Global Mobility Research Articles

Young Speakers of a Heritage Language: Hakka Speakers in Vienna

Increased global migratory mobility lead to ‘superdiverse’ societies especially in urban agglomerations, with many family languages. Overseas Chinese, frequently in a secon­dary migration, reached European countries and established their own close-knit communities. A smaller portion of the Hakka community from Calcutta settled in Vienna (Austria) showing an interesting layering of identities as Chinese, Hakkas, Indians, Austrians -- with family ties to Toronto and other places. While the first generation of migrants is typically restrained by the linguistic barrier of the literate national language which is practically inaccessible to adult newcomers, their offspring is firmly embedded in the new culture, and therefore presents a last generation of speakers of the heritage language. In a series of qualitative interviews, young Hakka speakers from the (Austrian) Indian Hakka community were queried about their linguistic and identitarian situation, as well as their linguistic competence in Hakka, in the context of our global research on overseas Hakka usage. The young speakers effortlessly shifted from Hakka to German at kindergarten age, keeping Hakka as means of communication inside the family; some had to act as family translators when growing older. The Hakka language is held in high esteem but is being used and perceived strictly as a family language. Contrary to the older generation, there are no strong ties to other Hakka speakers, let alone a wider Hakka community. Hakka identity and family origin relate back to India and often globally spread-out families with whom English is the best means of communication. A Chinese ancestry is a fact without much influence on the lives. The linguistic competence in Hakka is restricted to their own dialect and familial matters, as is typical of ‘weak speakers’ of a declining minority language. The language shift to German, higher education, and their emancipation from the ‘ethnic’ profession of running Chinese restaurants are indications of the full integration of the next generation into the local culture.

Detection of Serum Markers of Hepatitis B Virus and Its Application in Clinical Diagnosis

Due to the rapid global population mobility and close interaction among populations, as well as the different medical and health conditions around the world, the prevention and control of hepatitis B face great challenges. In addition, the incubation period of hepatitis B is relatively long and easily overlooked, so the demand for early diagnosis is becoming increasingly prominent. This article focuses on the detection of serum markers of hepatitis B virus and their application in clinical diagnosis. By systematically exploring the detection methods of different biomarkers and their clinical applications, the aim is to deepen our understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B.

Polymers as candidates for broad‐spectrum antivirals—in vitro inhibition of Zika virus with sodium polyanethole sulfonate

AbstractZika virus (ZIKV), belonging to the family of flaviviruses, is an emerging mosquito‐borne pathogen causing microcephaly and other congenital abnormalities in newborns as well as various neurologic pathologies in adults. The climate change and the lifestyle of current societies, involving global mobility, result in a rapid broadening of ZIKV geographic distribution. There are no vaccines or drugs available to protect against or cure the diseases caused by that virus. Our in vitro studies have demonstrated that sodium polyanethole sulfonate (PASNa), a degradable polymer used in various biomedical applications, acts as an efficient ZIKV inhibitor, both in animal and human cells. The mechanistic studies indicated that PASNa bound to the ZIKV particles thus hindering their attachment to the host cells and also interfered in the late steps of viral replication. PASNa is characterized by very low cytotoxicity and its antiviral activity can be achieved at a concentration much lower than that at which its anticoagulant activity has to be considered. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) studies have shown that the interaction of PASNa with human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant blood protein, is the endothermic, entropy‐driven process resulting in the formation of stoichiometric (1:1) PASNa‐HSA complexes with a hydrodynamic diameter of 8.8 ± 0.8 nm and zeta potential (ζ) equal to −21.3 mV. The analysis of CD spectra indicated that PASNa did not significantly affect the HSA secondary structure on binding to that protein.

