Short-term International Assignments Research Articles

Delving into the dichotomous trajectory of Indian women flexpatriates: using the lens of JD-R theory

PurposeDrawing from the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, this paper aims to identify unique job demands, job resources and personal resources in the context of Indian women flexpatriates (IWFs) and understand how they manage to perform in their short-term international assignments (SIAs).Design/methodology/approachThis study takes a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews of 15 IWFs.FindingsThematic analysis reveals dual-role workload, emotional demands and diluted importance of the assignments as job demands; opportunity for professional growth, social support and combination of work and leisure as job resources, and building up of self-esteem and self-efficacy as personal resources. Also, the unique Indian family structure, Indian women's desire to have “me-time” and zeal to strengthen their identity emerge as differentiating factors for IWFs that enhance their performance.Practical implicationsIWFs are enthusiastic to take up SIAs as it gives them opportunity to enhance their career and strengthen their identity. In addition to their willingness to travel, advance planning of SIAs and profiling of women based on marital status, family type and children can be done for selection.Social implicationsDespite hailing from paternalistic and male-dominating society and facing familial challenges, IWFs find SIAs liberating, which gives them an opportunity to spend some “me-time,” strengthen their identity and enhance their professional growth.Originality/valueThis is the first qualitative study contextualizing flexpatriation with gender and region by studying Indian women professionals.

Short-term international assignments and their performances: A conceptual framework for future researchers

Significant research has been undertaken on expatriates, but comparatively little is available on short-term international assignees (SIAs) (Conroy, et al., 2018, Vance et al., 2017) [5, 19, 33]. Limited coverage of SIAs within the literature encouraged this conceptual paper which seeks to not only understands the concept of SIAs but also that to offer a direction for future researchers to carry out research with a holistic approach. The purpose of this paper is to propose a model to increase the adjustment and performances of SIAs. This conceptual model has integrated a series of activities: organizational support and social support that is expected to take place at three-time stages to make sure SIAs adjustment and performance. The outcomes of the paper will come up with adequate indicators to measure the integration and effectiveness of the job performance of SIAs. The literature-based data compilation was done to develop this model.

A race against time: training and support for short-term international assignments

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the specific forms of training and support that individuals on short-term international assignments (SIAs) receive. It further explores issues such as short notice prior to departure and how this impacts the type of training and support compared to what the extant literature on expatriates intimates. Scholars and practitioners both agree that the increasing deployment of individuals on SIAs presents significant challenges that have not yet been met with the development of appropriate organisational policies and practices. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on in-depth exploratory qualitative interviews with a sample of German assignees, the paper is abductive in nature with semi-structured interviews analysed through thematic based analysis. The data analysis identifies the need for more tailored training and support through formal and informal mechanisms, developed in pre-departure and post-arrival contexts. Findings The paper makes key contributions through providing much needed empirical evidence on the training and support short-term assignees receive and in so doing we identify specific forms of training and supports deemed relevant from the perspective of individuals on SIAs. Given the inherent time constraints for SIAs, the significance of informal support, in both pre-departure and post-arrival contexts is especially emphasised. Originality/value The paper is one of the first empirical pieces of work to explicitly consider the specific forms of training and support that SIAs consider important. The authors answer calls for greater consideration into the significance of developing a more tailored and strategic approach to managing SIAs as a specific form of an international assignee.

Managing Yopatriates: A Longitudinal Study of Generation Y Expatriates in an Indian Multi-national Corporation

This paper provides a study of HRM practices for a new category of expatriates - “Yopatriates” - who we note as young, highly qualified and mobile, Generation Y (Gen Y) knowledge workers. In contrast to traditional expatriates, Yopatriates typify non-traditional forms of expatriation wherein they seek short-term international assignments to suit their individual (internal, rather than organisational or external) career orientations of learning and travel. We study this group using a case study analysis of a large Indian Multi National Corporation (MNC) delivering global information technology (IT) and business process offshoring (BPO) services. Our study presents the HRM practices adopted to manage both expatriates as well as Yopatriates at the case organisation being studied within an India setting. We further evaluate the extent to which internal HR practices of Yopatriates were characterised, by a desire to emulate or adopt what were regarded as global ‘HR best practices’. Our distinctive contribution lies in extending the literature by developing a distinctive theoretical category of non-traditional expatriates that (1) highlights a need for a different set of HRM practices; and (2) extends the theory of cultural adjustment in the context of Yopatriates. Evidence suggests that these practices were complementary and at the same time contradictory to ‘indigenous’ localised practices during the period of research and complied with two of the four arguments we make in our model.

