China Most Likely to Succeed U.S. for International Assignments

Published on: Tuesday, April 22, 2008       Comments (0)       Category: Global Mobility & Security,  Human Capital,  Organization & Logistics, 

In a presentation at a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) regional conference, Sue Evens, director of Cartus Consulting Services, identified the top three global mobility policy and program trends—assignment volume and destinations; demand for flexibility and emerging policy approaches; and talent management—and underscored the shift toward China as the primary location for international assignments.

Driven by robust business growth and activity, China will outpace the United States in 2009 as the most frequented location, capturing 31 percent of international assignments, however the HR practitioners who responded to the Cartus survey indicated that China would present the biggest challenge for them. Among the chief concerns: infrastructure and security; living conditions; compensation and high costs; compliance; and cultural adaptation/language.

2004
1. United States.......34%
2. United Kingdom....28%
3. China...................19%
4. Singapore.............19%


2007
5. United States.......30%
6. China...................23%
7. United Kingdom......8%
8. Germany................5%


2009 Projected
9. China..................31%
10. United States.......25%
11. United Kingdom.....4%
12. India.....................4%

Source: Cartus, 2007

Despite the geographical challenges, Cartus found that international assignments increased in the past three years, and the trend is supposed to continue over the next two. Short-term assignments (typically up to one year) are and will continue to be more prevalent than long-term (typically more than one year), as assignees often have obligations that prevent them from extended international roles. “Most short-term assignments are unaccompanied by family,” noted Evens.