1st Edition

International Assignments An Integration of Strategy, Research, and Practice

    302 Pages
    by CRC Press

    302 Pages
    by CRC Press

    Although firms have been sending employees on international assignments for decades, systematic understanding is sorely lacking. This volume looks at such critical aspects of the assignment process as the selection process, the training required, factors that affect adjustment, performance and commitment, and how to retain and capitalize on the international experience once employees return home.

    This book is written for human resource managers and executives whose focus includes the global economy and the strategic role of people in achieving international competitiveness. It can be used as a textbook for courses in International Human Resource Management.

    Contents: Foreword. Preface. Part I: Introduction. The Strategic Roles of International Assignments in Globalization. The Process of Cross-Cultural Adjustment. Part II: Before the Assignment. Selecting: Identifying Candidates With Global Leadership Potential. Training: Helping People to Do the Right Things. Part III: During the Assignment. Adjusting: Developing New Mental Road Maps and Cultural Skills. Integrating: Balancing Multiple Allegiances. Appraising: Determining if People are Doing the Right Things. Rewarding: Compensation and Pay. Part IV: After the Assignment. Repatriating: Helping People Readjust and Perform. Retaining: Utilizing the Experienced Global Manager. Managing the Entire Global Assignment Cycle: Establishing Best Practices.

    Biography

    Linda K. Stroh, J. Stewart Black, Mark E. Mendenhall, Hal B. Gregersen

    "This book is an important addition to the management literature on globalization. It weaves practical examples and theory to provide new insights on the critical importance of developing the right staffing and human resource strategies to support global strategies. Managers and scholars alike will find this book insightful and valuable."
    Ellen Ernst Kossek
    School of Labor and Industrial Relations, Michigan State University

    "The book is written by really top-notch people in the field, all of whom have very strong credentials. The use of real examples and "best practices" is excellent. I especially like the use of quotes from experts that are sprinkled throughout the book. The book makes good use of scientific research to support its concepts."

    "This is a thorough and useful book. The book provides research-based suggestions for policies and practices. The attention to repatriation is particularly important and offers direction for companies to avoid mistakes as well as warning for individuals to heed. The authors go beyond the Western viewpoint to describe how organizations based in other cultures manage their expatriates. There are numerous examples, quotes, and in-depth cases written by executives. Also, excellent charts and figures convey and explain concepts....This book deals with an issue many companies have struggled with for some time."
    Manuel London
    Director of the Center for Human Resource Studies, State University of New York