Sitting in his room at the Hawthorn Arms Hotel in Shannon, Ireland, waiting for a morning flight to London and then on to Marseilles, Alistair Mackay reflects on how uninspiring hotel rooms are. He has just completed a series of meetings with Irish officials in Limerick, concluding with a debriefing session over a Guinness with his Irish colleagues to plan their next move. Negotiations over a potential contract are proceeding well, but there will be labor implications that will require a formal response. Consequently, Alistair had missed the last evening flight out to London. “Another night away from the family. Thank goodness I am not missing our wedding anniversary tomorrow. I must remember to find something really special in the duty-free shop.” 

Six months ago, Alistair was appointed Director of Personnel Development, European Division, for Trianon, an Anglo-French avionics firm. Trianon had begun as a subcontractor for the Concorde and had gradually gained a reputation in the 1970s and 1980s as a high-quality, if sometimes undependable subcontractor for major French and British aerospace defense contractors. Attempts to expand into civilian markets by gaining contracts for the original European Airbus were unsuccessful, though today nearly 30 per cent of Trianon’s sales are through civilian contracts. Now, under new executive management, Trianon is focused on major navigational display contracts for the next generation of Airbus production. Prior to joining Trianon, Alistair had worked in the legal department of a Scottish bank. European Union (EU) employment requirements had become his speciality and provided a springboard into his current position.

His cellphone rings and he receives an unexpected call from his colleague Henri Genadry, General Director of Joint Ventures, Mergers and Acquisitions, Display Division. Henri informs him that the expected outright purchase of a scanner cathode ray tube production facility in Vecses, outside of Budapest, Hungary is not going ahead. Instead, the decision has been made at corporate headquarters in Marseilles for a ten-year joint venture with a Hungarian government-backed firm. 

Questions:

1. Consider the three candidates in Exhibit A. If forced to make a decision tomorrow, which candidate should Alistair choose for the job? What major factors should determine his choice? 

2. We are told nothing of the process that Trianon uses to recruit candidates for this level of final selection. Given what you know about the firm from the case, outline a general recruitment and selection process for Trianon. Describe how your proposed process fits with ‘best’ selection practices as well as the strategic needs of this company.

3. Should HR staff be involved in strategic decisions relating to international business operations, such as finalizing a joint venture agreement?