Star versus guardian assignments: Why expatriates should be managed differentially

In the present paper, we present a new but simple typology of international assignments that can help guide the management of expatriates. Applying a well-known job typology by Jacobs (1981) / Baron and Kreps (1999) to the international arena, we distinguish between star and guardian assignments. The essence of this distinction lies in a difference regarding a crucial relationship: the link between expatriate performance and organizational success. Through the analysis of essential characteristics of and differences between star and guardian assignments, we deduct concrete consequences for the employment of specific HRM policies along the expatriate cycle. The paper concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications.