iTHE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC): MANAGING ACROSS CULTURE
‘We were an orgn made up of Swiss generalists. We are becoming a multicultural and professional enterprise.” 1. INTRODUCTION
Dr. Jacques Stroun, M.D. – (1999) Director of Human Resources & Finance (before Head of Detention Division, Deputy Director of Operations)
ICRC – provide humanitarian relief, Humanitarian ‘Multinational’ Organisation
Home base: Geneva, Switzerland
Orgn Values – Neutrality, Independence, Discretion & Humanism
Total Workforce – (2008) over 14,000 over 100 nationalities
Until recently – ICRC is very Swiss , very Genevoise
Expatriate – open to all nationalities but 93% is westerners (1992)
Changing expatriate composition – expatriates number increasing – Africa, Asia & Latin America
HR Policy – recruitment from Geneva – sent to field with ‘learning by doing’, operate under sense of danger, meeting immediate challenges, focus on short term, quickly develops and reinforces team and team loyalties, rotation every 12 months, no formal training, no continuity for developing people, Career - little career planning, career developed through interpersonal networks & driven by opportunities, most recruits stayed for 2 to 3 years, no management development, those remain and reach top of HQ –mostly Swiss male (old school boys club)
CURRENT CHALLENGES – greater diversity in mgmt ranks – more professionals, foreigners and women.
NEW STRATEGIC PLAN (2007 -2010) – challenges to HRM. 3 mgmt priorities – 1. Multidisciplinary; 2. Greater accountability & 3. Increased efficiency thru’ results based management. Role of HQ? – Centralised or Decentralised? Policies & Procedures needed to be Standardised to achieve efficiency & operation coherence but ensure flexibility;
CHALLENGES FOR HR – Clarify roles and responsibilities; performance based management system; increase staff for rapid deployment, provide mgmt development & career planning, align ind. Interests & competencies with orgn’s needs & priorities; growing diversity especially promo of women to top mgmt positions.
HOW ICRC ADAPT TO THESE STRATEGIC DEMANDS WHILE PRESERVING CULTURE CRITICAL TO UPHOLDING MISSION OF NEUTRAL, INDEPENDENT, HUMANITARIAN ACTION (NIHA).
ICRC Culture – barrier to implementation of new strategic direction? 2. THE HUMANITARIAN SECTOR (external environmental change)
World witness massive increase of both natural and man-made disasters
Globalisation and terrorism
2003 – 200 million – natural disaster; 45 million – complex emergency ie. Civil war
End of Cold War – leads to more intractable type of war
Greater political instability – weak governance
Armed conflicts – active and deliberate targeting of civilians, widespread human rights abuses & use of crimes of violence as weapons of wars
Humanitarian – politicised
Securing funds –more difficult; net aids from DAC fallen sharply
UN – An Agenda of Peace, no universal criteria for military humanitarian interventation
Peace-keeping operations; UN impartiality?
UN agencies –centralised decision making; ICRC – start in the field
Armed conflict –danger, unpredictable, precipitous change, hardship, chaos – stress and burnout –
PERFORMANCE – Survival & Integrity of Individuals and group of people; employee survival, keeping life and limbs. – High turnover of expatriates & limits staff experience and inst. Memory.
Humanitarian ops – less about crisis and emergency BUT more of rehabilitation & development to build local competencies

3. INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS & RED CRESCENT (IRCRC)
IRCRC – largest humanitarian network in the world
Orgn – IRC ie ICRC, IFRC & over 180 National Societies or NS
3 entities bounded by common heritage & commitment to 7 Fundamental Principles
i.e. humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity & universality independent but often work with partners
IFRC – focuses on natural or technological disasters; support public sector, work with NS
ICRC – guardian of Red Cross Principles & of International Humanitarian Law, recognition provider to NS, signatory to the Geneva Convention

4. ICRC
1859 – Henri Dunant, witness the War of Italian Unification, wrote A Memory of Solferino, proposed 1. Formation of national relief societies to supplement armed forces with medical; 2. Develop international convention to protect sick & wounded in combat.
Red Cross – reflects Swiss values ie. Autonomy, egalitarianism, consensus-seeking
Switzerland – federalism; French (HQ) and English (field)
Red Cross – Red Crescent – Red Crystal (sign of purity & transparency)

5. ICRC STRATEGY 2007 -10
2006 – Identify key internal & external challenges :
Due to increasing competition, What sd be the scope of actions or range of ICRC activities?
Sd ICRC go for a niche strategy?
What type of relationsp sd ICRC established with partners & competitors?
What sd be ICRC role in humanitarian sector?
Discussion led to: * Core mission – keep devlpg ‘all-victims & all-needs approach’ in armed conflicts * Partnership with NS * Intent – remain the reference orgn for international humanitarian law * Continue to assert identity - strictly humanitarian, impartial, neutral and independent.
MISSION (END) – protect lives & dignity of victims of war, directs & coordinates international relief activities, prevent suffering by promoting humanitarian laws & universal principles
STRATEGY (MEANS)
Protection – protecting civilians, the detained & tracing
Assistance – relief/economic security activities, water & habitat services, health care services
Prevention – educate Fundamental Principles of the Movement & International Humanitarian Law

