I.

Introduction
This paper will take a look into human resource management practices such as CSR, career
development and health and security management in Japan, Australia, Russia and Cameroon. A
comparative study of the similarities and differences of these practices in each countries will be
conducted with Nestle as the company example. The paper will also analyze the factors that affect these
practices and make recommendations to better conduct and improve on these practices in the respective
countries.

II. Comparative study of HRM practices in four countries

In terms of Corporate Social responsibility (CSR), many if not most Japanese organizations focus
on ecology, human rights and women's advancement. These companies do their best to enforce their CSR
within the companys employees and business operations first before working on other outside
benefactors. Apart from this, companies also make it their CSR to help and contribute during the times
local areas in Japan are hit or affected by natural calamities such as earthquakes and the like. The CSR of
most Australian companies is dedicated to addressing human rights issues, most especially regarding the
protection of the native and indigenous people of Australia. They try to put importance on equality of all
peoples, emphasising the law on native title that says native people have the same social, cultural and
property rights regardless of their background. On the other hand, in Russia and Cameroon CSR there is
no strict laws governing CSR and is mainly carried out by large companies only. Rather than focusing on
social or environmental issues like other countries, CSR practiced by businesses in Russia mainly focuses
on work and health safety and employee development while in Cameroon there is an emphasis on
contributing to health, education, and poverty reduction. Despite this, both countries are making efforts to
incorporate and practice proper CSR and is constantly developing in both these countries.
Although health and safety regulations vary from each country, there are some common
requirements that all businesses in each country must uphold such as providing safe work premises,
compensation and health insurance for employees. What sets Japan apart is their focus on mental health
management as the country is known for the high suicide rate due to overwork and stress. Employers are
now required to conduct stress check ups with their workers to create a better job environment and
prevent the occurrence of mental illnesses like depression.
Australian companies try to improve career development by increasing employee commitment by
providing an online resources program, measuring each employee's progress and engaging employees.
They also provide a merit-based system, rewarding and promoting employees depending on the quality of
work they do. Unlike Australia, Japan is known for their long term or life employment and their career
development, including pay and promotion is usually based on seniority. This creates a positive effect on
job security as employees are more willing to stay within an organization and these companies are willing
to provide the employees with continuous, long term employment. Although this has been the norm in
Japan there are also companies that are adapting the merit based path as well. Russia is similar to Japan
and employs a more seniority based pay and promotion system in the organizations with the belief that
with age and loyalty always equals more experience and qualifications for promotions. Although both
countries are taking steps to evolve into a more merit based pay and promotion style. Cameroon on the
other hand, experiences increased discrimination and unemployment leading to job insecurity and
negatively impacting career development.

III. Company examples of HRM practices in different countries

Nestle mostly has uniform practices regarding career development and health and security
management but adapts its CSR with the values upheld in each country. Nestle Japan has made various
contributions to address different issues in the country. During the Great East Japan Earthquake and
Tsunami (Tohoku), Nestle Japan made it their CSR to provide aid to these victims by offering food and
water donations to those that were affected as well as taking care of their employees who were struck by
the disaster as well. Nestle also adopts a wastewater treatment and recycling activities within their
operations in their Shimada Factory. They also make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint through
eco-friendly transportation and power-saving efforts in all their offices in Japan. In Nestle Australia they
have made efforts to teach nutrition and health education to the young women in aboriginal areas.In
Nestle Russia, given that they are a major company they have taken steps into incorporating CSR in their
russian branch. They try to reduce water consumption in their factories and help local farmers by
outsourcing some plantation jobs to them. Nestle employs a similar CSR in their Cameroon branch by
focusing on water and helping out those in rural areas and teaching nutrition as well to people in these
areas.
Career development in Nestle is the same across the world. Employees are evaluated by the
quality, quantity, cost and time of their performance and are rewarded based on the quality of their
performance. In Nestle Japan they try to improve career development of their employees that have small
children, most especially mothers with the corporate nursey they have in their offices. This allows their
employees to balance their work and home life better giving mothers and fathers the opportunity to stay
long with the company.
Nestle also provides health and compensation in all countries benefits to their employees, with
no discrimination, which helps them retain and attract their employees. In Japan they have a special
Mental Health Self Care Training for their employees to educate them on properly maintaining and
managing their mental wellbeing.

IV. Analysis
Japans culture greatly affects the direction of HR practices. Career development in Japan is
mainly applicable to men given that childcare in Japan is assumed to be a big responsibility mostly put
into the hands of mothers. Although this is changing in the recent times it is still a big problem and has
created an inefficiency in career development for women. Given that the japanese are competitive by
nature, this is also reflected in the way they conduct their CSR using their environmental efforts as an
advantage over their competitors and conducting CSR practices that can benefit the company rather than
other non profit organizations and foundations. Policies made by the government has also positively
affected their health and security management in Japan with laws created and enforced that specifically
address the mental health of the employees in Japan.
Many factors can have an impact on the Australian HRM. Indeed, first concerning the regulations
as seen above concerning various treaties such as International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
International Labour Organization all affect the efficiency of health and security management and impacts
the way they carry out their CSR. There is an important migratory phenomenon, which has an impact on
the human resources strategy of a company because it is necessary to know whether these workers are
present for the short or long term. They are also generally not very loyal to their companies, they are
constantly looking for new challenges so that it is difficult for Australian companies to develop an
enticing career development strategy related to human resources in the long term.
In Russia and Cameroon, government policies greatly affect a companys operations. Because of
the little to no laws governing CSR, many companies are not motivated to participate in social and
environmental CSR practices. Only large companies like the likes of Nestle who is found all over the
world take it upon themselves to incorporate proper CSR practices.
In Cameroon, because of the general outside perceptions of Africa being an unfavorable labor
market environment, has negatively impacted job security and opportunities for employees of smaller
companies.

V. Recommendations
Although there are efforts in Japan to promote gender equality and womens advancement within
japanese organizations, more emphasis needs to be placed in these areas as many corporations are still
dominated by men. Businesses must also try to include more flexible HR practices and stray away from
seniority based promotion and adopt a more merit based approach to ensure the most competent and
deserving employee takes the position. Although their life-time or long term employment practice can
increase job security it may also hinder organizations from accepting positive changes and improvements
and should consider adopting a more flexible selective lifetime employment, retaining those that can
produce the best quality and are real assets to the company.
 In Australia, the job satisfaction and high turnover rates must be addressed. It is important to
propose an interesting and attractive career plan and motivate employees with bonuses and participative
management style.
In Russia, smaller companies must enforce and practice better CSR to be at par with international
and large companies. They must also continue their progress in utilizing a merit based style of promotion
and career development.
In Cameroon, generally there needs to be a more structured HRM practice as some personnel
administration does some duties of the HR in smaller firms. They must also take efforts to attract and
maintain their employees and reduce the gap between the needs and the human resources, empowering
their workforce. And similarly to Russian and Japan, they need to adapt a more merit and performance
based approach in their promotions and actively guide in career development.

VI. Conclusion
The paper was able to uncover that countries may have similar rules and practices regarding
health and security management, but they differ with their approach to career development and CSR.
These differences are caused by their variation in culture and values as well as enforcement of political
rules and regulations. Although it can be seen through the example that larger, multinational companies
have a more uniform human resource management but are still able to adapt themselves to the culture and
values of each country. Each country is not perfect and have their own points of improvement and
problems to address and it is important that they observe and learn from one another to better human
resource management as a whole worldwide.

VII. Sources

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