Antecedents of Cross-Cultural Adaptation Stress in Short-Term International Assignments

ABSTRACTThis study examines the role of cultural intelligence, perceived language fluency, and number of previous international experiences during a short-term international community service project in a foreign country. Based on a sample of 171 undergraduate and graduate students, the findings suggest that motivational cultural intelligence significantly impacted lowering cross-cultural adaptation stress levels experiences during short-term trips, while perceived language ability significantly increased stress levels. In addition, the control variables of age and gender were also found to significantly impact stress levels. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Mixed-Methods Research on Support for Fly-In Fly-Out Academics

Although mixed-methods are becoming more popular, there are limited studies using mixed-method in short-term international assignments research. Mixed-method may prove superior in enhancing synergistic understandings of realities. The idea that mixed method studies permit researchers to pragmatically access the best of both [qualitative and quantitative] worlds is clearly advantageous. Thus, this paper discusses how a mixed-method is designed and conducted to analyze support for fly-in-in fly-out academics.

Up in the air: an examination of the work–life balance of fly-in–fly-out academics

There is a dearth of research on the work–life balance experiences of academics who undertake short-term international teaching assignments. Academics who teach offshore are also accountable for onshore activities including lecturing, research, supervision of higher degree students, mentoring, publishing and administrative obligations inter alia. These responsibilities pose further challenges to work and life. Within the context of a qualitative design, 11 academics were interviewed in depth regarding their short-term international teaching experiences. Specific issues relating to family separation, excessive work hours, poor assignment planning and lack of organisational recognition were identified. Findings have important implications for academics, and university policy and practice.

Short-term international assignments. Military perspectives and implications for international human resource management

Short-term international assignments have been under-explored in international human resource management (IHRM) literature and research. Equally, there is a dearth of studies on international mobility beyond multinational corporations. Drawing on an exploratory study of short-term international assignments in the Irish Defence Forces, this paper considers the implications for IHRM.

Cross-cultural training and its impact on expatriate performance in Australian MNEs

This study examines cross-cultural training (CCT) policies and practices in terms of provision, mode of delivery and level of rigor, and the relative effects of different CCT programmes on expatriates in Australian multinational enterprises (MNEs). The empirical evidence suggests that the case study Australian MNEs tended to provide highly rigorous CCT, mainly in the form of short-term international assignments, which, however, are yet to be perceived as CCT in the CCT literature. Short-term assignments had a stronger impact on expatriates in terms of cross-cultural adjustment and reducing expatriate failure rate than did in-country CCT. The findings of this study contribute to the debate whether MNEs normally provide expatriates with adequate CCT, and have significant implications for practitioners and further research.

‘Out of sight but still in the picture’: short-term international assignments and the influential role of family

This paper focuses on the role of the family, and related issues associated with short-term international assignments from the assignees' perspective. Conceptually our study utilizes discourse analysis set within a social constructionist framework to understand these issues better. Our research is a longitudinal case study which encompasses 22 interviews with short-term assignees employed by a US-based MNC. Despite the physical absence of the family/spouse on short-term assignments, a number of family related concerns emerge in our study. First, ‘single’ assignees, as well as married assignees, have family related concerns. Second, extended, as well as immediate family, are influential in the assignment process. Third, long-distance family support is crucial in the wake of assignment-imposed separation. Finally, there are significant family issues associated with repatriation in the aftermath of a short-term assignment.

Implications of Short-term International Assignments

Increasingly, multinational companies, faced with cost issues and rising staff immobility, are substituting or complementing traditional expatriate assignments with other types of international assignments. These so-called non-standard international assignments include: short-term, commuter, rotational, contractual and virtual assignments. The most popular form of non-standard assignments continues to be the short-term assignment. However, this important organizational activity has received limited attention compared to the burgeoning literature on traditional expatriate assignments. In this paper, we use data from an exploratory study of 11 large Finnish multinationals to explore aspects relating to short-term international assignments. While there are similarities to traditional long-term assignments, the differences pose special HR challenges.