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Antecedent factors contributing to success in international assignments:
A qualitative-integrative based analysis
Sub-theme 34: Managing across Borders: Expatriate Managers in Multinational Companies
Authors:
Rachel Gabel-Shemueli
Escuela de Post Grado
Universidad del Pacifico
Alonso de Molina 1652, Monterrico, Surco, Lima - Perú
Telephone: (511) 317-7200
Fax: (511) 345-1328, 345-1276
Email: gabel_r@up.edu.pe
Simon Dolan
ESADE ‘Future of Work’ – Chair
ESADE Business School, Ramon Llull University
Av. de la Torre Blanca, 59E-08172 Sant Cugat Barcelona Spain
Telephone: +34 93 554 35 11
Fax: +34 93 204 81 05
Email: simon.dolan@esade.edu
S. Kubra Canhilal (Corresponding author)
PhD Cand. ESADE Business School, Future of Work Unit, Ramon Llull University
Av. de la Torre Blanca, 59E-08172 Sant Cugat Barcelona Spain
Telephone: +34 93 554 35 11
Fax: +34 93 204 81 05
Email: kubra.canhilal@gmail.com
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Introduction
The number of international assignments continues to grow and the management complexity involved is
evident. Therefore, research that identifies the factors associated with success in an international
assignment (hereafter IA) is clearly needed.
The terms success and failure in IA have been used to describe multiple criteria for international
assignment outcomes and embrace individual and organisational perspectives (Takeuchi et al., 2002,
among others). However, while a great deal of research has been done on predicting and defining the
criteria for success in overseas assignments, our understanding of the key factors that underlie success in
international assignment remains unclear and requires further exploration (e.g. Shaffer et al., 2006;
Takeuchi et al., 2005).
Recognising this important vacuum, the study reported herein attempts to answer the following: what are
the most important factors that lead to success in international assignments? More specifically, the study
has the following objectives: firstly, to gather, identify, and classify the factors associated with success in
an international assignment and this has been done using an extensive literature review. Secondly, an
empirical set up was designed and employed to explore the factors that contribute to success in IA. This
was undertaken using a qualitative approach based on interviews with a carefully selected sample of
professionals who currently hold overseas assignments or have a broad experience in overseas
assignments.
This study aims to contribute to the IA knowledge base in two important ways. Firstly, the study
examines, compares, and synthesises the findings of published research in order to identify the full range
of factors associated with and leading to success in IA. The review has been driven from three
perspectives: individual, organisational, and contextual. We argue that such a broad and multi-level
perspective may contribute to a more refined understanding of the need to form an integrative framework
that addresses the most relevant factors related to success in IA (e.g., Shih et al., 2005). Secondly, this
study assesses the relative perceived importance and the contribution of each of the factors related to
success in IA (e.g., Wang 2008).
Antecedent factors for success in international assignment
One generic conclusion based on previous findings is that IA success originates from individual,
organisational, and contextual factors (see Bhaskar-Shrinivas et al., 2005).
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Individual perspective: The individual perspective includes direct and indirect individual-related factors
and characteristics that either promote or inhibit effectiveness and success in overseas assignments (e.g.,
Bhaskar-Shrinivas et al., 2005; Caligiuri et al. 2009). The personal characteristics are divided into two
dimensions: ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ data. Within the broad list of antecedents, the main ‘soft’ factors are:
personality traits, cognitive emotional and cultural abilities, personal drive and motivation, relational and
social skills, stress management, cross-cultural adjustment skills, and managerial abilities (Black et
al.,1991; Macnob et al., 2012; Storc et al., 2012; Pinto et al., 2012; Hashimoto, 2012).
Organisational perspective: The organisational perspective includes IA strategy, and management
practices that support the international business strategy and objectives (e.g., Harvey and Moeller, 2009;
McKenna et al., 2009). The most common IA management practices cover issues such as recruitment and
selection, cross-cultural skills training and development, support for international assignees and their
families, job performance appraisal and evaluation, incentive and compensation, and lastly, repatriation
and career management. These are the practice factors that have the greatest impact on the success and
effectiveness of an IA (e.g., Wang 2008; Warner and Schneider, 2011)
Contextual perspective: An expanding body of research has discussed the differences between home and
host country characteristics – as well as the variety of national characteristics and institutional norms.
