Navigating Human Resource Management Challenges in a Multinational Corporation: A Case Study of [Company Name] in the UAE

Navigating Human Resource Management Challenges in a Multinational Corporation: A Case Study of the Emirates Airlines in the United Arab Emirates Group Members Name Registration Number Word Count: 2705 2. Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u 1. Introduction PAGEREF _Toc182406584 \h 32. Company Background PAGEREF _Toc182406585 \h 43. Aim to ask from the company PAGEREF _Toc182406586 \h 54. Method PAGEREF _Toc182406587 \h 55. Findings PAGEREF _Toc182406588 \h 66. HRM Issues PAGEREF _Toc182406589 \h 87. Company Understanding and Strategy PAGEREF _Toc182406590 \h 98. Local Experience PAGEREF _Toc182406591 \h 910. Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc182406592 \h 11References PAGEREF _Toc182406593 \h 13 1. Introduction The subsequent report comprises a company case for a local multinational corporation (MNC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Emirates Airlines, having both local and international operations. The business case study is based on empirical research collecting data through detailed interviews. The study assesses various aspects of human resource management taught in the class by examining real-world HR practices in a multinational corporation and proposing a recommended strategy for a future course of action to tackle potential challenges faced by Emirates Airlines. The research comprises company experiences to recognize organizational practices, identify gaps, and find a way forward for the emirate. The project aims to provide insights into effective Human Resources (HR) strategies in a dynamic industry within the local UAE market and the overall Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The three issues have been selected from the given list to provide an overview and seek the perspectives of the chosen interviewee. It identified and addressed HR challenges in recruitment, employee training, and workplace safety issues. The data and information collected from the interview with one of the prominent figures at Emirates are used to evaluate the current operations and strategies followed by Emirates Airlines and recommend new plans and tactics to address the challenges related to human resources. I shortlisted three leading MNCs currently operating in UAE, Etisalat group, PepsiCo Middle East, and Emirates Airlines, finally choosing Emirates Airlines due to its strong sense of affiliation with UAE's economic and cultural vision and symbolizing the country's aspirations at the global level. I visited the headquarters of Emirates in Dubai, UAE, to observe, interact, and engage with the HR professionals and managed to schedule an appointment with Abdulaziz Al Ali, the Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Emirates Group, who is one of the people with a decision-making mandate at the senior executive level. The interview questions related to three critical areas of inquiry: recruiting, training and development, and workplace safety and health. The key findings of the interview were the challenges faced by one of the leading global MNCs in recruiting specialized talent due to intense competition in the worldwide market, the training and development of the diverse workforce with the pressure of continuous skill development, technological advancements, varying needs and preferences of the customers, and increasing emphasis on the safety and well-being of the employees including their physiological and psychological health. 2. Company Background Emirates Airlines is a prominent airline and a global leader in the aviation industry. It is the national flag carrier of the UAE, operating worldwide. Emirates was founded in 1985, with its headquarters in Dubai. The airline has modern, efficient, and the most comfortable aircraft known for luxurious services and journeys and the most extensive network across six continents. Emirates has its hub at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest airport. It also has the largest fleet in the aviation industry. The products and services offered by Emirates Airlines include passenger, cargo, tourism, and hospitality services (Emirates Airlines, 2024). The airline provides exceptional travel experiences to its customers, featuring first-class, business-class, and economy-class travel for passengers, along with airport-exclusive lounges, chauffeur services, in-flight entertainment, gourmet cuisine, connectivity, and services. Emirates Airlines is currently offering 158 destinations to its customers in 85 countries. The company has 269 aircraft, making it one of the largest globally. It has won several national and international brand awards, providing unmatched and outstanding hospitality services with the help of its multilingual cabin crew and workforce from 160 different nationalities (The Emirates Group, 2024). Emirates takes pride in employing the most diverse workforce in the world, which offers unique and varied experiences and expertise to deliver the highest quality services and inspire travellers from around the globe (Furkan et al., 2023). The airline firmly commits to quality, innovation, customer satisfaction, and retention. The company also offers its travellers personalized vacation and holiday packages, providing an inclusive travel experience for business and leisure travellers. 3. Aim to Ask from the company The aim is to understand Emirates Airlines' challenges in a highly competitive, regulated, and robust aviation industry. Interviewing those with the company's decision-making authority aims to collect data and insights into the strategies and challenges encountered during recruitment, training, retaining, and protecting the employees in the organization. The key focus area for the interview will be to understand the critical human resource management challenges faced by the company in the management of its diverse workforce, attracting and retaining top talent from across the globe, training and development needs of the employees for the achievement of corporate objectives, and workplace safety issues addressed by the company. The research questions to be asked from the interviewee are regarding the hiring of top talent in the highly competitive global market (Nataraja & Al‐Aali, 2011). Moreover, other areas include training new and current employees to meet the requirements of the customers and industry and the formulation and compliance with the policies and regulations to ensure employee and workplace safety and welfare. The aim is to understand the current policies, business operations, and processes of Emirates Airlines and the strategic plans of the company to prepare for the prospective challenges in the highly competitive global aviation industry. 4. Method Emirates Airlines was selected for company case analysis for this project. I visited the Emirates Airlines headquarters in Dubai to interview executive-level management with decision-making authority, particularly from the human resource department. They were contacted for their profound understanding of the HR policies and processes and their crucial role in the formulation and execution of HR strategy within the company. I contacted five HR executives and senior and middle-level management officials. I was able to interview Mr. Abdulaziz Al Ali, the Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Emirates Group, after rescheduling ...