A qualitative exploration of international human resources in small and medium-sized enterprises

As the business world continues to become more global, it is imperative for both large and small firms to be successful in the international marketplace. In part, success comes from leveraging human capital. Human resource professionals have an imperative role in effectively establishing firms internationally. While there is much research on how large firms conduct human resources, there are fewer research inquiries into how the HR professional operates in small to medium-sized firms (SMEs). This study explored the international HR professional in the SME context by conducting qualitative interviews with 15 experienced practitioners in the field. This research concluded that the SME environment is unique, and practitioners within this environment must leverage additional professional and personal skills beyond traditional HR competency models.