Women in International Management: Where are They?

In view of the dramatic increases in international business by North American Firms, the need for sophisticated international managers can be expected to increase. This article examines the current distribution of female managers sent in expatriate positions by 686 Canadian and American firms. Despite the growing numbers of women found in domestic management, this survey reveals that only 3% of all expatriate managers in the responding firms are women. Although women are being sent overseas in managerial and professional capacities by a broad range of industries, gender remains a significant factor in understanding the distribution of North Americans working overseas.