Abstract

SENEN GONZALEZ, Cecilia. Recursos humanos y relaciones laborales: patrones convergentes y divergentes en empresas multinacionales. Estud. trab. [online]. 2019, n.57. ISSN 0327-5744.

The aim of this paper is to study strategies adopted by multinational companies from a configurationist perspective, focusing on the relations between structure-subjectivities-actions and prioritizing an approach to two dimensions: human resources and labour relations. Our research encompasses four multinational companies representing different economic sectors: Claro, Ford, Citi and Bimbo. The research was conducted between 2003 and 2015 and the question guiding our study were aimed at finding out: Are there converging and diverging strategic processes? Which factors influence these tendencies? Which aspects of the structures, subjectivities and actions condition the patterns of convergence and divergence? The research methodology used is the case study, involving techniques of quantitative data collection and open interviews with workers, managers and union officials from each multinational as well as state employees from relevant ministries. The findings from our study show convergences and divergences between the four multinational companies we surveyed, which enables us to propose certain clusters. Additionally, the configurationist approach contributes to a critical engagement with the international literature as, empirically, convergence and divergence are not exclusive but rather tensions between structure and subjectivity which can “configure” new arrangements and even restructuring.

Keywords : Labour relations; Multinational companies; Comparative studies; Configurationist approach.

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