Selection, training and development for female international executives

This paper focuses on selecting, training and developing female executives for international assignments. The perspective explored is that of currently employed senior female executives in a wide range of organisations in a number of European countries, who have made at least one international career move. The findings of the research illustrate an organisational bias against females in the selection process for international assignments, a severe shortage of pre-departure training and very little organisational attention given to female career development. This research is particularly relevant as European empirical research has not been conducted with senior female international executives, presumably because of their relative scarcity. Empirical work with senior female international managers in Europe is now necessary in order to explain why international management is still generally reserved for the male manager. Finally, some strategies for internationalising female managers are presented.