<p>SUMMARY</p><p>Title: Inter(man)tional Assignments?</p><p>– A Study Concerning Women’s Possibilities to Work Abroad</p><p>Problem: How do women perceive their possibilities to obtain an international assignment?</p><p>Purpose: The main purpose with this study is to create an understanding for women’s possibilities to obtain an international assignment. To be able to achieve this and to obtain a more faceted picture two types of sectors have been examined; larger Swedish corporations within the Swedish business world and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. We will further elucidate how women within the two sectors may perhaps learn from each other’s experiences, this to create new knowledge regarding women on international assignments.</p><p>Theory: In this study concepts linked to the fields of culture, management and international business are included; more pecifically the areas of international assignments, gender based differences, female characteristics, the glass ceiling and networks. A second theory part has been added after the completion of the empirical data collection to create a better and broader foundation for our study. Dual-careers, male structures, male bonding and old boys’ networks are included in this part. The supplemented theories have been placed previous to our analysis.</p><p>Method: We have performed a qualitative study from a gender based perspective with a focus upon female expatriates. The study has an abductive approach and we relate to a hermeneutical epistemology. Telephone interviews have been performed with female respondents who currently possess and international assignment or previously been an expatriate.</p><p>Result: The result of our study shows that there is no clear-cut answer to how women perceive their possibilities to obtain a foreign assignment, since their experiences are complex and individual. However, the core of our answer to the research question distinguishes a few aspects which are common among the respondents. The major cause affecting women’s possibilities is the issue of dual-career couples. The spouse’s and family’s situation is the main reason for the lack of women in these assignments. Another aspect which appears to be of great importance is the lack of women in leading positions. More women are needed on each and every managerial level to allow more women to achieve higher positions. If this is accomplished there will be a larger pool of competent and skilled females to choose from when selecting expatriates. Even though we have studied two diverse sectors, the issues and problems for the women seem to be the same. Still, both sectors have something to learn from each other. First, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs should improve their recruitment process. Second, something the Swedish business world can learn from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is to support their expatriates in a better way before and during their assignment abroad.</p>

It has been stated in many studies that MNCs are in the position of transferring and combining market knowledge and by doing so are creating a competitive edge on national firms. In addition, research has also pointed out the expatriates as one of the most important vehicles for transporting this knowledge. However, recent studies have indicated that there is a gap between what the expatriate learn and what their organization as a whole learn from the expatriates’ international assignments. This study therefore investigates if Nordic MNC’s use mechanisms to assimilate the knowledge expatriates have gained on their international assignments. The findings from 39 Large Cap companies indicate that the participating MNCs do not use mechanisms of knowledge assimilation in any wider sense. Formal methods of sharing knowledge, for example through reports, seminars or IT systems were not common in the studied MNCs nor were informal mechanisms such as fostering a common knowledge sharing vision within the MNC. The findings suggest that the most commonly used methods of assimilating repatriate knowledge are informal in forms of assigning the repatriates to positions that take advantage of their international knowledge and by using different forms of mentoring systems.

Att verka på en global marknad innebär kulturella skillnader, tidsskillnader och annorlunda arbetsmetoder som ställer speciella krav på medarbetare och deras kompetens. Att sända anställda på utlandsuppdrag eller så kallad expatriering innebär för företagen att omlokalisera sådan kompetens utomlands. Flytta och arbeta utomlands innebär förutom många möjligheter också många problem för både företaget och den anställde med familj. Ett växande problem som identifierats av flera författare är att omlokaliseringen av par med varsin karriär blir allt svårare eftersom expatriering ofta innebär att den medföljande partnern tvingas ge upp/ta paus i sin karriär. Det finns även tidigare forskning som visar att par med varsin karriär är extra vanligt just i de nordiska länderna. Våra resultat bygger därför på en kvalitativ studie som undersöker hur några stora svenska företags strategier ser ut vid expatriering av par med varsin karriär. För att nå dessa resultat har vi genomfört fem stycken fysiska djupintervjuer och en telefonintervju som sedan har analyserats mot tidigare litteratur på området. Den litteratur vi använt härstammar främst från områdena International Human Resource Management och Expatriate Management. Företagen som ingår i studien är alla verksamma inom olika branscher som: Bank, Bygg, Försvar, Vitvaror, Telekom och Fordon. Studiens resultat visar bland annat på att företagen är duktiga på att inkludera den medföljande partnern under rekryteringsfasen för att på så sätt minska risken att han/hon inte anpassas till den nya kulturen. Karriärsupport och karriärassistans är några av de saker som företagen gör för att underlätta för den medföljande att få arbete. Dock verkar få utnyttja dessa vilket vi tror beror på att partnern inte vill eller inte kan arbeta. Problem med att få arbetstillstånd och/eller att den medföljande ser chansen att vara hemma med yngre barn kan vara två av anledningarna. Dyster konjunktur och de höga kostnaderna som förknippas med expatriering ökar trycket på företagen att spara in på förmåner eller att sända färre expatrierade i framtiden vilket troligtvis inte ökar antalet expatrierade par med varsin karriär. Sist men inte minst har vi kunnat se att sättet som företagen rekryterar anställda till utlandsuppdrag bidrar till att par med varsin karriär sällan uppmärksammas hos företagen och följaktligen tas liten hänsyn till dessa. Detta tillvägagångssätt tror vi skapar ett stort mörkertal av individer som skulle vara en stor tillgång för företag under en utlandsstationering, men som omedvetet exkluderas från dessa uppdrag på grund av att för lite hänsyn visas hans/hennes partner som också gör karriär.