Nonlinear relationships between human development and international student mobility: The prominent role of employment prospects and cultural and linguistic ties

AbstractHigher education is a key global market and considerable literature has focused on investigating the determinants of international student mobility (ISM). However, less is known about the extent to which the relative influence of these factors is moderated by local conditions and vary across origin countries. Drawing on a unique data set of undergraduate applications from the UK Colleges and Admissions Service, we analyse variations in the contextual determinants of ISM flows to the United Kingdom across countries of origin over a 10‐year period (2009–2019). We run a suite of negative binomial gravity models to understand the key influences of ISM and uncover the spatial heterogeneity of these influences. Our findings reveal a nonlinear relationship between the level of development of origin countries and ISM flows. Although countries from higher development levels are more likely to send students to the United Kingdom, there appears to be a dip in applications at the mid‐levels of development. Given the nonlinearity of this relationship, we seek to understand how countries across different levels of development respond to the typical factors that are seen to influence flows of international students. We also see substantial heterogeneity of the influence of different factors for origin countries, with some countries being influenced by employment opportunities and others by cultural and linguistic ties. However, this variation is not necessarily determined by the countries’ level of development. Our findings have implications for policy makers, educators and researchers seeking to navigate and influence global student mobility trends. Our study highlights the need for tailored strategies to attract and retain international students from specific origin countries, recognising the multifaceted nature of ISM determinants.

Globalization and Higher Education: Implications for Curriculum Development and Institutional Management


 
 
 Globalization has significantly transformed the landscape of higher education, presenting both opportunities and challenges for curriculum development and institutional management. This paper examines the implications of globalization on higher education, focusing on how it shapes curriculum development and institutional management practices. Through a qualitative approach involving literature review and library research, the study explores the various dimensions of globalization affecting higher education institutions worldwide. The analysis delves into the impact of globalization on curriculum content, pedagogical approaches, and learning outcomes, as well as the broader institutional structures and governance mechanisms. Furthermore, the paper discusses the role of internationalization, technology integration, and global mobility in reshaping higher education curricula and management strategies. Key themes explored include the need for interdisciplinary and culturally responsive curricula, the promotion of global citizenship, and the adoption of innovative teaching and learning methodologies to meet the demands of a globalized world. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of strategic planning, quality assurance mechanisms, and leadership development in enhancing institutional resilience and competitiveness in the global higher education landscape. The findings underscore the necessity for higher education institutions to adapt and innovate in response to the challenges and opportunities brought about by globalization, fostering greater inclusivity, diversity, and excellence in curriculum design and institutional management practices.
 
 

African city diplomacy in global climate mobility debates

AbstractWhile researchers have paid growing attention to transnational city engagement in both the policy fields of migration and climate change, there is a dearth of studies exploring how cities claim agency and start acting in emerging global climate mobility debates. Moreover, city diplomacy research tends to focus predominantly on city actors from the global North. We aim to address this research bias and advance academic debates by exploring African city diplomacy in global climate mobility debates. Specifically, we examine the question: How do African cities claim recognition as relevant actors in global dialogues on climate mobility, and what kind of action do they take? To find answers, we draw on a role theory framework analysing empirical research undertaken within an international, interdisciplinary research project.

A process perspective on the expatriate social capital – knowledge transfer and expatriate adjustment relationships

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model explicating the development of expatriate social capital and its influence on expatriate effectiveness in terms of knowledge transfer and adjustment. Drawing upon social capital theory and weak tie theory, we elucidate the process through which expatriate social capital facilitates expatriate knowledge transfer and adjustment via greater access of role information and social support.Design/methodology/approachThis study reviews and distills research on expatriate social capital development and proposes a conceptual model of expatriate effectiveness and suggests potential research avenues for global mobility scholars.FindingsThis study contributes to the understanding of the development of expatriate social capital in the host country and its impacts on expatriate effectiveness as a process. With regard to expatriates’ social capital accumulation, this study also highlights the important but less-known role of accompanying spouse/family members as expatriates’ weak tie enablers. We articulate a framework that outlines the sources of social capital for expatriates and the processes through which social capital transmits (via expatriates’ access to role information and social support) and then enhances expatriate effectiveness. This conceptual model aims to establish a basic “roadmap” for use by practitioners and researchers.Research limitations/implicationsBefore the proposed conceptual model can be theoretically refined or extended by future research, its veracity needs to be tested empirically. Although we do not incorporate “time,” “personal characteristics” and “context” in our model, we recognize their potential importance and urge future researchers to incorporate them in studying the role of social capital on expatriate effectiveness.Practical implicationsA conceptual model is presented that enables multinational corporations (MNCs) to map their current (and future) strategies to enhance expatriate effectiveness by further strengthening the expatriate social capital.Originality/valueDrawing upon social capital theory and weak tie theory, this paper links various sources of expatriate social capital to expatriates’ access to role information and social support in supporting expatriate effectiveness. From this, several avenues of future research are drawn.

