trends indicate that women will take a more active part in international
management in the future. The question is: how rapidly and to what extent?
5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
This chapter has looked at the process of international management as it relates
to women, taking into account individual, organisational, and socio-cultural
perspectives. It has examined the impact of increasing internationalisation of
business in terms of the types of skills required for effective international man-
agers and has contrasted the theory with the actual practice adopted by many
MNCs. The extent to which international experience will become a prerequisite
for access to senior management positions has also been debated.
The role of women in international management was reviewed by looking
first at major influences affecting female managers’ representation and contri-
butions at home country level. Secondly, additional barriers facing potential
female expatriates were examined, including host country cultural barriers and
problems of dual-career couples.
Opportunities for increased representation of women in international
management were highlighted by research evidence contradicting the myth
that women would not be successful in international assignments. The extent
to which women will participate in this arena depends, however, on the will-
ingness of both the organisation and the individuals involved to adopt a flex-
ible and positive approach to existing constraints.
This chapter concludes the third part of this book. In the fourth and final
part, we will change our focus to the collective aspect of the employment rela-
tionship by looking at industrial relations in both a comparative and an inter-
national perspective.
6 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1 What are the key contributing causes of the small number of women on inter-
national assignments? How do these interrelate?
2 What type of research could you undertake to identify the organisational and
individual factors influencing women’s participation rates in international
management?
3 Suggest a plan for an organisation to improve the participation rate of women
on international assignments.
378 International Human Resource Management