Suchergebnisse

The need for developing a cadre of global managers who are capable of working in international key positions wherever the needs of companies require it, has been widely stressed. Typically, the literature on international careers still deals with international assignments as "once‐in‐a‐lifetime" experiences and thus as a continuum from selecting the right candidates to repatriating them back to the home country. Less attention has been devoted to so‐called global managers who are committed to international careers for a longer term. In the present study, career orientations, career tracks, career commitment and life‐style implications of global managers are analysed. The results indicate that the majority of managers were originally interested in an international career. In their career they typically vary between positions abroad and in the home country instead of moving from one international assignment to another. Typically they consider the positive implications to override the negative implications of such a career with respect to both themselves and their families. As a result, they are often firmly committed to working in international environments in the future.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the research question of "How does a global career involving multiple international relocations influence the career capital of an individual manager?", and to examine the typical career‐capital‐related characteristics, drivers and outcomes associated with global careers. The importance of understanding the careers of global leaders, whose work paths typically include various international positions and assignments, has increased due to the globalization of business. A particularly relevant approach for studying such careers is through a framework of career capital, which adopts an individualistic perspective to explain how actors consciously acquire portable capabilities, construct networks and identify their own motivations, applying them in their specific work contexts.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a qualitative design based on interviews with 20 managers on a global career path involving multiple international assignments.FindingsThe results indicate that international work experience has an extensive developmental effect on the career capital of managers. First, the interviewees reported that their global careers had strongly increased their knowing‐why career capital, referring to meaning and self‐awareness. With regard to knowing‐how career capital, their multiple international experiences had considerably enhanced several work‐related competencies. The key drivers behind this development included the broad range of responsibilities, the nature of the international environment, a high level of autonomy, and cross‐cultural differences. Finally, in terms of knowing‐whom capital, the results of the study indicate that the contact network managers acquire during their international assignments was of very high importance for their future careers. As a further outcome of their global careers, the managers were found to have a very strong career identity.Originality/valueThis paper provides a novel perspective on a topic that is of increasingly critical importance in today's global business.

'This book is an invaluable resource for scholars in the field of global careers, for people experiencing or contemplating such a career, and for those who manage them. The team of experts assembled provides a wonderful breadth of perspectives and a rich coverage of the field.' --Hugh P. Gunz, Professor, University of Toronto Mississauga 'A rich collection of knowledge about diverse types, experiences, and issues of global careerists ... an indispensable resource for global career researchers, educators, and practitioners.' --Margaret Shaffer, Michael F. Price Chair of International Business, University of Oklahoma Exploring global career issues in-depth, this important collection works at the intersection of career management and international HRM. It uses a multitude of perspectives to explore global career drivers, experiences and outcomes for individuals, as well as career systems and management within organisations and societies. Both long-term and short-term careers are discussed and examined alongside the impact that they have on elements of family life, providing a useful guide for academic scholars, HR managers and professionals operating in global environments.

This book focuses on the interface of work and personal life of international professionals. The globalization of business has led to an increasing number of people who work in international roles either through working abroad on different kinds of assignments or through international travelling. This book provides novel knowledge on the topic from different perspectives, highlighting not only the inherent challenges but also the positive side of working in a modern globalized world. Moreover, the book contributes by bringing together international professionals' own experiences, family members' experiences, organizational aspects and new theoretical discussions and models. The book covers several different perspectives on the work and personal life interface offering insights on the areas like adjustment, social support, dual-career issues and organizational practices. The book examines the situations of several different types of international employee such as organizational expatriates, self-initiated expatriates and international business travellers. The new interesting research evidence is provided from various country contexts from North America, Europe and Asia by researchers around the world.