Global talent management – talents, mobility and global experiences – a systematic literature review

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive framework that identifies thematic clusters and their interconnections within Global Talent Management (GTM), global careers and talent management (TM).Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, this study conducted a co-citation analysis using bibliographic data to unveil the intellectual connections and relationships among thematic articles related to GTM sourced from the Web of Science.FindingsThis review highlights three key research themes: experiences working abroad, TM approaches and the complex nature of GTM as a living system.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this research is the sample itself. Content analysis based on the co-citation method resulted in some more recent releases being omitted.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of the paper include providing a structured framework for understanding the complexities of GTM.Social implicationsResearch into the academic literature in this area is divided into various clusters, empirically demonstrating how GTM and global mobility are intertwined, revealing the need for us to more thoroughly comprehend the social ramifications of GTM practices and activities and the need to further analyse the influencing social aspects in a GTM strategy, like diversity, increased mobility and virtual reality.Originality/value The analysis revealed the emergence of three distinct thematic groups: (1) global work experiences, (2) TM approaches and (3) GTM.

Triadic signatures of global human mobility networks.

Global refugee and migrant flows form complex networks with serious consequences for both sending and receiving countries as well as those in between. While several basic network properties of these networks have been documented, their finer structural character remains under-studied. One such structure is the triad significance profile (TSP). In this study, the TSPs of global refugee and migrant flow networks are assessed. Results indicate that the migrant flow network's size and TSP remain stable over the years; its TSP shares patterns with social networks such as trade networks. In contrast, the refugee network has been more dynamic and structurally unstable; its TSP shares patterns with networks in the information-processing superfamily, which includes many biological networks. Our findings demonstrate commonality between migrant and social networks as well as between refugee and biological networks, pointing to possible interdisciplinary collaboration-e.g., application of biological network theories to refugee network dynamics-, potentially furthering theoretical development with respect to both network theory and theories on human mobility.

The distribution and mobility of academic talents in the Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Greater Bay Area

AbstractThe Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao Greater Bay Area is becoming a new world economic centre, but research on the law of academic talent mobility in the Greater Bay Area is still scarce at present. This study builds an overall analysis framework, introduces the curriculum vitae analysis method, and systematically collects resumes of academics from universities in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. Through this, we try to find the stock, distribution, study origin and inflow of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area, the internal mobility of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area, and the global mobility network of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area. Academic mobility is a significant topic in higher education research, closely related to higher education's competitiveness and attractiveness. This research is of positive significance for clarifying the basic situation of academic talents in the Greater Bay Area, scientifically carrying out talent planning during the new stage of China's national economic and social development, and scientifically attracting talents based on the law of talent mobility.

A conceptual model of individuals' decision to engage in global mobility: integrating self-determination theory and theory of planned behavior

PurposeCompanies target globally mobile workers and face the war for talent, while individuals are more reluctant to engage in global mobility. This scenario led us to propose a model to understand the individuals' decision process to engage in global mobility.Design/methodology/approachBuilding on the self-determination theory, the theory of planned behavior and the literature on decisions for global mobility, the authors propose mechanisms through which psychological variables and assignments' factual and perceived contextual aspects (directly or indirectly) explain the decision to engage or not in global mobility.FindingsThis study offers a conceptual model with the authors' novel propositions to explain individuals' decision to engage in global mobility.Originality/valueThe model provides a more comprehensive explanation of the individuals' decision-making process to engage in global mobility than previous models and potentially yields more effective organizational practices to attract both well-established and emerging phenomena of globally mobile workers.

