1. Re-Entry and Career Issues
Chapter Eight
Re-Entry and Career Issues

2. Chapter Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
detail the process of re-entry or repatriation
discuss job-related issues
outline social factors, including family factors that affect re-entry and work adjustment

3. Chapter Learning Objectives
suggest multinational responses to repatriate concerns
discuss staff availability and career issues
define return on investment (ROI) and knowledge transfer
outline the process of designing a repatriation program

4. Terms repatriate knowledge and re-entry shock skills: repatriates
market specific knowledge
personal skills
job-related management skills
network knowledge
general management capacity
re-entry shock
repatriates
holding pattern
kingpin
‘trailing’ partner
ROI
mentor
knowledge transfer
boundaryless career
‘protean’ career
international itinerants

5. Opening Vignette Coming Home?
challenges in the post-assignment phase of international assignments = CULTURE SHOCK

6. Expatriation Includes Repatriation (Figure 8-1)

7. Repatriation
activity of bringing the expatriate back to the home country

8. Re-entry Culture Shock
unaware of adjustment difficulties upon return
re-entry adjustment

9. Re-entry Culture Shock
Factors that contribute
extended assignments/unconscious internalizing of the countries customs and practices
lack of respect and use for international experience
career uncertainties, loss of status,
poor planning for repatriate and families return

10. Re-entry Culture Shock
Can lead to
feeling alienated and uprooted
career, performance and commitment problems
high percentage leaving company shortly after their return

11. Repatriation Activities and Practices (Figure 8-2)

12. Re-entry Culture Shock
overemphasis on a home can lead to problems with performance on assignment and premature return
overemphasis on host activities can lead to a second culture shock upon return

13. Re-entry Culture Shock
the goal of expatriation/repatriation practices is the successful integration of home and host experiences
balanced set of transitions

14. Repatriation Process- Phase I
Pre-departure
Pre-departure training (including career and financial planning)

15. Repatriation Process- Phase I
Creating a network of communication links for expatriates to be able to keep up with the changes
assign home mentors
provide web-based indices
establish communication protocols

16. Repatriation Process- Phase II
During assignment
“home leave”
work related information exchanges
mentor communications
systematic pre-return orientation process

17. Repatriation Process- Phase III
Upon return
new job assignment
organizational reconnection
assistance with non-work factors
opportunities to recognition and sharing of experiences

18. Individual Reactions to Re-entry
Moderators of re-entry readjustment
Job‑Related Factors
Social Factors

19. Factors Influencing Repatriate Adjustment (Figure 8-3)

20. Job Related Factors career anxiety work adjustment
coping with new role demands
loss of status and pay

21. Career Anxiety
expatriates two motivators for accepting an international assignment: career advancement and financial gain.
prime factor in re-entry is career anxiety

22. Career Anxiety no post-assignment guarantee of employment
fearing a loss of visibility
changes in the home workplace

23. No Post-Assignment Guarantee of Employment
68 % of respondents in the 2004 GMAC USA survey did not provide post-assignment employment guarantees
guarantee of positions decreasing; USA, UK

24. No Post-Assignment Guarantee of Employment
Europeans have a labour contract, guarantee of job upon return
Continental European firms provide guarantees to attract expatriates

25. Fearing a Loss of Visibility
loss of visibility and isolation
‘out of sight, out of mind’

26. Fearing a Loss of Visibility
Depends on various elements
the amount of contact with the home organization
the position level concerned
aware well in advance of the type of re-entry job awaiting

27. Changes in the Home Workplace
restructuring (a merger, acquisition, sale of divisions or business units, closure of a plant)
company undergoing turbulence, such as downsizing.
potential or real job loss

28. Work Adjustment the employment relationship re-entry position
devaluing the overseas experience

29. The Employment Relationship
Individuals perceptions regarding expected career progression influenced by top management/IHRM
clear messages that an international assignment is a condition for career progression
need for a global orientation or mindset; link between international experience and global managers
recruitment and selection stage; psychological contract

30. Re-entry Position Fears
peers are promoted ahead of the repatriated manager
placed in a position that is a demotion/less senior level

31. Re-entry Position IHRM issues
match the repatriate’s career expectation
‘headhunting’ repatriates

32. Career Impacts of International Assignments (Table 8-1)

33. Devaluing the Overseas Experience
promotion upon re-entry signifies that international experience is important and valued by the organization

34. Devaluing the Overseas Experience
Re-entry positions can give impression that experience is devalued
reduced responsibility and status
duties not using newly gained international expertise
work colleagues lack of interest

35. Coping with New Role Demands
mismatch of expectations
time in the foreign location; significant changes in behaviour.

36. The Repatriate Role (Figure 8-4)

37. Role Clarity
role clarity, rather than role conflict affects adjustment
clarify job description

38. Role Discretion
refers to the freedom to adjust the work role to fit the individual, making it easier for the person to utilize past, familiar behaviour, thus reducing the level of uncertainty in the new job that assists adjustment.
positive impact on adjustment

39. Predictors for Repatriation Maladjustment
length of time abroad
unrealistic expectations of job opportunities in the home company
downward job mobility
reduced work status
negative perceptions of the help and support provided by employers during and after repatriation.

