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Grenzstellenarbeit in transnationalen Arbeitsumgebungen: Expatriate-Manager als ‚Boundary-Spanner‘ in translokalen und transkulturellen ‚Workscapes‘

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  • Bredenkötter Bastian

    (Universität Bielefeld, Fakultät für Soziologie, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615Bielefeld, Deutschland)

Abstract

The article uses the ‘workscapes’ framework of Felstead, Jewson and Walters (2005a) to investigate the work of expatriate managers as boundary spanners in multinational companies (MNCs). It proposes to describe the workscape of expatriates as ‘transnational workscape’ and shows that the central characteristics of this workscape – the translocality of workstations and workplaces and the transculturality of the ‘new’ office – are accompanied by challenges, the management of which is a key aspect of the boundary-spanning work of expatriates in MNCs and deeply influences their working and living conditions. The article thus introduces a conceptual framework to the German-language discussion on the new places of work and at the same time a space-sensitive perspective to expatriate research and demonstrates its benefits. The terms ‘transnational workscape’ and ‘transcultural office’ also contribute to the further development of the approach of Felstead and colleagues by adding a systematic perspective on the globalization of work.

Suggested Citation

  • Bredenkötter Bastian, 2019. "Grenzstellenarbeit in transnationalen Arbeitsumgebungen: Expatriate-Manager als ‚Boundary-Spanner‘ in translokalen und transkulturellen ‚Workscapes‘," Arbeit, De Gruyter, vol. 28(3), pages 215-240, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:arbeit:v:28:y:2019:i:3:p:215-240:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/arbeit-2019-0015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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