Theme: Gender Issues in Multinational Corporations
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2001

Co-editors:
Carol A. McKeen and Nailin Bu
School of Business, Queen's University, Canada.

The issue of gender is especially complex and challenging for multinational corporations (MNCs).

First, these firms must operate in countries where the cultural norms and legal frameworks regarding the roles of women in the workplace, home and society differ significantly from those of home countries. A critical issue for MNCs is, therefore, how to maximize the utilization of the talents of local and expatriate women within the constraints of existing societal conventions and institutions in various locations. The ethical issues raised by differing norms and practices across cultures with respect to gender equality must also be considered.

Second, the international mobility of female professionals and managers across subsidiaries is often restricted because of these women's family attachment and the social norms which still regard men as the primary breadwinners. These norms and expectations may lower the probability of women being selected for overseas assignments. Since international experience is an important requirement for senior positions in MNCs, these situations contribute to the severe under-representation of women at the senior levels in MNCs. Spousal issues for female expatriates may also be more complex, as they are more likely to have employed spouses who will need support in relocating. Therefore, a special challenge facing MNCs is to develop cost-effective measures to remove the obstacles preventing women from succeeding in overseas assignments.

We plan to publish a collection of conceptual and empirical articles that define and highlight specific problems as well as suggest and evaluate solutions. Appropriate topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Career goals and obstacles among women in various countries and regions and implications for MNCs

- MNCs' localization strategies and their effect on local women's advancement

- Ethical considerations for multinationals with respect to women

- Female expatriates' effectiveness in various countries and regions

- Attitudes toward female expatriates in various countries and regions

- MNCs' expatriation policies and their effect on female expatriates

All submissions will be subject to a double-blind, peer-review process. Publication decisions are made by the editors based on recommendations from the reviewers.

Contributors are asked to refer to the Women in Management
Review style guide, which can be requested from the co-editors. Please send five (5) copies of the manuscript to: Prof. Carol McKeen or Prof. Nailin Bu, School of Business, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6.

Inquiries can be directed to either of the co-editors: Carol McKeen or Nailin Bu <nbu@business.queensu.ca