Houston International HR Roundtable, LLC » Global Diversity

“Gung Ho” HR Departments at Foreign-Owned Companies in the US!

Larry Scott — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:53:22 +0000

Many of you have seen the Ron Howard film “Gung Ho.” While the film is a comedy, cultural differences and management style can create real challenges for human resource departments. Throughout the film, there are numerous examples of how Japanese culture contrasts with US culture. How do the cultural values of individualism and collectivism affect the role of HR? Employee motivation and incentives often vary by culture. How does a foreign company adapt to US cultural differences? What is HR’s role in bridging these gaps? Learn the answers to these questions and more at our November educational program.

Houston is a world-class international city. According to the Greater Houston Partnership, Houston is home to almost 800 foreign-owned firms. Business costs in Houston are also significantly lower than many other major cities around the world.

Presenter:

Athan Katsilometes is currently a Regional Human Resources Director with CEMEX – a multinational corporation that focuses on production, marketing, distribution, and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates, and other construction materials. CEMEX has operations in North America, Europe, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and Asia. Mr. Katsilometes has 15 years of experience in HR and Management Consulting and has worked internationally for companies such as McKinsey and Company and Nucor Steel.

Mr. Katsilometes holds a Bachelor degree in Spanish and Business Administration from the University of Idaho and a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, California. In addition, he is also certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) through the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). Mr. Katsilometes has lived and worked throughout the United States, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico and Colombia and speaks English and Spanish fluently.

Don’t miss this important and timely presentation!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Happy Holidays from Houston International HR Roundtable!

Larry Scott — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 19:15:15 +0000

Call for Presentations!

Larry Scott — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:27:23 +0000

You are invited to submit a response to this Call for Presentations to be considered as a speaker for the monthly educational sessions of the Houston International HR Roundtable. Proposals will be reviewed by the Roundtable’s Selection Committee and will become property of the Roundtable. For vendors/service providers, we have a preference for you to include an international HR practitioner as part of the presentation. Presentations must be eligible for HRCI recertification credit. Although all topics relating to international human resources are eligible, the Selection Committee is particularly interested in presentations relating to:

international compensation and benefits
security issues
global diversity
cross-cultural communication
localization of long-term expatriates
relocation issues
spouse and family issues

Submissions should be made to Submit Presentation with “Call for Presentations” in the subject line. Thank you!

Global Diversity and Inclusion

Larry Scott — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:25:59 +0000

The Houston International HR Roundtable is proud of its program on Global Diversity in conjunction with Shell Oil Company. There is now an excellent book on one company’s approach to global diverstiy – None of Us Is As Good As All of Us: How McDonald’s Prospers by Embracing Inclusion and Diversity by Patricia Sowell Harris, McDonald’s global chief diversity officer. Ms. Harris provides an inside account of how McDonald’s turns diversity into success. One of the biggest employers in the world, McDonald’s staff is one of the world’s most racially, culturally, and religiously diverse. Through interviews with more than 60 key employees and leaders, the book reveals how McDonald’s embraces all races, creeds, and cultures to create unity and business achievement. How does your company approach global diversity?