Multinationals and variable pay determinants

The differentiation of reward practices for various employee groups is important, especially in periods of industrial restructuring and other institutional changes. Yet, research on the topic is limited, particularly in the context of Asia, such as China. To address this gap this article examines the extent to which the firms facing similar economic and market conditions design different variable pay schemes for various occupational groups. The leading multinational pharmaceutical firms in China are employed and implications for Asian and international human resource management are provided. Key words: Variable Pay Schemes, Human Resource Management, Multinational Corporations, Pharmaceuticals, China.