The Role of English Language Support Programs on International Academic Mobility of University Students in Shandong College of Economics and Business, China

This paper explores the pivotal role of English language support programs in shaping the international academic mobility experiences of university students at Shandong College of Economics and Business, China. Conducting a quantitative study involving 150 participants engaged in international academic mobility, the research investigates the impact of language support initiatives, identifies challenges faced by students, and gathers suggestions for program improvement. Results reveal significant improvements in English language proficiency, academic performance, and overall satisfaction among participants. Challenges encountered, including language barriers, cultural adjustment, academic rigor, and social integration, underscore the complexities of global academic experiences. Participants' suggestions for program improvement, emphasizing increased language practice opportunities, enhanced cultural preparation, additional academic support, and more social events, provide actionable insights for program refinement. This study contributes to the broader discourse on the internationalization of higher education, emphasizing the transformative potential of language support programs in fostering successful global academic mobility experiences. The findings hold implications for institutions globally seeking to optimize language support initiatives for an increasingly diverse student body and nurture globally competent citizens.

Reported language choice and usage of teenage Mauritians

Abstract This article investigates language choice and usage of teenage Mauritians and possible variations due to gender differences. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data from our investigation, we analyse language differences in male and female students when interacting with peers, using social media, evaluating language preference and making future plans. The findings reveal that teenage girls are more likely to use trilingual combinations (English, French, Kreol) in everyday interactions with friends and on social media whereas boys tend to favour Kreol predominantly. Respondents’ language attitudes towards English and French were influenced by academic success, opportunities for global mobility and employment. Positive attitudes towards Kreol were associated with its role as the Mauritian native language that allows ease of communication. Quadralingual combinations (English, French, Kreol and an Asian heritage language) were low, but preference for heritage languages was related to one’s cultural and ancestral ties as well as career prospects.

Artificial Intelligence in Migrant Labour Management: A Comprehensive Review

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the management of migrant labor, exploring the potential benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations. The increasing global mobility of the workforce demands innovative solutions, and AI applications offer transformative possibilities in various aspects of migrant labor management. This paper critically examines existing literature, discusses key trends, and presents insights into the current state of AI-driven systems in addressing challenges related to migration and labor management.

Development of a provably secure and privacy-preserving lightweight authentication scheme for roaming services in global mobility network

The accelerated development of Internet of Things services surfaced the way for providing uninterrupted and adaptable smart mobility services for mobile clients to communicate without any zone or time constraints. The global mobility network is an appropriate contender to be adopted as a communication platform to offer roaming services for swift data exchange and fast movement of mobile users in smart mobility. Nevertheless, the confidentiality and secrecy of the exchanged messages have become major concerns due to the insecure nature of the public communication channel. Additionally, it is worth monitoring that enhanced security measures must not increase the burden on limited-powered, small computationally efficient mobile devices. To fulfill these purposes, multiple authentication and key agreement protocols in the context of roaming services have been proposed in recent days. This research demonstrates that most of the previous authentication schemes for the GLOMONET environment have failed to achieve the aforesaid secrecy goals. To satisfy the purposes, this article has proposed a mutual authentication and session key negotiation scheme for roaming services that resists all security susceptibilities and provides essential requirements like anonymity with minimized computation and communication overhead. To support our claim, the security of the proposed scheme is formally verified using the well-known random oracle model and aProVerif simulation tool. Moreover, the implementation of the protocol using the broadly acknowledged NS-2 simulation tool visualizes the practical efficiency of the protocol.

