Competition and Change in Human Resource Management by Japanese & Multinational Firms in the Lao Special Economic Zones

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The data collection in Lao PDR has not yet been undertaken because of the pandemic. That is why collecting secondary data and reviewing relevant literatures had been conducted instead.The special economic zone of Lao PDR has been the target of this research project. The economic zone has asked international cooperation through FDI from several number of countries including Japan, China, Malaysia, Germany, Thailand, France, Holland etc. Japan, and other countries have invested jointly with Laos to fully utilise local benefits. That is why multi-national HRM methods can be comparatively examined in working with local Lao employees. One of the aspects has been found that the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has progressed slower than being initially planned due to more challenging its member countries have faced with. Nevertheless, there has been more international interest in Lao PDR, leading to increasing number of multi-national companies (MNCs) opening and operating there. In particular, Lao-China economic zones in Lao PDR seem to actively function and be growing. This interesting phenomenon can be further examined once the fieldwork starts.As another findings, the AEC seems to cause an increase in the minimum wage of local labour and free movement of skilled labour within the member countries. It implies that MNCs are under more competitive local labour market and therefore required to retain local labour. Given these new difficulties, how have MNCs including Japanese firms deployed their new HRM strategies need to be investigated in the coming years.