The career narratives of professional self-initiated expatriate women living and working in Beijing, China

This study concerns the career experiences of 31 western professional women living and working in Beijing, China, as self-initiated expatriates (SIEs). An interpretive narrative methodology provides the framework to better understand how this escalating global talent pool came to China, their career experiences and challenges once there, and the meaning they derive from being an SIE. The study contributes to knowledge on the career-related behaviours, expectations and outcomes of professional SIE women, especially those living and working in an emerging economy. Understanding the career experiences of SIEs in general and SIE women in particular is a critical component of organisational HR recruitment and retention strategies.