Beyond a region: how corporate social responsibility mediates the relationship between international human resource management and multinational corporation performance

Adams Lukman Jimoh

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 2026, vol. 20, issue 6, 1869-1886

Abstract: PurposeMultinational corporations (MNCs) often face challenges in aligning global staffing and performance appraisal practices with sustainable performance in dynamic and diverse environments. These gaps reveal the need for mechanisms that strengthen the HRM–performance link. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to examine how corporate social responsibility (CSR) mediates the relationship between international human resource management practices and MNCs performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey research design was adopted, with a population of 777 employees from Unilever Nigeria Plc. Using Taro Yamane’s sample size formula, a sample of 263 respondents was selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire following ethical approvals and confidentiality assurances. The analysis was conducted using partial least squares regression.FindingsThe results of this study indicate that both global staffing and performance appraisals significantly influence MNCs performance. Furthermore, CSR was found to fully mediate the relationship between performance appraisal and MNCs’ performance, while it fully mediates the impact of global staffing on MNCs performance.Originality/valueThis study provides a novel perspective on how corporate driven HR strategies enhance global competitiveness by examining the mediating role of CSR on the relationship between IHRM and MNCs’ performance.

Keywords: Global staffing; International human resource management; Corporate social responsibility; Performance; Performance appraisal; Human resource management; Quantitative methods; Human capital; Social enterprise; Responsible management; Corporate venturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:jecpps:jec-03-2025-0094

DOI: 10.1108/JEC-03-2025-0094

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