International Journal of Business and Social Science Vol. 4 No. 4; April 2013 281 The Impact of International Human Resource Management Practices on Short-term International Assignments: A Case of SMEs in Sri Lanka Padmini Jayasekara Department of Human Resource Management University of Sri Jayewardenepura Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka Yoshi Takahashi Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation Hiroshima University 1-5-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima City, 739-8529, Japan. Abstract Empirical knowledge gap on short-term assignments and their outcomes encourage us to investigate the relationship between post-assignment behavioural performances and given pre-assignment HRM support as the main objective of this paper. Individual HRM functional level analysis, moderation effects of purpose of assignments, and the synergy effects of HRM practices were included for testing three specific objectives with the theoretical perspectives of high performance work practices, contingencies and system approaches. The results partially confirm that the relationship between individual HRM practices and behavioural performance. Among six HRM practices recruitment, training and compensation were positively significant. Synergistic effects of such practices were not confirmed while the purpose of assignments also did not moderate this HRM-performance relationship. Keywords: SMEs, International HRM, Short-term assignments, HRM practices, Behavioural performance 1. Introduction Recent research has drawn attention to complexities of traditional long term expatriation in favor of its more flexible cousins of short-term assignments. For short-term assignments the drawback is the calculation of performance in financial terms that would not be tenable at shorter time durations, and thereby the inability of identifying financial impact of incurred cost to the assignments (McNalty & Tharenou, 2004; McNulty et al., 2009). On the other hand human feelings like satisfaction, motivation, commitment, intention to retention etc add value to organizational process, leading to better financial performances (Paauwa et al., 2006; Foley et al., 2010). In the final attempt of being a global firm in future, development of potential leaders through behavioural modification is necessary (Briscoe et al., 2009) with assurance of the continuity of the responsibility upon repatriation. Thereby strategic formation around behavioural performance foresees the future of the organization. On the other hand behavioural performances assessment would be an excellent feedback for the management on developing potentials of rest of the home country local staff. Thus, discussing the relationship between post- assignment behavioural performances of short-term assignees and given pre-assignments HRM support is the main objective of this paper. In this doctrine, authors are documenting three specific research objectives as (a) to investigate the nature of the relationship of perceived HRM practices and behavioural performances (b) to study moderation effect of organizational strategic aspect of assignments: purpose of assignments and (c) to analyze possibilities of interplay of HRM practices on each where authors assess the nature of the relationship of bundling of HRM practices and behavioural performances. The both individual and bundling effect of HRM- approaches have incorporated to the study as quickness of the sample setting of short-term international assignees in SMEs (small and medium scale enterprises) which need to have closer look at formalizing and formulating HR strategies to ensure the competitive position of the organizations.