Global Talent Management: A Critical Review and Research Agenda for the New Organizational Reality

Global talent management (GTM) refers to management activities in a multinational enterprise (MNE) that focus on attracting, motivating, deploying, and retaining high performing and/or high potential employees in strategic roles across a firm's global operations. Despite the critical importance for individual and firm outcomes, scholarly analysis and understanding lack synthesis, and there is limited evidence that MNEs are managing their talent effectively on a global scale. In this article, we review the GTM literature and identify the challenges of implementing GTM in practice. We explore how GTM is aligned with MNE strategy, examine how talent pools are identified, and highlight the role of global mobility. We discuss GTM at the macro level, including the exogenous factors that impact talent management and the outcomes of GTM at various levels. Finally, we identify some emerging challenges and opportunities for the future of GTM.

Forgotten globalizing actors: towards an understanding of the range of individuals involved in global norm formation in multinational companies

AbstractWhile there is substantial literature on global mobility, roles in the global integration of multinationals are not limited to internationally mobile staff. We focus on ‘globalizing actors’, defined as those within multinationals who are involved in global norm-making. Using interview-based qualitative data, we categorize individuals’ involvement in global norm-making according to the function within norm formation in which they are involved, their source of influence, and their geographical and organizational reach. We identify nine distinct types of globalizing actors. We demonstrate that many individuals play important roles in global norm-making without having formal hierarchical authority or being globally mobile. Our approach draws attention to the ways in which many globalizing actors use ‘social skill’ to further their aims. Our categorization of such ‘forgotten globalizing actors’ facilitates future research by allowing a fuller understanding of the ways in which individuals across multinationals contribute to global integration.

Home and Psychological Well-being in Global Consumer Mobility

Home and Psychological Well-being in Global Consumer Mobility

What really matters for global intergenerational mobility?

This study investigates the genuine impacts of education expansion, education inequality, and parental dependency on intergenerational mobility. It utilizes data from the Global Database on Intergenerational Mobility for 153 countries and cohorts born between the 1940s and 1980s. By employing a causal machine learning approach to address confounding problems, this research reveals that education expansion can promote intergenerational mobility to a certain extent. However, its effectiveness is partially diminished by education inequality and may be ineffective if parental dependency exists at a high level. Furthermore, this study also indicates that while gender inequality in intergenerational mobility still exists, its degree has been significantly reduced across generations. When compared to parental dependency, gender effects are far less important. Therefore, there is a need to reassess the roles of parental dependency and gender bias in intergenerational mobility, especially when parental dependency is currently underestimated, and gender bias is overemphasized.

Digitalization of remote personnel recruitment

The article considers the issues of using digital technologies and tools in the field of search and selection of personnel, taking into account the development of forms of remote work and intercultural cooperation. Technological development, labor globalization processes, economic crisis, pandemic, war and increased fierce competition have led to the emergence of new forms of employment and the use of new modern tools in terms of attracting personnel. The analysis of the labor market proves the need for search and recruitment specialists to use digital tools, update business processes in companies, and adapt the company's recruitment processes to modern business needs. The ability to perform work from anywhere in the world, broad prospects for global staff mobility and remote work have become one of the modern challenges facing businesses and recruiters in particular. Remote recruiting as a form of hiring and personnel management is gaining popularity and is becoming an important component of the modern business process. A list of advantages and disadvantages of using remote recruiting is provided in order to simplify the selection and identification process. The study revealed a significant number of digital tools that are offered for remote recruiting, which indicates the relevance of this issue. The main characteristics of digital tools in terms of relevance and practical use are described, which help to navigate among the tools offered on the market. The study shows that the use of digital tools significantly improves the productivity and efficiency of the recruitment process. General recommendations on the main aspects of choosing an automated system to work in the context of remote recruiting are formed. It is noted that the choice of an automated system for recruiting should be adapted to the individual needs and objectives of the company. The use of digital tools in the context of remote recruiting will lead to optimization of business costs in terms of time, finance and resources, improving the candidate evaluation system and reducing the degree of influence of the human intervention factor.