Human resource management policies and practices for repatriation processes of Brazilian executives

Repatriation of executives is a process of strategic relevance for international companies and, therefore, managing these executives requires innovative policies and practices, given the complexity of the challenges they face in developing international careers. In general, research on the theme has been conducted from the viewpoint of the repatriates themselves rather than that of the organizations, and there is no record of such a study conducted in the Brazilian context. In order to contribute to this field of study, the main objective of the research presented in this article was to investigate the policies and practices of the repatriation process of Brazilian executives adopted by 20 Brazilian and foreign multinational companies installed in Brazil, as reported by the person in charge of the repatriation process. The results showed that the adopted policies and practices are more focused on offering operational support than directed to attend a clear strategic action plan that utilizes the competencies and experiences acquired by the repatriate during the expatriation period. The results also showed that whether executives remain in the company and how well they adapt to the country and to social and family life seems to depend more on their own perseverance and the country's labor market condition than on organizational practices.