All pain, little gain? Reframing the value of international assignments
Welch, Denice Steen, Adam Tahvanainen, Marja
Welch, Denice
Steen, Adam
Tahvanainen, Marja
Abstract
It has long been recognised that international assignments play an important strategic role in a company's portfolio of global staffing options. However, there has been limited work that demonstrates how companies measure their return on investment (ROI) from international assignments. In this article, we present the results of a two-country study of nine multinational companies that questions the use of measures such as return-on-investment (ROI). Rather, we reframe how international assignments are considered and contend that the concept of intellectual capital best captures the true worth – to organisations and individuals – of international assignments.
Keywords
HR function, human capital, intellectual capital, international assignments, repatriates, ROI, social capital
Date
2009
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal of Human Resource Management
Book
Volume
20
Issue
6
Page Range
1327-1343