Knowledge that Transforms

This article examines the utilization, underutilization, and misutilization of expatriate skills in overseas assignments. Using quantitative data from 268 expatriates from six Fortune 500 multinational corporations, the research first examines expatriates' utilization of eight distinct skills and how patterns of skill utilization influence important job attitudes. Then, using qualitative data from the expatriates, the research examines the subsidiary-level, corporate-level, and country- level factors which facilitate (or inhibit) skill utilization. The study highlights the idea that effective skill utilization depends not only on the selection and training of expatriates themselves, but also upon the level of skill and teamwork among host country nationals and the quality of support provided by the MNC as a whole.

Why do some fast-track managers derail? Why do some recover and return to the fast track? This study investigates these questions by analyzing managerial skills and self-awareness during different career stages. The results suggest that derailers have significantly lower skill profiles than do successful managers at all career stages. The study also identifies specific skills that managers need to be successful in their careers; furthermore, it reports that derailers overestimate their skills in comparison to successful managers at all career stages. The results imply that one can avoid derailment or recover from derailment by developing both self-awareness and specific managerial skills.

Should scientific measures be used to evaluate the effectiveness of HRM practices? Can HRM demonstrate that its proposals cause a predicted outcome? If the allocation of capital within an organization is based upon projected financial returns, should HRM be required to demonstrate the expected returns of its proposals? Would the use of scientific and financial measures give HRM practices greater internal support and continuity? The authors demonstrate how metrics were used to evaluate two new HRM projects at one of the world's largest retailers.

Will women become leaders in the increasingly global world of the twenty-first century? According to many Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), promoting the best people—whether male or female—into senior leadership positions is a strategic necessity if their companies are to succeed, let alone prosper. This article describes the commitment that one major multinational's CEO made to moving women from around the world into the most senior leadership positions. It describes an organizational development process, led by the CEO that included a targeted survey of both male and female executives, convening a 4 1/2-day Global Leadership Forum, and actively changing the organization based on recommendations generated at the Forum.

This article describes the development of an executive-level global competency model at 3M. The work on this model was completed in partnership with the company's top executives and a global team of in-house professionals. The competency model itself consists of 12 competencies and generalizable behavioral anchors for each competency. The applications for the work include the assessment of the level of readiness of candidates for the company's top 500 global positions, development of incumbent executives, and improved objectivity in the placement of future leaders. The article concludes by outlining some key lessons learned from this ongoing work.