Choices, Challenges, and Career Consequences of Global Work Experiences

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, there has been increased interest in global forms of employment. Researchers have identified and investigated a number of global work experiences, including corporate and self-initiated expatriates as well as more novel forms of corporate global employees (flexpatriates, short-term assignees, and international business travelers). In this article, the authors review the empirical research that has investigated individual choices, challenges, and career consequences associated with the various types of global work. They summarize and synthesize this growing body of literature and then develop a taxonomy of global work experiences. Based on their review of this literature and their taxonomy, the authors outline an agenda for future research on global work experiences.

A systematic review of current understandings of employability

“…Nevertheless, the role of capital in developing variables such as job performance and career consequences has been supported by a range of publications (QUIŃONES, Ford, & Teachout, 1995;Shaffer, Kraimer, Chen, & Bolino, 2012).…”

Career Mobility in a Global Era: Advances in Managing Expatriation and Repatriation

“…Based on a review of 114 empirical papers published between 1991 and 2011, Shaffer, Kraimer, Chen and Bolino (2012) concluded that the tendency to use exploratory studies in E&R suggests that the field is still in its infancy, with no single dominant methodology. Over 40% of the studies are qualitative, another indication that the field is in the early stages of theoretical development (Shah & Corley, 2006).…”

“…A minority (23%) used mixed methods and only a fraction (7%) employed a longitudinal design. We believe that the methodology ratios identified by Shah and Corley (2006) and by Shortland and Altman (2011) as well as the analysis provided by Shaffer et al (2012) represent the spread of research methodologies employed in the study of E&R in general, with some notable exceptions, such as ethnographic studies (e.g. Lauring & Selmer, 2009) and the use of supplementary secondary data (e.g.…”

“…To date, while no major impact has been found for current careers, employees with overseas work experience, in general, perceived greater internal and external opportunities (Benson & Pattie, 2008). Yet, the impact of individual choices, challenges, as well as career consequences associated with various types of global mobility (Shaffer et al, 2012) have received little research attention. A related question is the extent to which global mobility should be viewed as a normative life/career trajectory and for which populations.…”

Multicultural Personality and Cross-Cultural Adjustment among Sojourners in New Zealand

“…Inability to establish meaningful cross-cultural adaptation and adjustment contributes to the sojourning difficulties which including a decreased in productivity, drop-out among students, premature return, insufficient organizational and social support, intention to leave, learning helplessness and frustration, perceived uneven marginalization and discrimination, strain and stress, turnover or failure, uncertainty in future career development, and unsatisfactory performance (Bhaskar-Shrinivas et al, 2005;Shaffer et al, 2012). In addition, communication breakdown, intercultural conflict and, spouse"s involvement (Lauring and Selmer, 2010) and work-family conflict gives additional strain to the sojourners" international mobility.…”