Flexpatriate assignments : a neglected issue in global staffing

The demands of managing international assignments are major considerationswithin strategic IHRM theory and most frequently considered within long-termemployment choices between parent-country expatriates or host-country nationals. Yetrecent studies from the Centre for Research into the Management of Expatriation(CReME) (Harris, 1999; Petrovic, 2000) have highlighted the frequency of alternativetypes of international assignment, which they classify as ?short-term?, ?commuter? and?frequent flyer? assignments, which are now a regular part of global business life. Thispaper reports on a case study of one Austrian multinational organization and highlightsmanagement issues in terms of incidence, purpose, management and personal impact forassignments involving frequent travel without relocation (flexible expatriation) comparedwith traditional expatriate assignments. It begins by reviewing the emphasis on expatriateassignment before presenting evidence regarding the extent of alternative forms ofinternational assignment. The research method and background to the study are thendiscussed before the findings are presented and discussed.