DOI: 10.7763/IPEDR. 2012. V55. 25 Padmini Jayasekara 1 and Yoshi Takahashi 2 1 Department of Human Resource Management, University of Sri Jayewardenepura 2 Graduate School for International Development and Corporation, Hiroshima University Abstract. Some of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka have expanded their activities internationally. Such activities gave much scope to manage relocated employees. Empirical knowledge gap encourage us to investigate the relationship between post-assignment behavioral performances of short-term assignees 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 survey results of 277 assignees, who experienced short term assignments during the last five years period representing 93 SMEs, were tested. Hierarchical regression analysis was used. The results partially confirm that the relationship between individual HRM practices and behavioral performance. Among six HRM practices only 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, Behavioral Performances 1. Introduction Successful international assignments through successful HRM policies and practices will be the heart of successful international business organizations (Stroh et al., 2005). There have been given considerable attention in to expatriate management issues pertaining to HRM practices. Recent research has drawn attention to traditional long term expatriation in favor of short-term assignments (Harvey et al., 2011; Cendant 2002; Frenwick, 2004; Tahvaninen et al., 2005; Collings et al., 2007; Robert et al., 1998). For short- term assignments the drawback is the calculation of performance in financial terms would not be tenable, and thereby the inability of identifying financial impact comparing incurred cost to the assignments (McNalty & Tharenou, 2004; McNulty et al., 2009). Other authors suggest that in terms of short-term assignments, measurements of behavioral performance would be more meaningful (McNalty et al., 2004; Paauwa et al., 2006; Briscoe et al., 2009). Thus discussing the relationship between post-assignment behavioral 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 behavioral performances, (b). Organizational strategic aspect of assignments: purpose of assignments (McNalty & Tharenou, 2004; McNulty et al., 2009; Stroh et al., 2005), to study its moderating effect on the relationship of perceived HRM practices and behavioral performances. (c) to analyze possibilities of interplay of HRM practices on each other (Huselid, 1995) where authors assess the nature of the relationship of bundling of HRM practices and behavioral performances. 2. Literature Review 2.1. The High performance work practices (HPWP) are HR practices designed to enhance employee’s skills, commitment, motivation and productivity which enable system to be a source of competitive advantage of an organizations. Most of the pervious researchers have focused their attention to discuss this HPWP and performance relationship at organizational level (Arthur, 1994; Huselid, 1995) rather than individual level (Guchait et al, 2010). Among available individual level studies, HPWP and behavioral outcomes e.g., International Human Resource Management P ractices and Their Outcomes in SMEs: A case of International Assignees in Sri Lanka High P erformance Work P ractices Approach 125