repatriation issues
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INTERNATIONAL HUMAN
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT-
repatriation issues
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Repatriation
Repatriation may be defined as the activity of bringing anexpatriate back to the home country
Repatriation is the final step in the expatriation process(recruitment & selection predeparture training foreign assignment repatriation or reassignment)
Repatriation is important because with it are associateda number of severe challenges for the expatriate which
may significantly determine his or her performance priorto the return to the home country, and which hinder theexpatriates reintegration due to readjustment problemsor reverse culture shock (reentry shock) after return
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Phase-wise Perspective of Repatriation
Preparation
Physical Relocation
Transition
Readjustment
Repatriation Process
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Phases of the Repatriation Process (1)
Preparation Provision of information to the expatriateto facilitate the return to the home country. Example:Checklist of the things to do in the host country prior todeparture (closing accounts, payment of bills etc.)
Physical Relocation Includes activities such asremoving personal effects, breaking ties with colleaguesand friends and traveling to the home country. Help tothe expatriate and his or her family is usually provided byrelocation consultants or firms. Comprehensive andpersonalized relocation assistance serves to reduceanxiety, stress, uncertainty and disruption experiencedby the expatriate and his or her family
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Phases of the Repatriation Process (2)
Transition Phase in which the expatriate and his orher family readjust to their return to the home country.Some companies hire relocation consults to assist in thisphase also. Typical activities include acquiring temporary
accommodation, making arrangements for housing andschooling, performing necessary administrative tasks(e.g. renewing drivers license, applying for medicalinsurance, opening bank accounts)
Readjustment This phase involves coping withreverse culture shock and the expatriates careerdemands on the organization
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Career Anxiety)
The effect of an international assignment on anexpatriates career path are major concerns for thatindividual. Usually, an international assignment isaccepted because of its anticipated career benefits
Anxiety may arise if an expatriate feels that his or hercareer advancement opportunities are notcommensurate with the sacrifices made by the expatriateand his or her family as a consequence of acceptance ofthe assignment
Anxiety over the reentry position in the organization mayoccur long before repatriation
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Possible Reasons for Career Anxiety)
Period of absence from the home country has caused loss of
visibility, isolation and feeling of being forgotten for the
expatriate, especially if he or she is based in a subsidiary unit
with lots or independence and comparatively little contact with
the organizations headquarters
Worry over inadequate planning by the organization and that
the expatriate will be given a mediocre or makeshift job
Worry about restructuring and/or downsizing measures
underway in an organization
Lack of a guaranteed job upon return to the parent
organization Worry that the position given or return
corresponds to a demotion
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Career Anxiety)
The declining tendency of organizations to offer job
guarantees to expatriates after their return from a foreign
assignment may have adverse consequences in terms
of:
Staff Availability
Perception of Foreign Assignments (High-Risk Career Strategy)
Heightened Career Anxiety
Commitment to the Organization and Productivity while on theForeign Assignment
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Devaluation of the Intern. Experience)
Expatriates are often confronted with being offered
reentry positions that appear unconnected with their
international experience
Sometimes returning expatriates are offered positions
that are less challenging and with reduced responsibility
and status than they had prior to going on their foreign
assignment (negative career progression), causing both
a demotivation (on the returning expatriate) and
deterrence (on potential expatriates) effect
Devaluation of international experience and repatriate
turnover tend to be positively correlated
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Loss of Status and Pay (1))
International assignments often are associated with
considerable status and prestige for an expatriate, for
e.g. in terms of autonomy, more responsibility and a
prominent role in the local community (kingpin)
Returning to the parent organization usually results in
the loss of autonomy and status
Over there, you are the big fish in a small pond.
Back home, you return to being the small fish
in a big pond!
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Loss of Status and Pay (2))
International assignments often bring with them several
compensatory benefits (expatriate premiums) and
additional savings, which have to be forgone when an
expatriate returns to the home country
After returning from an international assignment, an
expatriate may no longer be able to purchase a home
similar to the one he or she may have sold prior to goingon the international assignment. Also, the standard of
housing in the foreign assignment location may have
been better than on return to the home country
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Social Considerations (1))
If an expatriate served in a foreign assignment in a high-
profile position where he or she enjoyed considerable
and sustained interaction with the social, economic and
political elites of the host country, a feeling of
disappointment may emerge after return to the homecountry. This feeling may be excacerbated by the loss of
the expatriate compensation premium and other benefits
In addition to the expatriates social readjustmentproblems, the social readjustment problems of his or her
accompanying family members must also be taken into
consideration as well
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Social Considerations (2))
Reestablishment of social networks in the home country
may be difficult if, for e.g., the expatriate and family are
repatriated to another locality in the home country. It may
be that friends have moved away while the expatriate
was on assignment and that other friends may havejoined the workforce and have no time for social
activities
Children may encounter social readjustment problems inschool because they are not update on latest trends, and
may have problems adjusting to their home country
educational system
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Effect on Partners Career)
Partners of expatriates may encounter problems in the
home country when they seek to enter or reenter the
workforce. Consequently, their self-esteem may decline,
hindering their readjustment, particularly if they were
employed prior to moving with the expatriate to the
foreign assignment location
Given the increase in the number of dual-career couples,
the career problems of the expatriates spouse need to
be taken more into consideration
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Case Study)
International Human Resource Management
Managing People in a Multinational Context
Peter J. Dowling, Denice E. Welch, Randall S. Schuler
3rd. Edition
Pages 219 - 220
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Organizational Responses (1))
Recent research indicates that the majority oforganizations have no formal repatriation programme tohelp expatriates readjust on return to the home country
Only a small proportion of the repatriation programmeshave consideration for the spouse
Typical reasons given by organizations for not having arepatriation programme include:
Lack of the requisite expertise
Programme cost
Lack of a perceived need by top management
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Expatriate Problems With Repatriation
(Organizational Responses (2))
Some organizations provide a form of repatriationassistance in the form of a mentor
The mentor is usually a superior to the expatriate and
provides assistance in the form of information, bymaintaining regular contact with the expatriate, and bytaking the expatriates interests regarding promotion and
job placement on return etc. into account
Research indicates that the likelihood of an organizationusing mentors depends on the size of the expatriateworkforce, the organizational unit responsible forhandling expatriates and the nationality of theorganization