Abstract:
This thesis is concerned with understanding why women have such low participation
rates on international management assignments. It questions the assumption that the
main explanation for this phenomenon lies with factors extraneous to the home country
organisational context; for instance, foreigners' prejudice; family constraints and
women's own lack of interest.
In view of the lack of research evidence to show that women fail once on international
management assignments, the thesis explores the role of Human Resource
Management practices within the home country headquarters' context, as a key factor
in determining women's representation. In particular, it examines the role of the
selection system for international assignments in limiting women's opportunities in this
area.
The research study takes a UK perspective due to the minimal research undertaken on
women in international management within this country. A multi-stage research design
was used in order to ascertain, firstly, the participation rate of women in international
management and key barriers via a survey of UK-based international organisations.
Semi-structured interviews were then held with women expatriates and International
HR Directors as a result of which the focus on home country selection systems for
international management assignments was developed.
The main stage of the research consisted of an in-depth case study of the selection
process for international management assignments within three organisations with
differing levels of representation of women in international management positions.
The case studies explored how the operation of different systems might lead to greater
or lesser use of individual preferences by selectors, with resultant impacts on the
numbers of women entering international management positions. The analysis of
individual selectors' preferences was carried out with the use of Repertory Grid
technique. Inherent gender bias in the constructs elicited from the Grids was analysed
using Schein' s Descriptive Index.
The main contribution of the thesis is the development of a conceptual model
identifying a typology of selection systems for international management assignments
which will assist both academics and practitioners to analyse the potential for bias
within existing selection systems.
