Seconded National Experts and Global Mobility

Abstract

Global Mobility is an expanding field of academic research incorporating significant analysis of international assignments, expatriation and comparable interventions. The community of Seconded National Experts (SNEs) in the institutions, bodies and agencies that form the administration of the European Union (EU) is a distinct category of employee. This paper assesses the features and norms of this extensive group of people and compares them to those identified for other communities within the generally recognised expatriate taxonomy. The unique nature of the SNE community and hence the challenges that need to be considered by human resource practitioners to ensure they achieve their desired goals at organisation and individual levels are identified. The findings are that expatriate taxonomies should be extended to include this unique community and to provide further guidance to HR practitioners. Finally areas for further research to understand more about SNEs and what might be learned from them are offered.