Selection of Expatriates for Regional Business Operations in Asia: A Study of MNE Managers in Singapore

• Main Authors: OSMAN-GANI, A. Ahad M., TAN, Wee Liang, TOH, Thian Ser
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 1999
• Subjects: expatriates; Singapore; international business; Asian Studies; Human Resources Management; Strategic Management Policy
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/345; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/1344/viewcontent/auto_convert.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

The recent interest for regionalization of business operations in Asia underscores the demand for expatriates. While much has been written on expatriation, very little was documented on expatriates assigned in Asian countries. In this respect, American, German, Japanese and Korean MNEs have been found to take active interests in regional expansion of business in Asia. Expatriation is a significant international management issue for them. The high costs of expatriation and the risks for expatriate failures also underscore this importance. As such, selecting the right candidate for expatriation success is a crucial issue for these MNEs. This paper presents the findings of a study on the selection of expatriates for assignment in Asia, particularly in Singapore. The effective selection criteria are identified and a comparative analysis was conducted. The study examines the effects, if any, of nationalities, the functional management positions occupied by the expatriates, and the industrial sectors they belonged to, in the assigned countries.