Reversing the Brain Drain

The increase in the brain drain from poor countries to more affluent ones is having a dramatic negative impact on the prospects for the economic development of the affected countries. One strategy that is being used to fight it, is called the “return” strategy, and consists of enticing those expatriates who have left to return and contribute to the economic development of their country of origin.This paper argues that human resource managers in the West African country of Senegal can play a pivotal role in their country’s strategy to attract and retain professional expatriates.Using the Four Frames Model from Bolman and Deal (2003) as a theoretical framework, the author collected much of his data from a survey that was distributed to human resource managers in Senegal. The data was, then, analyzed from the human resource, political, and structural perspectives of the Bolman and Deal model.This study finds that Senegalese human resource managers are by and large competent, eager, and willing to play their role in the strategy to attract Senegalese professional expatriates, but their effectiveness is being hindered by issues ranging from an unfair promotion system, to inadequate organizational structures, and to very difficult macroeconomic conditions.Some of the entities that may wish to use the findings of this research include policymakers in the government of Senegal, Senegalese private sector executives, non-profit organizations and development agencies interested in human capacity building in developing countries, and researchers in the field of management.