Female Expatriates’ Barriers – Myths and Reality

Abstract

Sending expatriates on international assignments today continues to be a serious challenge for organizations. Alongside the growing need for overseas employees, women are still under-represented (or even discriminated) compared to men. And while both men and women are capable of performing the various aspects of international job, there are additional challenges for the latter. The article examines the main barriers for women to get an international assignment. Basic myths about the reluctance of women due to the presence of family and "dual careers", as well as objective reasons such as the "glass ceiling" in the organization, are discussed. At the end, possible ways to overcome the barriers are presented.