Balancing Firm and Network-based Resources to Gain Competitive Advantage: A Case Study of an Artisanal Musical Instru- ments Cluster in Germany

Abstract

Considering international assignments as part of an individual’s career, beyond the traditional expatriate assignment as employed and sent out by a company, this paper focuses on international itinerants. The purpose of this paper is to increase the under- standing of individuals with multiple international work experiences, crossing the boundaries of a single employer, their experiences, identifications and identity con- struction. In the study an identity construction perspective is applied on four in-depth interviews with Swedish international itinerants. Categories of narratives are identified where the itinerants experience ambiguities and paradoxes in their identity construc- tion, what they identify with and implications are discussed. Key