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Purpose – This special issue seeks to scope the past, present and future study of those individuals who independently journey abroad for work – the self-initiated expatriate – a topic which is now attracting increasing attention among management scholars and practitioners alike. Design/methodology/approach – This introductory paper takes the form of a brief commentary of the development of the field and a synthesis of the papers in this special edition. Findings – Beginning in the late 1990s with a slow trickle of papers exploring the experiences of individuals who had initiated their own expatriation, our understanding of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) and self-initiated expatriation (SIE) has developed exponentially. This development has given rise to a growing awareness of this form of mobility as a potentially powerful force in the increasingly varied global labour market. Yet, as this special issue will argue, there is still a range of conceptual, theoretical and empirical challenges in the study of SIEs, not least of which is a lack of clarity in how the term is used and understood. Despite the expansion of the field, it has hitherto focused primarily on the experiences of professional SIEs moving from and between developed countries. The papers in this issue therefore, address the need for both greater conceptual clarity and for greater empirical diversity. Originality/value – The papers included in this special issue each address fundamental issues in the study of the SIE population and offer perspectives that further our understanding of this group and their experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is considerable scholarly and practitioner debate about the extent to which North American-styled human resource management (HRM) practices are transferable across international boundaries. The current trend is for scholars to use largely managerialist theoretical frameworks to explain the transference of putative 'best practices' from one context to another, or use culturalist/institutionalist explanations as to why practices cannot be transferred. While useful, these explanations are largely apolitical and uncritical, ignoring the theoretical and conceptual assumptions and origins of the respective practices. Drawing on a case-study approach to examine the adoption of and resistance towards North American HRM practices in a Chinese computer manufacturing firm, this paper suggests that whereas some HRM practices were accepted, others were resisted, largely because of their impact on end-users' working lives. The paper investigates the case through the lenses of the system, society and dominance effects framework and shows the continuing relevance of the concept of control in interpreting how ideas about HRM are negotiated into practice, rather simply transferred or rejected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to explore what it means to be a manager in the context of working from home, or "flexworking", as an increasingly common work practice. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper is located within an interpretive interactionist perspective, drawing on interviews with managers who took part in a larger qualitative study of employees who work from home two or more days a week in the Canadian subsidiary of a high-tech MNC. Template analysis identified themes which are most salient in managers experiences of managing these "flexworkers". Findings -- The findings point to several key themes in interviewees' experiences of managing flexworkers: maintaining a balance between providing autonomy alongside appropriate levels of cohesion between themselves and employees and between employees; the increasing importance of trust and the centrality of interpersonal relationships and interactions. Research limitations/implications -- A limitation is a relatively small sample size (27) in the Canadian hi-tech industry. Also, the findings may not be applicable to other industries or to managers in other countries. The paper's location within an interpretive interactionist framework accords primary focus to individual action rather than structural forces. Practical implications -- Contemporary management development initiatives should balance communication and support, while avoiding micromanagement. They should also develop managers' ability to ensure that social bonds are maintained but do not undermine the principles of flexwork. Originality/value -- There is a paucity of qualitative research on flexworking in Canada. Moreover, the paper contributes a theoretical understanding of this work arrangement, whereas previous research has been primarily descriptive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To define patient safety event (PSE) learning response and to provide preliminary validation of a measure of PSE learning response. Data Sources. Ten focus groups with front-line staff and managers, an expert panel, and cross-sectional survey data from patient safety officers in 54 general acute hospitals. Study Design. A mixed methods study to define a measure of learning responses to patient safety failures that is rooted in theory, expert knowledge, and organizational practice realities. Extraction Methods. Learning response items developed from the literature were modified and validated in front-line staff and manager focus groups and by an expert panel and second group of external experts. Actual learning responses gleaned from survey data were examined using exploratory factor analyses and reliability analysis. Principal Findings. Unique learning response items were identified for minor, moderate, major events, and major near misses by an expert panel. A two-factor model of major event learning response was identified (factor 1=event analysis, factor 2=dissemination/communication of learnings). Organizations engage in greater learning responses following major events than less severe events and, for major events, organizations engage in more factor 1 responses than factor 2 learning responses. Conclusions. Eleven to 13 items can measure learning responses to PSEs of differing severity. The items are feasible, grounded in theory, and reflect expert opinion as well as practice setting realities. The items have the potential for use to assess current practice in organizations and set future improvement goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary work arrangements are undergoing a dramatic transformation with increasing diversity in how work is done, by whom and where. This paper focuses on flexwork as an increasingly common work arrangement which changes the physical and relational dynamics between managers and employees. Drawing on a qualitative study of 'flexworkers' in a large MNC in Canada, it explores their relationships with their managers and vice versa. Located within an interpretive interactionist perspective, it highlights the centrality of interaction, identity construction and significant others and their influence on manager-employer relationships. It also explores and theorizes