Human resource management in Greece: Have the colours of culture faded away?

This article investigates whether Human Resource Management (HRM) in Greece is maintaining its national character or whether it is converging towards a model that potentially clashes with the country’s traditional societal values. This issue fits in the wider convergence–divergence debate that has been the concern of many cross-cultural researchers. Using data collected from Greek firms and subsidiaries of multinationals (MNCs) located in Greece, we compare the two groups on specific HRM practices. The aim is to show how HRM practices of Greek firms differ from those of MNCs subsidiaries and examine the extent and the way these HRM practices reflect Greek national culture. Our empirical results indicate that HRM practices in Greek firms reflect national culture to a great extent. Moreover, they imply that in some areas MNC subsidiaries have realized a considerable degree of adaptation, embracing practices that are in line with the Greek cultural environment.