Page 119 - DMGT548_GLOBAL_HRM

Global HRM

Notes non-recognition of the accreditation of the International School—or at least that was what
Peter claimed. His younger son, John knew. How was he going to explain that the family
had made sacrifices to further his career that was now going nowhere? His repatriated
position back to the Regional Office was badly timed, to say the least. Headquarters in the
state had decided to reorganise the entire global operation and, as a result, the Regional
Office was to be upgraded to a Regional Headquarters, and relocated in Japan. John knew
that it made sound business sense–most of the Asian-Pacific activity was centred on the
Japanese facility and its South-East Asian and Chinese markets.
To retain its regional headquarters in Australia on the grounds of sentiment was
unthinkable in such a highly competitive industry. “But where does that leave me? All the
work is being transferred northwards. My position will now be filled by someone from
either headquarters or, more probably, from Japan. My boss made that quite clear. I could
not have asked the family to move back anyway,” thought John. The situation was
compounded by the news today that several of his colleagues in the regional office had
been made redundant. “My acceptance of the international assignment has been career
suicide—and not just for me,” John thought. “I will have to see if there are positions
available elsewhere if I am going to be able to face Anne and the boys tonight. Surely
another company will value my international experience.”
Questions
1. Why did John felt that he gained valuable experience in the Japanese Subsidiary of
US MNC?
2. Why did John’s felt that his wife faced difficult times during his foreign assignment?
3. What type of problems did John’s children face after coming ‘home’?

4. John thought that “my acceptance of the international assignment has been career
suicide” – why?

Source: P. L. Rao, International Human Resource Management. First Edition. Excel Books. New Delhi.

6.4 Summary

 Expatriation and repatriation are interrelated.

 After the completion of the international assignment, company brings the expatriates
back to the home-country.
 Repartition process has four identified phases.

 The job-related and social factors make the re-entry process more complex.
 MNCs should be responsible enough to manage the repatriation process.
 HR should design the proper repatriation programme for the expatriates to avoid
complexity after re-entry.

6.5 Keywords

Knowledge Transfer: It is the cross-fertilisation of the ideas and practices by expatriates in one
country with the employees in other country.

Motivation: It is the activation or energisation of goal-oriented behaviour.

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