JOURNAL ARTICLE

Research: How Companies Can Support Managers They Send Abroad.

  • Published In: Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2025. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Business Source Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Takeuchi, Riki; Shay, Jeffrey P.; Hwayoung Kim 3 of 3

Abstract

The article discusses how multinational enterprises can support expatriate managers sent abroad by focusing on three key structural elements: decentralization, formalization, and global knowledge integration. Research on 192 expatriate general managers in global hotel chains revealed that alignment on all three elements significantly increased organizational commitment and assignment completion rates. The article provides examples of companies like IKEA, Marriott International, and Google that effectively implement these structural elements to support expatriates. It concludes that structural alignment, rather than individual traits, is crucial for expatriate success and offers a roadmap for leaders to optimize these elements in their organizations. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Harvard Business Review Digital Articles. 2025/01, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Business and Management
  • Publication Date:2025
  • Accession Number:183000724
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