Company values guiding the recruitment of employees with a foreign background

Abstract

Purpose: In this paper, the following research question is addressed: Why do business organisations recruit employees with a foreign background? This was examined in terms of the values that guide organisations and their management. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach: The study focused on two businesses in Finland that are pioneers in the recruitment of immigrants. A case study approach was adopted. The research data consist of interviews and documentary data. The data were analysed using content analysis in accordance with grounded theory. Findings: Companies can act as an enabling force in the integration of immigrants into the local labour market, especially when the company’s value basis extends beyond only economic values. Research limitations/implications: The study was conducted only in two case companies in Finland. Practical implications: Companies have the potential to affect local people’s attitudes towards immigrants as workers. This is important because many western societies are likely to face a labour shortage in the future due to the ageing population and low birth rate. Originality/value: Prior research has mostly investigated the topic from the viewpoints of the immigrants themselves and of policy makers. The value of this study is that it makes the employers’ viewpoint visible. The dominant theories applied in the field of immigrant recruitment are inadequate to explain employers’ behaviour because of their underlying assumption of the overwhelming importance of economic values in decision making.