ABSTRACT
Since the mid-1980s the main focus of research on international assignments has been on the traditional long-term expatriate assignment which usually involves the relocation of the expatriate and their family to a different environment (Scullion and Brewster, 2001). In this regard the international HRM literature has generally focused on the issues associated with selection, training, appraisal and development in the context of traditional expatriate assignments (Mayerhofer et al., 2004). However, the focus of this chapter is on the growing importance of alternative types of international assignment which have become increasingly important features of the pattern of global staffing (Fenwick, 2004). The following issues will be addressed:
● the different forms of international assignment ● the reasons for the growth of more flexible forms of global staffing ● the challenges of managing the new ‘flexpatriate assignments’ ● the HR challenges of managing international business travellers ● the growth of global virtual teams and associated management challenges ● inpatriation as an emerging source of international management talent.
