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An Identity Construction Perspective on Careers of Swedish International Itinerants

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  • Malin Naesholm

Abstract

Considering international assignments as part of an individual’s career, beyond the traditional expatriate assignment as employed and sent out by a company, this paper focuses on international itinerants. The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of individuals with multiple international work experiences, crossing the boundaries of a single employer, their experiences, identifications and identity construction. In the study an identity construction perspective is applied on four in-depth interviews with Swedish international itinerants. Categories of narratives are identified where the itinerants experience ambiguities and paradoxes in their identity construction, what they identify with and implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Malin Naesholm, 2009. "An Identity Construction Perspective on Careers of Swedish International Itinerants," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 20(1), pages 53-69.
    • Handle: RePEc:nms:mamere:doi_10.1688/1861-9908_mrev_2009_1_naesholm
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    File URL: https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/0935-9915-2009-1-53
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Suutari, Vesa & Brewster, Chris, 2000. "Making their own way: international experience through self-initiated foreign assignments," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 417-436, January.
    2. Garcia, Primo & Hardy, Cynthia, 2007. "Positioning, similarity and difference: Narratives of individual and organizational identities in an Australian university," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 363-383, December.
    3. Thomas, David C. & Lazarova, Mila B & Inkson, Kerr, 2005. "Global careers: New phenomenon or new perspectives?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 340-347, November.
    4. Joyce Osland & Asbjorn Osland, 2005. "Expatriate Paradoxes and Cultural Involvement," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(4), pages 91-114, January.
    5. Moshe Banai & Wes Harry, 2004. "Boundaryless Global Careers : The International Itinerants," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 96-120, January.
    6. Eeva Kohonen, 2004. "Learning Through Narratives About the Impact of International Assignments on Identity," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 27-45, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    international assignments; international itinerants; identity construction; career; social identity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation

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