SUMMARY Title: Inter(man)tional Assignments? – A Study Concerning Women’s Possibilities to Work Abroad Problem: How do women perceive their possibilities to obtain an international assignment? Purpose: The main purpose with this study is to create an understanding for women’s possibilities to obtain an international assignment. To be able to achieve this and to obtain a more faceted picture two types of sectors have been examined; larger Swedish corporations within the Swedish business world and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. We will further elucidate how women within the two sectors may perhaps learn from each other’s experiences, this to create new knowledge regarding women on international assignments. Theory: In this study concepts linked to the fields of culture, management and international business are included; more pecifically the areas of international assignments, gender based differences, female characteristics, the glass ceiling and networks. A second theory part has been added after the completion of the empirical data collection to create a better and broader foundation for our study. Dual-careers, male structures, male bonding and old boys’ networks are included in this part. The supplemented theories have been placed previous to our analysis. Method: We have performed a qualitative study from a gender based perspective with a focus upon female expatriates. The study has an abductive approach and we relate to a hermeneutical epistemology. Telephone interviews have been performed with female respondents who currently possess and international assignment or previously been an expatriate. Result: The result of our study shows that there is no clear-cut answer to how women perceive their possibilities to obtain a foreign assignment, since their experiences are complex and individual. However, the core of our answer to the research question distinguishes a few aspects which are common among the respondents. The major cause affecting women’s possibilities is the issue of dual-career couples. The spouse’s and family’s situation is the main reason for the lack of women in these assignments. Another aspect which appears to be of great importance is the lack of women in leading positions. More women are needed on each and every managerial level to allow more women to achieve higher positions. If this is accomplished there will be a larger pool of competent and skilled females to choose from when selecting expatriates. Even though we have studied two diverse sectors, the issues and problems for the women seem to be the same. Still, both sectors have something to learn from each other. First, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs should improve their recruitment process. Second, something the Swedish business world can learn from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is to support their expatriates in a better way before and during their assignment abroad.

One of the many tasks that an International Human Resource Management department has relates to the field of expatriation in which an employee is sent abroad to work in a foreign subsidiary. Expatriation is not a new concept, in the early modern era of expatriation after World War II, businesses were usually driven by international divisions that supervised the export issues, licensing and subsidiaries abroad. The main role of corporate human re-source department was to make it easier to select staff for foreign postings. This to find employees that were familiar with the activities and products of the company, organization, culture and also at the same time comfortable with working abroad. The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of how three Swedish multinational companies select and train their Parent-Country National (PCN) expatriates before the in-ternational assignment in China. In order to reach the goal of our purpose, we have chosen to conduct case studies on three Swedish multinational companies that are currently operating in China, where interviews with the key persons for respective company has been made. The interviews was either conducted through phone or face-to-face. Our Frame of reference is based upon four sub-chapters in which we in the first chapter defines the concept of Expatriation followed by a brief introduction of the cultural differ-ences between Sweden and China. The third chapter deals with the different selection is-sues and the fourth chapter deals with training issues. Based on the Frame of reference, we created six major research questions in which from them we developed our interview questions. Through the Empirical Findings which was analyzed with help of the Frame of reference, we can say that most of the processes within selection and training are not as visible and clear as what it is said in literatures compared to a few Swedish multinational companies practice.

