organization characteristics, use of consultants, etc.) affect how human resource practices are utilized in the region. While multinational companies attempt to institute Western-style management and labor relations practices, they must also observe government policies and entrenched cultural patterns. Emphasis is generally on retaining and motivating talented employees.