Desperate housewives – social and professional isolation of German expatriated spouses

The spouses of expatriates have repeatedly been identified as a major component in the equation for success of international assignments. Their commitment, cooperation and contribution to the emotional, physical and mental well-being of the expats facilitate the successful completion of corporate missions across cultural and national borders. Yet, for spouses to be this positive influence on the expat, several requirements need to be met, such as a chance to maintain a sense of identity and self-worth through the possible continuation of their own careers as well as either the maintenance of old or creation of new social support networks for the duration of the corporate mission. This requires a strategic international human resource management (IHRM) effort of assigning companies that goes beyond the immediate needs of ordinary relocations. This research report answers questions about how traditional global players in Germany deal with these issues. The results draw a rather dark picture as the IHRM stra...