Family Issues in the Process of Expatriation and Repatriation: Implications for International Human Resource Management

Organizations can have quite diverse structures with foreign operations run and controlled by expatriates. The development of international managers is an important factor for a company`s international competitiveness and expansion. However, many international assignments fail. The most prevalent reasons for assignment failure and ineffectiveness of an expatriate are not technical or managerial limitations: they are linked with family issues. Only a minority of organizations have a clear set of selection criteria against which they examine general attitudes and motivations of accompanying family members towards international assignments. However, organizations have to do more than just focus on the selection process in order to ensure assignment success. Preparation and training of all persons concerned, ongoing communication, continuous support as well as preparation for repatriation are all important aspects in the process of expatriation. This book does not only serve as guide for organizations, but also for expatriates and their accompanying families in order to make all of those involved aware of the fact, that everyone is an important link in the chain to assignment success.