Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the rationale for choosing the qualitative approach to research human resources practices, namely, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, rewards management, employee communication and participation, diversity management and work and life balance using deductive and inductive approaches to analyse data. The paper adopts an emic perspective that favours the study of transfer of human resource management practices from the point of view of employees and host country managers in subsidiaries of western multinational enterprises in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Despite the numerous examples of qualitative methods of data generation, little is known particularly to the novice researcher about how to analyse qualitative data. This paper develops a model to explain in a systematic manner how to methodically analyse qualitative data using both deductive and inductive approaches. Findings The deductive and inductive approaches provide a comprehensive approach in analysing qualitative data. The process involves immersing oneself in the data reading and digesting in order to make sense of the whole set of data and to understand what is going on. Originality/value This paper fills a serious gap in qualitative data analysis which is deemed complex and challenging with limited attention in the methodological literature particularly in a developing country context, Ghana.

PurposeThis paper examines Western multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) application of ethnocentrism in human resource management (HRM) practices utilised in their subsidiaries in Ghana. The practices examined include recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management and rewards management.Design/methodologyThe paper draws on interviews with 13 managers and 24 employees as well as documentary analysis in 8 British, European and US MNEs in Ghana.FindingsThe findings indicate that weak institutions in the local context, coupled with the technologically and economically advanced nature of Western countries compared to Ghana, account for ethnocentric HRM practices in MNEs’ Ghanaian subsidiaries.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights that Ghanaian companies might learn from, and adapt, selected Western HRM practices to improve their competitiveness.Originality/valueUtilising institutional theory, the paper extends extant research on ethnocentrism in HRM practices of Western MNE subsidiaries in other developing economies to Ghana; one of the fastest growing African economies.

Purpose This paper aims to examine the influence of academic repatriates’ perceived organizational support, adjustment and external employment opportunity on their intention to leave. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from Sri Lankan academics who returned to their home university after completing their work (teaching/research) abroad. The repatriates who involved in teaching and research for one or more years abroad were included in this survey. Findings Results indicated that repatriates’ both the perceived organizational support had an important role to play in the prediction of repatriation adjustment and intention to leave. In turn, academics who adjusted to their repatriation better were highly likely to stay at their home university. In addition, repatriates’ perceived organizational support decreased their intention to leave through adjustment. In addition, when repatriates had trouble in adjustment and perceived high external employment opportunities, they reported higher intentions to leave the university than those who perceived fewer external employment opportunities. Research limitations/implications This study relied on cross-sectional and self-reported data and was conducted with small number of sample (112). Practical implications For the academic institutions, this study will help to clarify their role in managing repatriation adjustment and develop appropriate organizational systems that can facilitate repatriates to better adjust to their repatriation which, in turn, reduces their intention to leave. This study signifies the role of management in retaining repatriates. Originality/value This study further contributes to the current discussion on repatriation and moves this discussion to academic repatriates. This study, particularly, discusses the issues of retaining repatriates in a Sri Lankan context as a developing country where attracting and retaining academic repatriates are more challenging tasks for universities.

Purpose Despite the crucial role of gaining access for successful research in social and management studies, very little has been written on issues and challenges associated with gaining access particularly in an undeveloped research context such as Ghana. The purpose of this paper is to share the experience with other researchers and practitioners for them to recognise the common challenges associated with gaining access to research sites and the significance of critical reflection and reflexivity on how a researcher’s positionality affects knowledge production. The paper emphasises the need for researchers to appreciate the taken-for-granted interactions that can contribute to critical thinking about identities and reflexivity in research. The paper adds to the paucity of voices particularly overseas students and researchers returning home (to country of origin) from Euro-American institutions to carry out field research. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on the field notes relating to the PhD fieldwork experiences in accessing subsidiaries of western multinational enterprises in Ghana. The author discussed how gatekeepers hindered access to key organisational members and the need to identify helpful networks through snowballing in order to access organisations and participants. Findings Considerable challenges such as denial of access, physical and psychological distress were encountered in the process of accessing organisations which often led to abandoning certain sites for others, even though those originally chosen were potentially rich sources of information. Also, positionality and the manner in which a researcher is perceived by participants certainly influence the knowledge one produces. Sufficient time is needed to negotiate and build relationships of trust with gatekeepers, which often resulted in delays in data collection. In this present study, gatekeepers often denied, limited or delayed access to potential participants and sites despite institutional ethical approval. Practical implications The experiences highlighted in this paper can serve as a toolkit for qualitative researchers interested in conducting research in Ghana with regard to what to expect and how to manoeuvre through in the field. Originality/value The paper contributes to the dearth of the methodology literature on issues relating to challenges to access, positionality, insider/outsider status of the researcher and their influences on knowledge production in an under-researched context, Ghana.

Purpose Despite the growing economic importance of Africa, the region has received scant attention in the international human resource management literature. The purpose of this paper is to address the gap in examining human resource management (HRM) practices in Western multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) subsidiary operations in Ghana, which is a significant foreign direct investment market in Africa. Focusing on recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, and rewards management viewed through the ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) framework, the research emphasizes that effectiveness of the MNEs’ cross-cultural operations has necessitated embracing localization across a range of practices in accordance with the Ghanaian cultural landscape and specificities. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on 37 in-depth interviews with managers and employees in eight subsidiaries of British, European and US MNEs in Ghana. Interviews were conducted in 2015 in three locations – the capital city Accra, Tema (in the south) and Tamale (in the north). Findings The research reinforces earlier literature emphasizing the importance of paternalism and family and to a lesser extent patronage, but presents new findings in highlighting the erstwhile unexplored role of local chiefs in influencing HRM practices in Western MNEs in Ghana. Utilizing the AMO framework, this paper highlights practices within each HR area that influences performance through impact on employee AMO. Practical implications The research informs MNE managers about the strategic importance of observing local cultural practices and designing appropriate strategies for ensuring both operational effectiveness and successful cross-cultural collaboration with local managers and employees in Ghana. It is suggested that if managers implement practices that foster and enhance employee AMO, subsidiaries may benefit from employee potential and discretionary judgment. Originality/value This paper contributes to a dearth of literature on HRM practices of Western MNEs’ subsidiaries in Africa by examining the extent to which MNEs strategically localize their practices to accommodate specificities of the host country cultural context and operate successfully.