<p>One of the many tasks that an International Human Resource Management department has relates to the field of expatriation in which an employee is sent abroad to work in a foreign subsidiary. Expatriation is not a new concept, in the early modern era of expatriation after World War II, businesses were usually driven by international divisions that supervised the export issues, licensing and subsidiaries abroad. The main role of corporate human re-source department was to make it easier to select staff for foreign postings. This to find employees that were familiar with the activities and products of the company, organization, culture and also at the same time comfortable with working abroad.</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of how three Swedish multinational companies select and train their Parent-Country National (PCN) expatriates before the in-ternational assignment in China.</p><p>In order to reach the goal of our purpose, we have chosen to conduct case studies on three Swedish multinational companies that are currently operating in China, where interviews with the key persons for respective company has been made. The interviews was either conducted through phone or face-to-face.</p><p>Our Frame of reference is based upon four sub-chapters in which we in the first chapter defines the concept of Expatriation followed by a brief introduction of the cultural differ-ences between Sweden and China. The third chapter deals with the different selection is-sues and the fourth chapter deals with training issues.</p><p>Based on the Frame of reference, we created six major research questions in which from them we developed our interview questions.</p><p>Through the Empirical Findings which was analyzed with help of the Frame of reference, we can say that most of the processes within selection and training are not as visible and clear as what it is said in literatures compared to a few Swedish multinational companies practice.</p>

Syfte och utgångspunkt:    Att utifrån fyra organisationer undersöka faktorer som är viktiga för arbete med expatriering och att använda Mendenhall, Dunbar och Oddous modell som inspiration för att skapa en egen modell med faktorer värdefulla för en expatrieringsprocess.   Forskningsresan:                 Utifrån referensram samt ett empiriskt resultat av intervjuer identifieras fyra kategorier, betydelse av att ta med familjen, mentorskap och stöd, anpassning till kultur och karriärplanering. Det empiriska resultatet samt referensramen är sedan grunden till analys och slutsats.   Slutsats:                              I slutsatsen presenteras betydelsefulla faktorer för utgången av studiens syfte.   Dessa faktorer används sedan i den modell författarna skapat. Modellen visar hur behovet av de fyra kategorierna är beroende av den planerade utlandsstationeringens längd.   Metod:                                Författarna av studien utgår från en kvalitativ ansats med djupintervjuer som metod. Det empiriska resultatet baseras på det material som framkommit genom djupintervjuer med  respondenterna från de fyra organisationerna. / Purpose and starting point: That based on a study with four organizations identify factors that are important to work with regarding expatriation and to use Mendenhall, Dunbar and Oddous model as inspiration to create a separate model with factors of value to an expatriation process.   Research - Journey:            Based on the framework and the empirical results of the interviews identify four categories: importance of including family, mentoring and support, adaptation to culture and career planning. The empirical results and the reference frame is the base for analysis and conclusion.   Conclusion                          The conclusion presents significant factors for the outcome of the study's purpose. These factors are then used in the model, which the authors created. The model shows how the need for the four categories depends on the planned length of expatriation.   Method:                              The authors of the study base the study on a qualitative approach with in-depth interviews as a method. The empirical result is based on the material obtained through interviews with respondents from the four organizations.

Thesis (M.A.)--Bowling Green State University, 2007. / Document formatted into pages; contains v, 53 p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. / "July 2005." Title taken from PDF title screen (viewed September 4, 2007). Includes bibliographical references and appendices.

