Learning Through Narratives About the Impact of International Assignments on Identity

Although foreign assignments have been used as a primary way to develop global leaders, not much is known about the consequences of an assignment on an expatriate manager's identity or identity development. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of international assignments on expatriate managers' identities. The article is based on narratives of expatriates who have been interviewed retrospectively. The study reveals that expatriate managers have reflected on their identities and experienced identity transformations during assignments. For some, identity change has been based mostly on cultural issues; for others, identity change weaved more around managerial competencies and mental maturation.