Inpatriation as a Key Component of Global Talent Management

Abstract

In recent times, it has been argued that organizations are crippled by talent shortages. Especially for multinational companies (MNCs), scarcity of talent presents problems in effectively conducting their global operations. In this chapter, we propose that inpatriates—individuals procured by a company’s headquarters from its subsidiaries—can subjugate the challenges faced by MNCs in their Global Talent Management (GTM) endeavors. We argue that inpatriation serves as an alternative to the traditional approach of managing talents through expatriates. Although the advantages that can be derived from inpatriation are not well-researched, we posit that this approach can nevertheless contribute towards the success of an organization’s GTM strategies. Rooted in the assumption that an organization needs to exploit every source of talent available to it in order to gain competitive advantage, this chapter traces the unique advantages that inpatriation can provide compared to other forms of talent management. We illustrate the importance of inpatriation as a key component of GTM and discuss the difficulties associated with it by presenting a case study of an MNC headquartered in France. By discussing and analyzing the experiences shared by inpatriates during their inpatriation assignments, we not only discern and discuss problems faced by this type of employees but also seek solutions to their predicament. In doing so, we hope to uncover inpatriates as an underutilized source of talent that can contribute towards GTM efforts of their organizations by their social capital, political understanding, networking skills, knowledge transfer, and boundary-spanning roles.