These are all important factors that are considered as critical contextual aspects related to success in IA
(e.g. Waxin and Panaccio, 2005; Kim et al., 2012).
Sample, methods and procedures:
Sample: Forty-five participants were selected and drawn from a population of professionals who were
involved in international assignments in Peru, as well as others who had previously been on assignment
abroad. The sample came from subsidiaries of 15 international companies, representing a variety of
industries (oil, mining, consumer products, financial services, chemicals, and professional services) and
the remaining two participants were professionals who have long experience in IA and were currently
working in their home country. The participants met the following criteria: (a) each held a management
or supervisory position; and (b) each had been living in the host country for at least one year. Table 2
provides the demographic profile of the interviewees.
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Four main groups were identified among the 45 interviewees. The first group consisted of two
professionals with long experience in IA and who were not currently working in IA positions; the second
group consisted of ten senior managers who had more than ten years experience in IA and held senior
positions in subsidiaries in the host country (i.e. managing director, senior manager, and general
manager). The third group consisted of 18 participants in intermediate-senior management positions who
had between 5-10 years experience in IA and had held strategic and functional positions in subsidiaries in
the host country (general managers, managers, directors). Lastly, the fourth group consisted of 15 middle-
level expatriates with vast experience in IA and who held mainly technical positions.
Data collection and procedures: A semi-structured interview was developed, validated, and employed for
collecting data. The interview protocol was driven from IA success literature that points to four related
outcomes of success in IA and 32 potential key factors in three main areas: (1) individual; (2)
organisational; and (3) contextual.
All the interviews were conducted by qualified interviewers with extensive professional experience in
interviewing. Interviews were conducted at corporate premises and all the interviews were recorded and
lasted about 45-60 minutes. The interviews were voluntary and no claim is made as to the randomness or
representativeness of the sample. The interviews were subsequently analysed using visual qualitative data
analysis software, ATLAS - Ti, version WIN 5.
Results
The content analysis yielded 678 total events for antecedent factors in the pre-codification method. Of
the three main perspectives of antecedent factors for IA success, the results indicate that the individual
perspective (473 events) accounts for 70% of the antecedent factors that are most associated with IA
success, followed by the organisational and contextual perspectives (157 and 51 events; 23% and 8%,
respectively). Of the 32 pre-codified antecedent factors for IA success, some 9 factors were most
frequently mentioned by the interviewees (over 30 events, 4.5%) and these account for 55% of IA
antecedent events.
Within the direct factors of individual perspectives, personal characteristics (253 events, 37%) and cross-
cultural abilities (51 events; 7.52%), appeared to be the most relevant factors, followed by motivational
aspects and emotional abilities (35 events, 5.16% and 33 events, 4.87%). Also, biographical data (128
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events, 19%) are perceived to be associated with success – especially time on the assignment, previous
international experience, and language fluency (34, 32 and 31 events, 5%, 4.27% and 4.57%,
respectively). As for the individual’s indirect factors, spouse adjustment was reported as an important
factor associated with success (40 events, 5.9%).
Of the related categories and factors of the organisational perspective, IA practices represented the most
important associated factor (131 events, 19%), especially the recruitment and selection process (40
events, 5.9%), followed by job performance appraisal (27 events, 3.98%), and career development (22
events, 3.24%). Lastly, of the contextual factors, cultural differences were reported as the factor most
associated with success (46 events, 6.78%).
Conclusion
Several conclusions can be drawn from these empirical findings. The first conclusion is related to the
three perspectives discussed in the literature (individual, organisational, and contextual antecedent
factors). All three perspectives appear to be relevant and contribute to success in IA; therefore, they
should be conceptually integrated and examined as a whole in conducting research (see also, Bhaskar-
Shrinivas et al., 2005; Brewster and Suutari, 2005).
A second conclusion refers to the degree of contribution of each of these three perspectives. Our findings
suggest that the individual’s antecedent factors account for 70% of factors and play the most determinant
role for success in IA.
The last conclusion is related to personal characteristics. Based on the evidence reported, the four
personal characteristics that emerge as the most important for predicting IA success are cross-cultural
abilities, emotional abilities, relational and social skills, and motivational aspects.
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