N Beutall

Abstract: This paper reviews the recent literature discussing the challenges of repatriation and the possible strategies for meeting them. It reviews past recommendations to HR professionals and ongoing changes in international staffing practices and their effects on repatriation issues. The consequences of unsuccessful repatriation are identified and their implications for global employee management are discussed. The implications of these global changes for career management are recognized and the boundaryless career concept is discussed as a framework for studying careers on a global scale. Suggestions are made for future research in the area of global employee management. With increasing globalization and the need for businesses to compete successfully in a global market place, much attention has been paid to employees who are capable and willing to grow and manage an expanding business in a foreign country. Employees who are selected for international assignments and are relocated to an overseas operation for an extended period of time are commonly known as expatriates. A sizeable body of research has accumulated over the years addressing the special challenges of these employees in foreign locations. Examples of the problems studied are adjustment issues in cross-cultural assignments (Bhaskar-Shrinivas, Harrison, Shaffer, & Luk, 2005), the high cost of expatriate failure (Hammer, Hart, & Rogan, 1998), selecting and training (Tung, 1 998) and repatriation turnover (Black and Gregersen, 1 999; Liu, 2005). Studies usually conclude with numerous recommendations, to HR professionals, for improving the management of their international employees. Over the years, significant improvements have been made in HR policies and the management of expatriates. However, some important issues and problems still continue to adversely affect the expatriation process. Specifically, a significant problem related to overseas assignments consists of the repatriation process upon completion of the work overseas (Andreason & Kinneer, 2004). Coming back to the home office has not always been the experience expected by these managers or professionals. Very often, the years of work experience acquired through foreign assignments tended to be ignored by the organization, and ended up being a hindrance rather than a facilitator of career progression. Disappointing experiences have prompted many employees to leave the company for a better position elsewhere (Baruch, Steele, & Quantrill, 2002). Increasingly, the need for an improved career planning perspective has been accepted by HR professionals. But, the limitations of successful repatriation continue to be recognized. Current research suggests the need for a closer look at the problems of the repatriation process and the available strategies for the staffing of foreign assignments. Given the pervasiveness and complexities of globalization, it is important to adopt a perspective that acknowledges an ever changing environment inside and outside the corporation with implications for global employee management and career planning. The purpose of this paper is to address die problems found associated with the repatriation process and their implications for global employee management. It examines current global staffing strategies of corporations and the implications of these strategies for a new perspective on career management on a global scale. In particular, this paper seeks to highlight recent thinking on global careers and offer directions for future research on the management of global employees. International Experience and Corporate Leadership There are good reasons for valuing an international assignment as an important step in one's career progression. The importance of international work experience for advancement is noted throughout the literature (e.g, Carpenter, Sanders, & Gregersen 2001; Daily, Certo, & Dalton, 2000). Traditionally, an assignment abroad has been viewed as a career move with the expectation of career advancement upon return to the home office. …