A expatriação é um processo corrente na condução dos negócios internacionais, auxiliando na interface e no alinhamento de políticas e práticas da Gestão de Recursos Humanos (GRH) com a estratégia empresarial, tendo, pois, importância na sua expansão global. A principal contribuição do presente estudo é explorar o processo de expatriação na perspectiva estratégica, destacando a importância de seu planejamento, a fim de contribuir para a consecução dos objetivos globais da organização. Defende-se que a internacionalização de uma empresa requer a presença de expatriados, sobretudo no início deste processo; estando a expatriação, portanto, relacionada com a maturidade da internacionalização da organização. Objetiva-se, portanto, analisar a influência da expatriação na estratégia de internacionalização de empresas portuguesas e brasileiras, por meio de um estudo de casos múltiplos. Ela se constitui em estudo qualitativo, no qual a coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de um roteiro semiestruturado, contemplando 30 entrevistas. Na análise de dados, foi utilizado o software Max-Qda (2007) para auxiliar a organização das categorias de análise, baseada na técnica de análise de conteúdo. As entrevistas e o referencial teórico foram a base para entender o desenvolvimento da GRH, possibilitando discorrer sobre cada etapa de amadurecimento da GRH, bem como identificar as principais políticas e práticas que fazem parte do processo de expatriação, o que também foi mapeado na concepção de três etapas relacionadas. Verificouse existirem diferenças no amadurecimento internacional e na gestão de expatriados das duas empresas investigadas, em função dos objetivos propostos para esse processo, sendo possível afirmar que, de modo geral, as empresas portuguesas pesquisadas estão mais internacionalizadas que as brasileiras estudadas. A empresa portuguesa Plástico entende que a expatriação já está incorporada em seu cotidiano, não sendo um processo glamouroso, fato presente na empresa brasileira Elétrica, na qual os expatriados são tratados como pessoas ‘escolhidas’ para representá-la. As configurações de empregados levantados no contexto internacional foram de temporário, expatriado, repatriado e impatriado, na empresa brasileira; e temporários/ equipe de apoio, expatriado e cidadão do mundo, na empresa portuguesa. Em ambas as empresas, a expatriação está atrelada ao amadurecimento internacional, mesmo que seja no início da internacionalização. Conforme houve o amadurecimento internacional da empresa portuguesa, os expatriados assumiram a configuração de expatriado permanente e de equipe de apoio, pois são expatriados prontos para iniciar uma operação de uma nova unidade. Para a empresa brasileira, o amadurecimento internacional ocorreu no aprendizado dos repatriados (de melhorar as políticas e práticas para reter esses empregados) e de receber impatriados. Em relação à internacionalização, a empresa Plástico tem uma perspectiva global com uma perspectiva metanacional, enquanto a empresa Elétrica apresenta uma estrutura de multinacional, almejando ser uma corporação global, com algumas áreas estruturadas globalmente. A expatriação tem caráter dinâmico, inclusive pela movimentação internacional que muda rapidamente, influenciando as empresas de maneira tão fluída que, por vezes, nem as próprias empresas percebem as próprias mudanças. A quantidade de expatriação, no conceito corrente – empregado enviado por uma empresa para viver e trabalhar em outro país por dois ou mais anos (CALIGIURI, 2000) –, diminui conforme a empresa amadurece internacionalmente. A literatura existente sobre esse tema é limitada e não contempla a dinamicidade do processo. No atual cenário global, aumenta o número de pessoas que nascem em determinado país e são criadas e alfabetizadas em outro, configurando uma nova geração de empregados: aqueles que já são formados por diversas culturas e não pertencem a um único país ou a uma única cultura; são cidadãos do mundo, antes mesmo de entrarem nas organizações, cabendo, pois, a essas organizações repensarem a concepção de expatriado. / Expatriation is a common process in the conduct of international business, assisting in the interface and alignment of policies and practices of Human Resource Management (HRM) with the business strategy, and therefore important in its global expansion. The main contribution of this study is to explore the expatriation process in a strategic perspective, emphasizing the importance of its planning in order to contribute to achieving the overall objectives of the organization. It is argued that the internationalization of a company requires the presence of expatriates, especially at the beginning of this process; hence, expatriation is related to the maturity of the organization's internationalization. The objective, therefore, is to analyze the influence of expatriation in the strategy of internationalization of Portuguese and Brazilian companies, from a comparative case study point of view. It is constituted by a qualitative study, in which data was collected through semi-structured interviews, totaling 30 people interviewed. Also, we used the software Max- Qda (2007) in the data analysis to assist in the organization of categories of analysis based on the content analysis technique. Finally, the interviews and the theoretical framework were the basis for understanding the development of HRM, being possible to explain each maturation stage of HRM and to raise the main policies and practices that are part of the expatriation process, which is also mapped in the design of three related steps. In few words, there are differences in the international maturity and the management of expatriates of both companies analyzed, largely because of the objectives of the latter process, being possible to say that, in general, the Portuguese companies analyzed are more internationalized than the Brazilian ones. The Portuguese company Plástico understands that expatriation is already incorporated into their daily lives and it is not a glamorous process. In other perspective, this process is glamorized in the Brazilian company Elétrica, in which expatriates are treated as 'chosen' people to represent it. The settings of employees raised in the international context were temporary employee, expatriate, repatriate and impatriate, concerning the Brazilian company; and temporary/support staff, expatriate and citizen of the world, concerning the Portuguese company. In both cases, expatriation is strongly linked to international maturation, even if it is in the beginning of the process. According to the progress of international maturation, expatriates took the configuration of permanent expatriate and support staff, since they were ready to start an operation of a new unit. For the Brazilian company, the international maturation occurred in the learning of returnees (to improve policies and practices to retain these employees) and receiving impatriates. Regarding the internationalization, Plástico has a global approach with meta-national perspective while, on the other hand, Elétrica has a multinational structure, aiming to be a global corporation with some areas globally structured. The expatriation has a dynamic character, partially because of the international movement rapidly changing, influencing companies in a fluid way that sometimes even the companies do not perceive their changes. The amount of expatriation, in the current concept - employee sent by a company to live and work in another country for two or more years (CALIGIURI, 2000) - decreases as the company internationally matures. The existing literature on this topic is limited and do not consider the dynamics of the process. In the current global scenario, the number of people born in a particular country and created or literate in another increases, setting a new generation of employees: those who are already formed by different cultures and do not belong to a single country or a single culture. These employees are citizens of the world even before entering the organizations, leaving these organizations to rethink the concept of expatriate.