Staying Local: A Multiple Case Study of Employees Moving From Expatriates to Local Contracts in Multinational Organizations in Sweden and the United States
Abstract
Localization of expatriate employees is a new trend of employment increasingly adopted by global corporations during the past decade. In recent years, different types of international contracts have been introduced, in substitution of traditional long-term expatriate contracts, including the transfer of expatriate employees to local contracts at host organizations. In spite of its growing popularity, there is a significant lack of research on the impact of this change of contracts to expatriate employees and their families.
The purpose of this study is to explore the emerging international HR trend –localization of expatriates, with special focus on investigating the experiences of expatriates in becoming local employees at multinational organizations located in Sweden and the United States. A qualitative multiple case study approach is adopted to capture the nuanced multiple realities as experienced by expatriates during the process of localization. Eight individual case studies, four in Sweden and four in the United States, are part of this study. Themes that emerged described the experience of localization as an unanticipated career transition, significantly different from any other career transition experienced by employees, characterized by much uncertainty, isolation, and lack of a common repertoire of knowledge. This study concluded that localization is often an ill-planned, haphazard event that leaves employees without much support from their employers, mentors, and local colleagues. Implications for practice and research are presented in this study.
Citation
Kjerfve, Tania (2015). Staying Local: A Multiple Case Study of Employees Moving From Expatriates to Local Contracts in Multinational Organizations in Sweden and the United States. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /192010.