ABSTRACT
One common feature of organizations operating in international arenas is the need for increased mobility of staff. The strategic and practical aspects of expatriation have been a favored topic of study for many IHRM scholars. Indeed, at one time, the topic of IHRM dealt mainly with the management of expatriation. Yet, amongst the larger and more established international players there have been significant changes, notably a much more competitive environment (D’Aveni, 1994) forcing an increasing attention to cost reduction and cost-effectiveness. Since expatriates are amongst the most expensive people any organization employs, and the measurement of expatriate performance is, to say the least, uncertain, this has had a direct effect on the way organizations view their expatriates and the challenge of international mobility. This has been made more problematic by the reorganization of MNCs in Europe and the consequent reduction in the size of headquarters (Scullion and Starkey, 2000). The strong trends towards decentralization and downsizing over the last decade, mean that many MNCs have lost the central expertise in the management of expatriates built up over many years, as the numbers of expatriates increases (Scullion and Starkey, 2000). New approaches are required that
link developments in the management of expatriation with the broader international strategy
look at the strategic positioning of mobility in international organizations and the implications for individuals of various forms of this mobility.
