Repatriation can be defined as restoration of an asset or a person to its owner or their place of origin. It can be voluntarily or forcibly as dictated by the situation in which it has to occur (Rosier, 2006). It may also involve currency where foreign currency in converted into the currency of one’s own country and depending on the economy and terms and conditions the owner has to honor their obligations in this process. Repatriation may also occur during the process of returning military personnel to their place of origin following a war. Repatriation is also the economic measures taken by the government as it tries to restore the economy to stability.
Repatriation can be voluntary or forced. A good example that explains this is deportation and returning a refugee to their country of origin. Repatriation is a term used as a euphemism for deportation where force is used to take someone back to their country of origin by the government of the country they are in due to that particular situation that demands deportation which could be indiscipline (El-Rifai, 2007). Refugees may be forced back to their country by the government which is something they have to follow whether they like it or not.
Voluntary Repatriation is also a major occurrence. If one has dual citizenship one may choose to live in their new country of residence but later decide to return to their place of origin. This will call for conversion of their currency from the current country’s currency to the country where they came from voluntarily (El-Rifai, 2007). One may also decide to move from their country of origin but later realize that they decided to move to has harsh environmental conditions or the economy there does not favor them, one might decide to return back to their country of origin without choosing to adapt to the new life style.
There are many benefits of repatriation since after the return of someone to their place of origin or something to its own owner or a restoration of something that previously was lost there a goal that is achieved and therefore after the completion this process there is results. One of the results is in a situation where the economy is restored to stability residents have the advantage since the tax rates are lowered and therefore business is easily run with mass profit (Hawk,2006).The measures taken also allow the government make permanent changes or temporary changes that allow smooth progress of the country’s economy.
In a situation where force was used during repatriation for example while returning refugees to their country or deporting a criminal the government achieves from that process. One of the ways is in lowering the level of insecurity which might have been heightened by the refugees or individuals from other countries. This also allows the government have a good record of the estimate number of citizen and therefore fair distribution of funds (Hapkits 1999). After refugees are moved to their country of origin the place which was set as either camp area or temporal place of residence is also used in a different way which will be of benefit to a country.
Repatriation caused by adverse life style conditions is an advantage since one is able to get back to their place of origin. The victim is able to have their lifestyles changed and therefore their daily operations are brought back to norm. the health conditions that were caused by the environmental conditions of the new country or the climatic conditions are solved since one understands their place of origin and is used to it as well. Repatriation is a very important process as it allows for permanent solutions to problems that arose due to adoption of new people, new activities or new things (Genta 2005).
The expansion of globalization has impact on the internationalization of companies. An increasing number of foreign and Lithuanian companies expand their activities not only on the national, but also on the international scale. This process cannot be separated from the various new challenges in management, including those related to the importance of international human resource management, as a consequence of which employees have to form new working and communication skills within a short period of time in order to be able to keep up with the changes. Expanding activities outside the national borders challenges companies to invoke change related to the expatriation, i.e., the assignment of employees to work in a foreign subsidiary of a particular company for a certain period of time.
The process includes selecting the most competent employees who have the necessary knowledge and skill, are open-minded and can act efficiently as well as adjust to a new environment quickly. After the completion of international tasks, the employees repatriate to their home country and continue their career in that same company or choose a different one according to the competencies and skills acquired during their international assignment.
Despite this, the process of expatriation and its management in Lithuania is not sufficiently developed yet. The analysis of scientific sources and studies oriented towards international human resource management reveals that these processes that acquire an increasing significance are specific of not only positive, but also problematic characteristics that are becoming a real challenge for the international companies. In order to avoid various difficulties and possible damage successfully implementing and managing the process of expatriation, companies pay a lot of attention and finance to the improvement of this process, analysis of their mistakes, and try to find the best solutions. This emphasizes the relevance and necessity of the expatriation topic and its research in the world of business.
Citation
Watkins, J., Echo-Hawk, W. R., & Rosier, P. (2006). Sacred sites and repatriation. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers.
Brynen, R., & El-Rifai, R. (2007). Palestinian refugees: Challenges of repatriation and development. London: I.B. Tauris.
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