Organizational Goals, Individual Goals, and Expatriate Assignments: Identifying Career Development in a Professional Service Firm
Open Access
Author:
Pai, Avinash Venkatesh
Graduate Program:
Human Resources and Employment Relations
Degree:
Master of Science
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
April 03, 2012
Committee Members:
Elaine Farndale, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Tommy C Hogan, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Sumita Raghuram, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
expatriate career development organizational goals
Abstract:
This paper seeks to explore the extent to which individual and organizational needs are addressed during expatriate assignments. The growing body of literature within global talent management provides ample evidence of leveraging internal talent to address organizational issues. However the relatively sparse literature on addressing individual needs summons our attention to identifying career development during expatriation. This study builds upon Bolino (2007) in order to identify the extent to which the international assignment has the potential for individual career development. I identify four major themes that address organizational and individual goals during expatriate assignments: 1) International assignments address organizational goals, 2) the nature of international assignments and its potential to impact career development, 3) successful repatriation for career development, and 4) training and development to ensure successful completion of the assignment. A qualitative analysis conducted on the interview responses obtained from global mobility managers in a professional service firm validates these propositions. The results also indicate a unique approach adopted by the organization in order to provide international experience based on individual preferences, even when these deployments are not strategically tied to organizational goals. Limitations and direction for future studies are listed in the conclusion.