6. FUNDING
2009 budget –about 1,165.5 million Swiss Francs.
Funders – member states of the Geneva Conventions (govt), supranational orgn (European Commission), NS, public & private donors.
Refer to exhibit V for detail breakdown 7. ORGANISATION
The Assembly, the Assembly Council and Directorate; Presidency and Management Control – Decision-making body
The Assembly – meet 5 times a yr; oversee entire organisation’s activities; 15-25 members; all Swiss
The Assembly Council – 5 members; all Swiss; link bet Directorate and Assembly; selected by the Assembly to carry out activities
Directorate – responsible for applying and ensuring application of general objectives and strategy defined by Assembly or Assembly Council; smooth running & efficiency of ICRC staff; 6 members; all Swiss; appointed by the Assembly; 4 year term.
The Delegations – field operations; 80 around the world 8. HRM at ICRC
Difficult to get people; changing Swiss labour market; cannot provide HR to meet ICRC demands of expanding field operation; started recruiting foreign staff; especially professional; seconding staff from National Societies; 1986 – 350 expatriates; 1996 – 1,400 expatriates; mostly from developed countries; e.g. Bernard Kouchner – Doctors without Borders-French Minister of Health; 1990 – 30% of expatriates non-Swiss; 1992 – delegate positions opened to all; 2008 – 57% expatriates non-Swiss.
Delegates – generalists, mg overall ops in specific areas; key responsibilities – negotiations, protection activities, coordination of specialists, integration of different activities.
Professionals – specialists; relief or medical professional, engineering, IT services, communications. Mid-80s delegate could move to delegate status
Conflict bet delegates and professionals – same objectives but different perspectives; professionals seek ‘best possible way’ but delegates more pragmatic; however delegates responsible for coordinating activities and negotiation, better grasp of ‘big picture’, more willing to adapt to local constraints. 9. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
30 years ago – expatriates in field – young (early 20s), Swiss French speaking; from universities with political science, economics, laws or liberal arts.
New generation – older (late 20s); more international, speaks more languages, more professional, more specialised educational background. Motivation – interesting job, fulfil ideals, recognise their values and able to express their opinion. ICRC remain popular choice of employment.
New recruit – more concerned with personal and career devlpmt. Seek to devlp career at ICRC, not short-term experience. Issues more important – salary, contracts and vacations. Work-life balance; connectivity with family and friends via internet.
Recruitment important – high demand for expatriates, recruitment procedure – centralised, intensive. CVs, motivation letter, personal history – half-day interview with HR personnel – recruitment day with 7 other candidates to make presentations, engage in role play and simulation. Judges – 5 former delegates; evaluation criterias – personal qualities (motivation, stress resistance, attitude, maturity), skills (analytical, synthesize, negotiate, initiate) teamwork (leadership), situation reactions (adaption to change, mg unexpected). Recruited less for technical competencies but more for personal qualities or ‘soft skills’ recruitment per year – about 450; turnaround rate -9% 10. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
New recruit – 4 week intensive Integration Course – 2 weeks off site & 2 weeks HQ. Cost – CHF20,000 to 40,000. General knowledge – documents, museum visits, conferences, war films. Role plays – sensitise cultural differences in communication style, norms, and behaviours. Experienced expatriates briefing, transmit spirit and culture of ICRC. Finished course – immediate send to mission abroad and continue to ‘learning by doing’. Integration Course for delegates and professionals (1 week course). Integration Course also provided by regional training units – for personnel with contracts of more than 6 months. Training – heads of units and professionals every 2 to 3 years. 11. CAREER DEVELOPMENT
No formal career planning for expatriates; only regular discussion, yearly appraisal. Recently, career commission for mid and top mgmt level for career prospective. Individual Career and Deployment Planning – ensure filling of mgmt positions. Project will received but not fully implemented.
Occasional shortage of expatriates. But cannot give up on planned operations. Solution – HR established a ‘reserve staff’ – new recruit of delegates. Immediate transfer.
Developing people – challenge- nature of job requires immediate operational. Develop competences;
Junior expatriate – limited career opportunity discussion; mid manager level – discussion bet mgrs and HQ; local staff – few have access to training and career.
Develop local talent limited – political reason – neutral and impartiality – necessitates expatriates, locals don’t have professional competences, issue of trusts, westerners – no sensitive to local conditions. BUT growing pool of local professionals and delegates
Problem – Why is a local being treated as an expatriate? HR defines expatriates status – matter of mobility – being willing and able to move from one country to another.
Upward career movement in ICRC – promotion from within – experience as delegate – key factor to access higher posts at HQ; hands-on experience, been through the wars together, 90% of vacancy at HQ – occupied by former expatriates . NOT ENOUG PLACES FOR RETURNING EXPATRIATES.
2 issues – 1. One can only become mgr with field experience 2. Operation only important place to work. Field syndrome – other depts. feel less value. Short term perspective predominate over long term strategy
More pros gain access to HQ. Some dept head with no field experience e.g. IT and training. HQ greater need for mgmt based prof competences and not so much of relationships devlped in field.
Ops devision – predominately male bastion, most heads of delegations and top mgmt positions –male; today – 45% field delegates, 32% heads of sub-delegations, 29% heads of delegations – women.
Problems of recruiting more women – dual careers. Gender equality – ongoing. Gender equality policy and strategy framework – 2006 – achieve parity (min 40%) with 10 years to all functions and levels of the orgn.
ICRC strong culture – crucial for sustainability but also barrier to change

What are some of the challenges facing the Red Cross at this time? (regarding issues of strategy, structure, IHRM, multiculturalism
Diagnose the ICRC culture
In what ways may the ICRC culture help or hinder implementing the new strategy?
What are the implications for Human Resource Management?