the relationships between flexworkers and their office-based colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of realistic job previews (RJPs) and realistic living conditions previews (RLCPs) during the recruitment of a group of internationally mobile knowledge workers who elect to go overseas independently rather than as part of an overseas assignment. It also aims to explore individual perceptions of the value of RJPs and RLCPs in contributing to work and general living adjustment. Design/methodology/approach — The paper draws on a qualitative study of international faculty in six Canadian universities using in-depth interviews to examine their experiences of recruitment and focusing specifically on the extent to which RJPs and RLCP were provided. Findings — The findings reflect the need for realistic recruitment that includes information about position specifications and responsibilities as well as non-organizational factors such as opportunities for spousal employment. Thus, respondents did not conceptualize the recruitment process in terms of two separate components of "job" (RJP) and "living conditions" (RLCP). Instead realistic recruitment emerged as a holistic process, with each individual having his/her own differential weighting of the relative importance of different factors. Research limitations/implications — The sample comprises mostly white-western faculty, thus ethnic minority faculty are underrepresented. Further research might also explore the perceptions and experiences of international recruiters. Originality/value — The paper extends the current literature on RJPs and RLCPs to consider internationally mobile knowledge workers who elect to go overseas independently. Located within an interpretive perspective it also enhances our understanding of individual experiences and the need for a more holistic approach to international recruitment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the "darker side" of what it means to engage in an international academic career. Extending beyond well-documented themes relating to the difficulties of cross-cultural adjustment and unfulfilled expectations/opportunities for promotion, this paper seeks to introduce "transience and risk" as two important dimensions of this very specific career choice. The paper draws especially on the contemporary "new" careers literature, including conceptions of career exploration as a framework to understand the research findings. Design/methodology/approach - The paper employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on semi-structured interviews conducted in situ with 30 expatriate academics in four different countries. Findings - Transience and risk were identified as two important dimensions of the "darker side" of pursuing an international academic career. However, these two dimensions also had further positive aspects, thus signalling the complex and often contradictory nature of this specific career form. Research limitations/implications - Introduces a more cautionary note to the contemporary literature on international careers and career exploration more generally. Practical implications - Careers that evolve across international boundaries require support that extends beyond cross-cultural training. Originality/value - The paper contends that in as much as an international academic career offers a broad range of opportunities for fulfilment it also presents significant challenges that should be acknowledged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of Mos1 transposase, a member of the Tc1/mariner family of transposases. The structure comprises an RNase H-like core, bringing together an aspartic acid triad to form the active site, capped by N- and C-terminal α-helices. We have solved structures with either one Mg2+ or two Mn2+ ions in the active site, consistent with a two-metal mechanism for catalysis. The lack of hairpin-stabilizing structural motifs is consistent with the absence of a hairpin intermediate in Mos1 excision. We have built a model for the DNA-binding domain of Mos1 transposase, based on the structure of the bipartite DNA-binding domain of Tc3 transposase. Combining this with the crystal structure of the catalytic domain provides a model for the paired-end complex formed between a dimer of Mos1 transposase and inverted repeat DNA. The implications for the mechanisms of first and second strand cleavage are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energies and physical descriptors for the binding of 21 novel 1-(2,6-difluorobenzyl)-2-(2,6-difluorophenyl)-benzimidazole (BPBI) analogs to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) variants Y181C, L100I, V106A, and K103N have been determined using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The crystallographic structure of the lead compound, 4-methyl BPBI, was used as a starting point to model the inhibitors in both the mutant bound and the unbound states. The energy terms and physical descriptors obtained from the calculations were reasonably correlated with the respective experimental EC50 values for the inhibitors against the various mutant RTs. Using the linear response correlations from the calculations, 2 novel BPBI inhibitors have been designed and simulations have been carried out. The results show the computed ΔGbinding values match the experimental data for the analogs. Given the ongoing problem with drug resistance, the ability to predict the activity of novel analogs against variants prior to synthesis is highly advantageous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present article, the authors focus on the relatively unexplored link between international experience and academic careers. Drawing on a study of 30 British academics in four countries, it reports how they accounted for their decision to take an overseas appointment and how they evaluated that appointment. The contemporary career literature is used as a framework for analysis connecting findings with "traditional" and "new" career themes. The desire to travel was found to be a key driver in taking the overseas appointment. When it came to evaluating the overseas appointment, however, upward career mobility in the context of increasing internationalisation was a major concern. The article offers a number of key concerns for managers in institutions of higher education, particularly those concerned with the management and recruitment of international faculty. The present article encourages some consideration of the extent to which international experience will be a criterion for promotion and the role it might play in hiring decisions. Second, it points to perceptions of international experience in academia. Third, it suggests that academics who already have international experience expect that experience to be both recognised and rewarded. Thus, managers seeking to recruit internationally experienced faculty would need to be aware of and, if necessary, be ready to meet such expectations. In this regard universities might use such experience in course development, international research activities and increasing institutional networks.

