Discretion as a Double-edged Sword in Global Work: The Perils of International Business Travelers

Abstract

International business travelers have become omnipresent in multinational enterprises, and yet we know little on how they manage the inherent complexities of their global work. Through a qualitative research design, our study reveals a perturbing job demands-resources mismatch faced by these individuals. They are afforded substantial discretion with respect to how they carry out their global work which enables engagement in a series of job crafting actions. These inadvertently intensified rather than eased the demands-resources mismatch they confronted. We advance job crafting theory through unpacking the potentially dysfunctional nature of job crafting in a global work context and in doing so, challenge the overwhelmingly positive benefits commonly outlined. Our findings lead us to call for greater organizational oversight and configuration of support structures for business travel, alongside increased virtual working.