An analysis about expatriation and repatriation processes in brazilian organizations

Abstract

In the context of an increasing involvement of companies in international activities, this paper aims to analyze aspects that favor or hinder expatriation and repatriation processes experienced by employees of Brazilian organizations that sustain international operations. Aspects related to personal, professional and family adjustment are examined as well as human resources policies and practices related to expatriation and repatriation processes. The methodology of the study is qualitative with an exploratory-descriptive approach. The main data source were twenty in depth interviews hold with expatriate/repatriate executives and human resource professionals. The interviewees were members of seven different Brazilian organizations which had sustained for more than five years international operations as well as with one member of a consultancy company. The results suggest that personal, professional and family adjustment related to expatriation/ repatriation processes are favored by factors such as cultural proximity, fluency in the host country language, social networks, propensity to risk taking, flexibility and ambition, technical capacity, the perspectives of a professional improvement, and changes on the family dynamics. The study also suggests that Brazilian organizations’ human resources policies and practices related to expatriation and repatriation processes need to improve. Informal practices, and the value assigned by professionals to the international experience as a reward, are still significant in expatriation and repatriation processes of the investigated Brazilian companies.

Key words: internationalization, international human resources management, expatriation and repatriation processes.