Global mobility choices: a study of international leaders
This investigation is into the globally mobile careers of talented managers in the context of an increasingly globalised labour market. Adopting a social constructionist methodology with a transcendental realist slant, the external and internal factors that influence global mobility choices from both an individual and organizational perspective are identified. The key external influences are; the economy, the labour market for talent and the state of technological advancement. Main organizational drivers are management development, recruitment, retention and skill deployment issues. On the other hand, economic costs, performance issues and increasingly, governance and liability issues act as deterrents to global mobility. From an individual perspective the motives are personal development and career enhancement; however, there are significant barriers to being globally mobile, namely; family issues and the career of an individual’s spouse. An important outcome of this research is the identification of the way in which the different internal and external push/pull forces act on global mobility choices in a wave action from an employer perspective and in a cycle action from an individual point of view. The key contribution of this thesis is the identification of the way in which the tensions inherent in these often opposing global mobility requirements is reconciled, namely; through a process of strategic exchange, sensemaking and identity formation mediated by the exercise of power. Based on the perceptions of talented leaders within a multinational case organization, it is concluded that there is a lack of integration between the overall global business strategy and the approach to human resource management and between different elements of the HR strategy and the talent and career management processes. This lack of alignment has impacted on the sensemaking, strategic exchange and identity formation processes that enable individuals to interpret and enact their global mobility choices leading to perceptions of inequitable treatment with respect to global mobility. Given the on-going need for global mobility in the international business arena, the findings from this study clearly indicates that the future recruitment, retention and career development of talented individuals will be detrimentally affected should these issues not be addressed.
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