On international assignment: Is expatriation the only way to go?

Abstract

This research explored variations to traditional international assignment. Interviews with expert informants and a survey of 43 human resource managers investigated whether or not four categories of international assignment identified in a recent European survey are occurring in Australian‐based multinational enterprises (MNEs). The findings presented are illuminating, but not generalisable. It seems that within this group, a portfolio of international assignment options, in addition to expatriation, is increasingly being offered and undertaken by the Australian respondents to this study. Implications these variations present for international assignment management are presented as an agenda for future research.

Changing patterns of global staffing in the multinational enterprise: Challenges to the conventional expatriate assignment and emerging alternatives

“…Some researchers have argued that IBTs do not come under the remit of alternative forms of international assignments as, they do not involve physical relocation to a different country (Welch and Worm, 2006). However, following Fenwick (2004) we include them in our discussion because the evidence suggests that they are an important alternative to the traditional expatriate assignment for MNCs (Michailova and Worm, 2003). IBTs provide the advantage of face-to-face interaction in conducting business transactions without the requirement for their physical relocation.…”

“…However research suggests there is little evidence of a significant decline in the use of long-term assignments but does identify the growing use of alternative forms of international assignments (cf. Dowling and Welch, 2004;Fenwick, 2004;Mayerhofer et al, 2004;PriceWaterhoseCoopers, 2005;Scullion and Collings, 2006c;Tahanainen, Welch and Worm, 2005). A recent survey reported that 62 per cent of respondents suggested that their organizations were seeking alternatives to long-term assignments (GMAC, 2005).…”

“…Concomitantly, the context for the managing of the international assignment has altered significantly, leading in some quarters to a fundamental reassessment of the contribution of, and prospects for, the international assignment as conventionally understood. The importance of this reassessment has been signalled by those who have questioned why multinationals continue to use conventional expatriate assignments to the extent that they do due to the high costs and continuing problems associated with such assignments (Scullion and Brewster, 2001; Morley and Heraty, 2004), and by the increasing prominence of alternative international assignments and the emergence of a portfolio of assignments within the international firm (Roberts et al, 1998;Fenwick, 2004).…”

Strategic inpatriate acculturation: A stress perspective

“…This can take the form of obligatory and frequent breaks to their country of origin. Many MNCs include regular return trips home for expatriates (Fenwick, 2004) but this is not characteristically part of the inpatriate contract which is typically longer-term (Harvey et al, 2000). We maintain that, in order to encourage integration, it is important to ensure that the inpatriate maintains her/his culture of origin.…”

International Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 3, No. 10, October 2008

“…Alternatively, a number of research questions were generated to guide and focus the research process (Stahl, Miller & Tung, 2002;Fenwick, 2004). The research questions were developed based on an extensive review of the literature and cover areas of self-initiated expatriation (Inkson, Pringle, Arthur & Barry, 1997;Sutari & Brewster, 2000;Tharenou, 2003;Vance, 2005), women expatriates (Adler, 1994;Linehan, Scullion & Walsh, 2001;Paik & Vance, 2002;Fischlmayr, 2002;Crowley-Henry & Weir, 2007), global careers and career development (Thomas, Lazarova & Inkson, 2005;Bolino, 2007;Tarique, Schuler & Gong, 2007;Vance, 2005) as well as literature on issues of discrimination (Richardson, 2006;Tzeng, 2006 …”