Question 1

Employment law and regulation is one of the most important components of the global context for IHRM.

Accepted Answer

Employment law and regulation significantly impact International Human Resource Management (IHRM) as they dictate how businesses can operate across different countries, influencing hiring practices, workplace conditions, employee rights, and the overall management of human resources on a global scale.

Question 2

The UN plays a relatively insignificant role in establishing employment laws or standards.

Accepted Answer

The UN primarily focuses on international peace, security, and cooperation among nations rather than directly establishing employment laws or standards, which are typically determined by individual countries or other specialized agencies like the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Question 3

The World Bank sets two types of labor standards - conventions and recommendations -
in industrial categories

Accepted Answer

The International Labour Organization (ILO), not the World Bank, sets labor standards through conventions and recommendations in various industrial categories.

Question 4

The OECD has many directorates dealing with many aspects of economic and social development, including a Directorate for Employment, Labour, and Social Affairs.

Accepted Answer

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) indeed has a Directorate for Employment, Labour, and Social Affairs, which focuses on issues related to employment, social policies, and health.

Question 5

The best known (and most fully developed) of the regional trade agreements is the European Union (EU) (with the recent 2020 exit of Great Britain)

Accepted Answer

The European Union (EU) is indeed the best known and most fully developed regional trade agreement, and Great Britain's exit in 2020 (commonly known as Brexit) is a significant recent event in its history.

Question 6

Mercosur/Mercosul is a "common market" agreement signed for the free circulation of goods and services and the adoption of common trade and tariff policies between three North American countries

Accepted Answer

Mercosur/Mercosul is a South American trade bloc, not North American, aimed at promoting free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency among its member countries.

Question 7

Every MNE must consider the application of its parent-country laws to its overseas operations (referred to as the extraterritorial application of national law).

Accepted Answer

Many countries, including the United States, have laws that apply to their citizens and businesses no matter where they operate globally, such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits bribery of foreign officials by U.S. entities.

Question 8

The concept of "employment at will," as practiced in the US (where the employer, with a few exceptions, has the right to terminate an employee at will and the employee has the right to quit at any time for any reason), also exists in most developed countries.

Accepted Answer

Most developed countries have more stringent labor laws compared to the US, requiring just cause for termination and often providing greater protections for employees against dismissal without a valid reason.

Question 9

One of the basic ethical dilemmas for IHR and MNEs involves what management should do when an employment practice that is illegal or viewed as wrong in the home country is legal or acceptable in the host country.

Accepted Answer

This ethical dilemma arises because what is considered ethical or legal in one country may not be viewed the same way in another, challenging international human resources (IHR) and multinational enterprises (MNEs) to navigate these differences while maintaining their ethical standards.

Question 10

A cosmopolitanism approach requires the reconciliation of seemingly opposing differences in ethical choices and requires debate, effort, and compromise.

Accepted Answer

Cosmopolitanism emphasizes the idea that all human beings belong to a single community, based on a shared morality. This approach often involves reconciling different ethical perspectives and cultural practices, which requires open debate, effort, and compromise to find common ground or solutions that respect diverse viewpoints.

Question 11

There are at least three different major legal systems operating in the nations of the world. Overall, law

Accepted Answer

Law shapes government by determining the structure and powers of various government bodies, establishes rules for behavior to maintain order and protect rights, and serves as a mediator between people and organizations by resolving disputes and facilitating agreements.

Question 12

The common law system, the civil code approach, and religious law has their unique methodologies for

Accepted Answer

The common law system, the civil code approach, and religious law each have distinct methods for creating laws, developing the content of laws, and enforcing laws, making all of the options correct.

Question 13

The common law system, adopted in the United States, legislation and statutes tend to be quite general, and interpretation about questions or disagreements is done in court, so that legislation establishes basic principles, with _____________ and __________ determining what people can and cannot do.

Accepted Answer

In the common law system, court decisions and past precedents (precedence) along with established practices help determine the interpretation and application of laws.

Question 14

Understanding the differences between very different legal systems is essential if firms are to know what to expect and how to act about the law, especially in terms of HR practices such as _________ which will vary between countries.

Accepted Answer

Both standards proscribing discrimination for various groups and determining holiday and termination standards are aspects of HR practices that can vary significantly between countries due to differences in legal systems. Understanding these differences is crucial for firms operating internationally.

Question 15

The International Labor Organization's (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work attempts to establish consensus on basic employment rights and includes all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The ILO's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work supports the right to association and promotes collective bargaining, rather than restricting these activities. The other options (B, C, D) are indeed part of the Declaration's core principles.

Question 16

The United Nations Global Compact asks businesses worldwide to embrace 10 principles in the areas of human rights, labor standards, and the environment. The principles that directly involve IHR include

Accepted Answer

Principle A directly involves International Human Rights (IHR) as it calls for businesses to support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights, aligning with the core aim of IHR to protect and promote human rights globally.

Question 17

The Mercosur/Mercosul "common market" agreement was signed by _________.

Accepted Answer

Mercosur, also known as Mercosul, is a South American trade bloc that was originally established by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru are associate members but were not original signatories of the agreement.

Question 18

Which of the following is not an institution within the structure of the EU?

Accepted Answer

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is not an institution within the structure of the European Union (EU). The WTO is an independent international organization that deals with the global rules of trade between nations.

Question 19

_______________ is an emerging interdisciplinary field that aims at influencing foreign government policy and regulatory decisions that affect global trade.

Accepted Answer

Commercial diplomacy is the correct term for the interdisciplinary field focused on influencing foreign government policy and regulatory decisions to favor global trade.

Question 20

IHR policy and decisions result from attempting to deal with a "patchwork" of different legislative powers (national, international, extraterritorial). IHR managers must

Accepted Answer

IHR managers must navigate and comply with a variety of legal frameworks, including national laws of the countries in which they operate, international standards and regulations, and extraterritorial laws of their own country, to ensure legal compliance across different jurisdictions.

Quiz 6: International Employment Law, Labor Standards, and Ethics