40. The Readjustment Challenge (Figure 8-5)

41. Loss of Status and Pay
life on a scale that may be significantly less comfortable
pay is usually lower in absolute terms
total compensation package may allow for increased savings
housing prices and issues

42. Social Factors family adjustment social networks
effect of partners career

43. Social Factors socially and psychologically distanced
social disappointment
financial loss of the compensation premium, housing subsidy and related benefits

44. Family Adjustment
each family member is experiencing their own readjustment problems
reduced family income

45. Social Networks
internet, wireless and mobile phone technology, digital cameras and , significantly easier to stay in touch
changes with family friends ( i.e. moved, new jobs)
level of MNE support is withdrawn
children find difficulties regaining peer acceptance

46. Effect on Partner’s Career
difficulties in re-entering the workforce
negative experience of job search
declining MNE support

47. Multinational Responses
Maximize benefits of the international assignment
staff availability
return on investment
knowledge transfer

48. Staff Availability and Career Expectations
Re-entry positions
signal the importance given to international experience
impacts future staff availability

49. Linking Repatriation Process to Outcomes (Figure 8-6)

50. Boundaryless Career
shifts occurring in the employment relationship (job for life to job mobility)
sequence of job opportunities that go beyond the boundaries of single employment settings

51. Boundaryless Careerist
highly qualified mobile professionals, moving between organizations, transferring across boundaries to develop career competencies and labor market value.
international assignments are boundaryless in that the person is placed in another organization

52. Protean A self-directed continuous learning career
self –employed, contract work
commitment to career and profession ( not organization)
develop their own intercultural and managerial skills

53. Itinerants Two disadvantages lack of firm knowledge
selecting and controlling

54. Career Practices
Expatriates with traditional career expectations and long-term employment relationship aspirations; IHRM activities include
common career paths
career planning
job posting
lateral moves
career counseling
succession planning
performance management and career planning link

55. Return on Investment
cost containment continues to drive assignment trends
continued use of expatriates, must ensure the organization benefits

56. Return on Investment
U.S. MNEs spend one million dollars on each expatriate over the duration of a foreign assignment.
Black and Gregersen

57. Return on Investment Definition
a cost-benefit analysis of financial and non-financial data, measured against the purpose of the assignment.
McNulty and Tharenou

58. Difficulties Measuring MNEs Repatriate ROI
receiving feedback from the business unit
systematically tracking international assignments
no formal planning
lack of objective measures
decisions being made without realizing the costs
globalization is a ‘must’ so the ROI almost doesn’t matter

59. Knowledge Transfer
ensure international assignments are a two way process
transferring knowledge and competence back to the organization

60. Repatriate Knowledge Categories
market specific knowledge
personal skills
job-related management skills
network knowledge
general management capacity

61. Knowledge Transfer
IHRM practices that combine a unified expatriation/ repatriation cycle emphasizing knowledge transference
selection
pre-departure
in country training
mentoring
designing the international assignment
reentry training
returnee job assignment

62. Knowledge Transfer More formal activities include
“action learning” seminars by repatriates
knowledge disseminating teams
databases, index the expertise of repatriates

63. Topics Covered by a Repatriation Program (Table 8-2)

64. Mentor
senior position from the sending work unit and knows the expatriate personally
must be managed

65. Mentor alleviates the ‘out-of-sight, out-of-mind’
provides information on a regular basis
provides updates regarding positions and promotions

66. Repatriate Mentor Duties
maintaining contact with the expatriate throughout the assignment
ensuring expatriates are kept up to date with developments in the home country
ensuring expatriates are retained in existing management development programs
assisting expatriates with the repatriation process and position

67. Proactive Repatriation Strategies
managing expectations
career planning
written repatriate agreements
mentoring programs

68. Proactive Repatriation Strategies
extended home visits
reorientation programs
personalized reorientation to deal with the emotionally charged issues of social readjustment

69. Proactive Repatriation Strategies
personalized financial and tax advice and support
adjustment period
visible and concrete expressions of the repatriate’s value to the firm

70. Discussion Questions What factors contribute to re-entry shock?
2. How can multinationals assist dual career couples’ repatriation?
3. Placing value on the international assignment assists repatriate retention. Discuss this statement.

71. Discussion Questions
What are the elements of a good mentoring system for international assignees?
5. What aspects would you include in a pre-repatriation program?

72. Case: Repatriation and Loss Prevention at ISCAM
What could ISCAM have done throughout Wayne’s assignment and upon his return to Greater Sudbury to arrange a smother repatriation for him?
2. What could or should Wayne have done to help himself and his family to prepare for their return to Greater Sudbury? To what extend is it the company’s fault that Wayne and his family find it difficult to adjust to their lives back in Greater Sudbury?

73. Case: Repatriation and Loss Prevention at ISCAM
3. What could the company have done to help Wayne’s family to overcome its re-adjustment problems? Where or what are the limits for a company and its responsibilities for expatriates’ family members and their repatriation?