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Skill utilization of overseas interns: antecedents and consequences

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  • Feldman, Daniel C.
  • Bolino, Mark C.

Abstract

Overseas internship programs are intended to provide substantive learning and skill development opportunities for interns. At the same time, internships are intended to provide employers with bright students who can help meet staffing needs and opportunities to recruit superior candidates for future job openings. However, overseas internships can be successful for interns and organizations alike only if interns are effectively utilized by their host organizations and have the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge. This research examines the factors that enhance the skill utilization and development of overseas interns as well as the consequences of poor skill utilization or skill misutilization. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 125 interns working in overseas internships in 23 countries. The results suggest that ineffective assignment procedures, poorly articulated duties, inadequate mentoring, and lack of corporate experience with internship programs all contribute to the underutilization or misutilization of interns' skills. In addition, poor skill utilization was strongly associated with negative attitudes about the internship and decreased work effort even after controlling for such variables as age, gender, previous overseas work experience, and cultural distance. The article concludes with directions for improving the design of overseas internships.

Suggested Citation

  • Feldman, Daniel C. & Bolino, Mark C., 2000. "Skill utilization of overseas interns: antecedents and consequences," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 29-47.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:6:y:2000:i:1:p:29-47
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Amy Wei Tian & Ying Wang & Terence Chia, 2018. "Put My Skills to Use? Understanding the Joint Effect of Job Security and Skill Utilization on Job Satisfaction Between Skilled Migrants and Australian Born Workers in Australia," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 139(1), pages 259-275, August.
    2. Koveshnikov, Alexei & Tienari, Janne & Piekkari, Rebecca, 2019. "Gender in international business journals: A review and conceptualization of MNCs as gendered social spaces," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 37-53.
    3. Srikanth P.B., 2014. "Role Perception and Role Performance: Moderating Effect of Competence Mobilization," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 15(3), pages 531-544, September.

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