The repatriation program as a process

Abstract: The rapid development of the technology, the liberalization of
international trade and the intense international competition has resulted
in an increased globalization. It has therefore become more important for
multinational corporations (MNCs) to internationalize its business. In the
long run this implies that MNCs need to be able to offer its employees the
possibility to during a limited period work in subsidiaries abroad called
expatriation. The advantages with expatriation are numerous, even though
the investment of sending employees on international assignments can be
considered high. For employees, the possibility of working abroad is often
viewed as a mean of career progression. However, studies have shown that
the situation at the expatriate’s return to the home organization, called
repatriation is related to many problems, and that these problems not
always are taken seriously. The repatriate can, for instance, be offered
the same position in the home office as the person held before the
international assignment. The fact that the repatriate not is able to use
his or her international skills and competences might result in that he or
she becomes unsatisfied and even leaves the firm. This results in that MNCs
looses valuable personnel and the investment of sending employees on
foreign assignments. To conquer these problems MNCs need to develop a
strategy concerning the firm’s repatriation.

The aim with this thesis is therefore to study the actions that MNCs can do
before, during and after the assignment in order to achieve successful
repatriation. The study is based on a specific theory that treats these
three stages. To achieve this objective we have conducted two case studies
with the Swedish Ericsson and the Norwegian Nokia. The result of this
thesis is that the actions that MNCs conduct during these three stages
vary. However, it should be mentioned that the different actions are more
related to the work in the foreign location than to the possibility to
achieve successful repatriation.