Extreme Expatriation: The Effect of Location Factors and Masculine Environments on Women’s International Assignment Participation in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production

2018

Self Cite

Type of submission: Case study Abstract PurposeThis case study is designed as a teaching exercise and to highlight key issues for organisations expatriating women within masculine industry sectors and/or into challenging international environments. Design/methodology/approachThis case study draws together key published findings relating to women's expatriation in the oil and gas exploration and production sector. It demonstrates a triangulated research design, drawing upon organisational policy from two oil and gas firms, semi-structured interviews with 14 Human Resource professionals and 26 female expatriates, as well as from 71 female assignees' questionnaire responses. FindingsCareer and financial drivers underpin women's motivations for accepting organisationallyassigned expatriation. Women expatriates engage in satisficing and career compromise. The main challenges women face in masculine industries include: access to expatriate roles due to limited female networks; family concerns; managing working time and work-life balance;and coping with loneliness. Research limitations/implicationsThe oil and gas case findings are based on a cross-sectional research design. The majority of female expatriates undertook long-term assignments; limited numbers engaged in flexpatriation. Practical implicationsWhile organisational policy supporting expatriation does not usually address gendered expatriate concerns specifically, inclusion of interventions that are identified by women as helpful to their expatriate participation can assist in increasing expatriate gender diversity. Originality/valueThis oil and gas research case brings together and presents a summary of the motivations, problems and challenges faced by women in male-dominated expatriate environments, together with relevant theoretical approaches and organisational interventions to help us understand and increase expatriate gender diversity.

Section: Discussion: Implications For Research and Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Female expatriates’ motivations and challenges: the case of oil and gas

2018

Self Cite

“…IAMs report rotational working as widely used in their firms, aligning with oil and gas industry practice (Air Inc., 2017). Used in remote and challenging host locations, rotation is highly male-dominated (Shortland, 2016a). With so few women undertaking this assignment type, this helps to explain low expatriate gender diversity in this sector.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such assignments are usually offered as accompanied postings (ORC Worldwide, 2009) with family support acknowledged as providing a stable home base (Cappellen & Janssens, 2010a), setting the foundation for acceptable work-life balance (Meyskens, Von Glinow, Werther & Clarke, 2009). In hostile/remote locations, which either present danger toor lack of facilities forpartners and families, unaccompanied assignments are offered with trips home to maintain contact (Shortland, 2016a). However, leaving partners and children behind can lead to stress and work-family conflict (Mäkelä & Suutari, 2011).…”

Section: Assignment Typesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Women’s participation in organisationally assigned expatriation: an assignment type effect

The International Journal of Human Resource Management

2018

Self Cite

This article examines women's participation in long-term, short-term, rotational and commuter organisationally-assigned expatriation. It explores the effects of assignment length, pattern and accompanied/unaccompanied status on career contribution and home/family life outcomes. This triangulated research draws upon e-mail correspondence with 71 current female expatriates to learn about assignment types undertaken and future assignment intentions; and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 26 of these assignees, and 14 Human Resource professionals in two case study oil and gas firms. This research is set within the theoretical frame of rational choice which suggests that couples engage co-operatively in their division of labour to maximise lifetime earnings, with women prioritising home and family over career prospects. The research finds that long-term assignments enable women to maximise or achieve high levels of both career and family outcomes. Alternative 'flexpatriate' assignments provide lower quality career potential and familial relationships, leading to career and/or family compromise/sacrifice. A model is presented to explain women's assignment preferences in meeting career and family life objectives, extending rational choice theory into the expatriate context. Increasing use of flexpatriation may inhibit expatriate gender diversity.

“…This is also true of the mining industry which is reported as encouraging gender diversity as a means of achieving a "more cooperative culture" (Pirotta, 2009, p.39). Herein though lies an inter-twined problemthese extractive industries are highly masculine as are their international assignee populations (Richardson et al, 2014), particularly those undertaking a frequent flyer style of global mobility (Shortland, 2016a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

International rotational assignments: women's challenge to occupational gender segregation

2020

CDI

Self Cite

PurposeThe purpose of this exploratory research is to understand how women have accessed male-dominated oil and gas international rotational assignments and why they believe these roles to be professionally worthwhile.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional qualitative study is based on semi-structured interviews and correspondence with female international rotational assignees, and interviews with HR professionals involved in selection and deployment for such assignments.FindingsHR personnel stereotype women as unsuitable for international rotational assignments. Women must be exceptionally determined and/or circumvent selection processes to access such roles. Women value the professional and personal development gained from international rotational assignments which helps them widen their occupational skills capacity.Research limitations/implicationsTo extend these findings, larger samples of female international rotational assignees and research in a wider range of industries are required. Longitudinal studies could further our understanding of women’s career progression building upon their international rotational assignment experience.Practical implicationsTo reduce stereotyping of women's perceived unsuitability, greater understanding of international rotational assignment roles/environments is required by managers involved in selection. Transparent selection processes are required to support diversity. Greater interest in the work performed by international rotational assignees will raise their profile and assist with wider labour market opportunities.Social implicationsOrganisational representatives unintentionally reinforce occupational segregation by stereotyping women as less appropriate workers than men for international rotational assignments.Originality/valueThis research hears women's voices as they begin to make inroads into the masculine world of oil and gas international rotational assignments. Research propositions and recommendations for practice are suggested to assist in breaking down male monopoly in this context.