Overall, the career trajectory of internationally experienced executives resemble an upside-down U-shape. At the beginning, acquiring knowledge in different foreign markets speed up executives’ career path. However, after a certain point, it seems not to help.
Lack of contact lowers your chances
Previous research has found that people who work closer to the headquarters of their company typically advance faster in their careers than their peers. These people have access to decision-making processes, information flow, and can nurture their valuable social contacts. Executives who have only indirect or remote contact with their firm’s center tend to take longer to reach executive positions.
Executives who value career advancement above their idealistic dedication to their company should select international assignments that keep them close to home, make them visible and enable them to network with other top executives.
Geography matters
Executives who spend more time working in countries that are geographically near to their headquarters advance in their career faster than their counterparts working in remote countries. There are other studies that have shown that multinational companies have the tendency to promote managers who have formed valuable business ties with companies operating in their immediate region.
The authors recommend that companies should try to construct a top management team with a blend of executives with experience in both proximate and distant foreign markets, as they write on the strategy-business.com.
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