International mobility has become a crucial competitive differentiator of an organization’s success in today’s global economy. As corporations expand in the global marketplace, the need for international management presence increases. Thus, the desire for international careers has increased in today’s workplace as international assignments may lead to career growth. This paper addresses current and future challenges of women on the quest for management jobs as expatriates from the US. This research was conducted using secondary data in order to gain longitudinal perspective on the challenges women face in the quest for international assignments. Using statistics and analyzing data, the researcher was able to produce information on trends and challenges of women desiring to work abroad and the impact on their careers, as well as organizational effectiveness. Even though much advancement in workplace equal opportunity has occurred, women failed to be assigned international work in comparison to their male counterparts, before the 1980s. In the 1990s, the number of women offered international assignments increased, but female expatriates still remained a negligible minority compared to men (Karsten, 2016). The first decade of the twenty-first century has witnessed a gradual increase in the number and visibility of women in international assignments, but still not equal with that of men. Thus, this study evaluates and illuminates the discrepancy in international assignments based on gender and the impact of this discrepancy on the careers of business women and organizations.  

Dr. Lora Reed is a Professor and Program Chair for the MA in Leadership Studies (currently under development) in the Forbes School of Business & Technology at Ashford University. She holds a PhD with a certificate in Training and Development from Capella University and an MA in Applied Sociology from Vermont College of Norwich University. In addition to teaching undergraduates through PhD learners for about 20 years, Dr. Reed has consulted (training & development) with businesses, non-profits, and government agencies. In 2009, Dr. Reed was named one of the first three Greenleaf Scholars for her research on retention of 911 emergency communications center employees as related to servant leadership. Until recently, she served as the Director of Research for the 911 Wellness Foundation, a 501c3 serving first responders across the US and beyond. She was recently invited to serve on the Board of Return2Work.org, a 501c3 serving veterans and others across the US. Lora currently serves as a Fellow and the Experiential Learning Track Chair for the Association for Business Simulations & Experiential Learning (ABSEL). One of her most recent publications was a book chapter, Women and Work-Life Balance: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, in Gender, Race and Ethnicity in the Workplace: Emerging Issues and Enduring Challenges (Karsten, ed. 2016). 

Dr. Marr is the Program Chair of the Bachelor of Arts in International Business in the Forbes School of Business at Ashford University. She received a Doctor of Business Administration in International Business from Argosy University, a Master of Fine Arts in Combined Writing from Columbia College, a Master of Business Administration with a Human Resources concentration from Inter American University, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Communications and Women Studies from University of Missouri. Dr. Marr has been teaching in higher education for almost two decades. Before coming to Ashford, she served as an Assistant Professor for University of Wisconsin and City University of Seattle-Europe.Dr. Marr has a background in corporate human resources, over seven years’ experience in the hospitality industry, and still works as a consultant and a trainer. She says, “Since I was an online student myself, I think about the student point of view in regards to online presence, clear and concise directions, time commitment and online personality. My favorite aspect of teaching is being able to help a student understand a difficult concept or idea; I love when I can see the light bulb go on in their eyes.” Originally from Chicago, IL, Dr. Marr has lived in eleven different countries and now resides in San Diego, CA.