This paper investigates the managerial life and experiences of a group of service leaders in one region of the New Zealand health service. Through a complexity map methodology, creative interviewing, participant storytelling and presentation of their experiential narratives, the paper seeks to investigate how service leaders make sense of their complexity. First, the paper outlines the New Zealand health service context. Second, the paper introduces the sample of managers involved in the study. Third, the methodological framework of the study is outlined. Fourth, the data collected are described in the context of Gabriel's "tropes of story work". Fifth, the concept of "narrative thought" is introduced to interpret the use of attributions by health service managers as a means of fulfilling their needs and desires. The paper concludes by suggesting that through narrative sense-making managers are able to maintain a strong sense of self and identity even in stressful, pressurised, difficult and complex circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalisation has led to increasing international mobility amongst business and education professionals. Whilst expatriate management literature focuses on expatriate assignment of corporate executives, expatriate academics remain an under researched group. Higher education literature has focused on internationalisation of education systems, notably the growth in international strategic alliances between universities, and mobility amongst students. Therefore compared with what is known about the student body, very little is known about the experiences of internationally mobile academics. Drawing on a qualitative study of academics, this paper evaluates the use of metaphor for understanding the "motivation to go" overseas and the "experience" of expatriation. It evaluates four metaphors which have emerged from the study for expatriating and four others for the experience of expatriation. Finally it suggests that the voluntary, self-selecting expatriate should be much more extensively researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which discussed expatriate academics, and examined the impact of globalization on the internationalization of the academic profession. Methodology; Results; Discussion.

Reports on the results of work being undertaken in Singapore with managers and future managers in the public and private sector. Concepts of power, needs, assertiveness, personal and leadership styles and influencing styles; Singaporean society and economy; Conflict resolution strategies; Result of the survey.

Examines the "art" of conflict resolution in terms of its implications for team building and group dynamics. Discusses team building in terms of consolidating and creating group solidarity. Argues that avoidance is, in some instances, an active form of conflict resolution. States that teams can make an organization more effective but they can also be dysfunctional toward organizational wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The covid-19 pandemic is a career shock for many people across the globe. In this article, we reflect on how insights from the literature on career shocks can help us understand the career consequences of the pandemic and offer suggestions for future research in this area. In particular, we offer three "key lessons". The first lesson is that the implications of Covid-19 reflect the dynamic interplay between individual and contextual factors. Here, we argue that although the pandemic was difficult to predict and control, research shows that certain psychological resources – such as career competencies and resilience – could make this career shock more manageable. The second lesson is that the pandemic may have differential implications over time, as suggested by research that has shown the consequences of career shocks to differ between short-term vs. long-term time horizons, and across life- and career stages. The third lesson is that, even though the pandemic is clearly a negatively valenced shock for most people, further into the future it may allow for more positive outcomes. This lesson builds on research showing how negative career shocks have long-term positive consequences for some people. We hope that these insights will inspire both scholars and practitioners to study and understand the work and career implications of Covid-19 as a career shock, as well as to support people in dealing with its consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on an international qualitative study of former professional athletes, this paper examines career sustainability in and after a career in professional sport. It examines the individual, contextual and temporal dimensions of career sustainability and interprets the findings through the Job-Demands-Resources Model, identifying the physical and psychological demands and resources of sporting careers. It demonstrates that some demands can simultaneously present as resources and introduces the concept of 'social' demands and resources, signaling their potential impact on short and long term career sustainability. While the paper suggests that the demands and resources of careers in professional sport limit career sustainability as a professional athlete, it also indicates that a short term career in sport does not preclude longer term career sustainability in other domains. The paper concludes by identifying opportunities for further investigation into the impact of short term careers on long term career sustainability in the broader labor market. • Examines career sustainability in and after sport using the Job Demands Resources Model • Identifies social demands and resources as impacting on career sustainability • Indicates that a short-term non-sustainable career can be a platform for future career sustainability • Draws on the findings of an international study of former professional athletes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]