Organizational attractiveness of Emerging and Developed Market Multinationals in developed markets

Despite the increasing relevance in international human resource management (IHRM), the difference between prospective applicants’ attraction towards Emerging Market Multinationals (EMNEs) and Developed Market Multinationals (DMNEs) has scarcely been investigated. Applying image theory, this study compares the influence of country and company images on the organizational attractiveness of companies from China and Russia with companies from Germany and the US. Employing data from 287 students majoring in business, the study shows that prospective applicants heavily rely on images when they evaluate an organization’s attractiveness. Findings indicate that applicants significantly prefer DMNEs over EMNEs as future employers. The study extends IHRM literature by going beyond the general internationalization differences of EMNEs and DMNEs and by concentrating on the still neglected research of EMNEs’ human resource challenges in developed markets.