TRACK 47: EXPATRIATE MANAGEMENT: Developing a Community of Scholars

Track Chairs: Professor Jan Selmer, Ph.D. Aarhus University, Denmark selmer@asb.dk Professor Vesa Suutari, Ph.D. University of Vaasa, Finland vsu@uwasa.fi Professor Jean-Luc Cerdin, PhD ESSEC Business School, Paris, France cerdin@essec.fr Organisational Coordinator: Professor Jan Selmer, Ph.D. Aarhus University, Denmark selmer@asb.dk Tel.: +45 8948 6467 Abstract: Expatriate management as an academic research discipline is ever expanding. A new generation of young scholars are entering this field creating a community of new and seasoned researchers identifying and exploring many new research avenues and themes. The purpose of this Track is to congregate a critical mass of researchers to further develop this community of scholars discussing new avenues for the academic research on expatriate management. The following are just a few examples of new research themes which may benefit from more developmental attention. Papers submitted to this Track may be associated with these examples but are not limited to them.

Expatriate Coaching. This emerging practice is understood as a one-to-one, action-oriented process facilitated by an external, professional coach. The practice of expatriate coaching is a relatively new phenomenon and more related theory and academic research is needed. Expatriate Global Careers. Since traditional expatriation research focuses on a single international assignment from preparation to repatriation back to the parent country, the research on global careers of expatriates is rare. Female Expatriates. Emerging research suggests that circumstances may be different for women than their male colleagues, both before, during and after their foreign assignments. Flexpatriates. This emerging new type of foreign assignment is a short-term, unaccompanied business travel assignment. Such expatriates and assignments are not yet adequately researched . Inpatriates. These are subsidiary staff members who are assigned to stay temporarily with headquarters of multinational corporations. As opposed to other international assignees, inpatriates may face unique challenges which are not well understood. Self-Initiated Expatriates. Self-initiated expatriates are becoming more common and there is not enough research on this category of employees. For example, in the fast internationalizing sector of higher education, many academics have a global job perspective. Keywords: Expatriate coaching, expatriate global careers, female expatriates, flexpatriates, inpatriates, self-initiated expatriates.