Globalization and transformation of human resource management in South Korea

Developments in the area of globalization, labour markets and human resource management (HRM) are topical and have high profiles. Yet they are often underpinned by several older and implicit views. This paper examines five propositions in this respect. We discuss globalization, often taken as driving such developments, and the role of supportive and limiting factors to its influence. We use the case of South Korea, as the main direction of change here is seen as from 'traditional' employment security and seniority-based systems of employee resourcing and rewarding, towards 'newer' flexible and performance-based ones. This seems, on the surface, a case of practice transfer in a somewhat inhospitable climate. We examine and evaluate the restraints, direction and extent of such changes, and arguments that HRM systems are being transformed by such developments. We find that the situation is more constrained and ambiguous.