In 1978 SRI conducted the original research on the factors responsible for failure in an international assignment. These factors fall into three major groups: (1) international leadership characteristics of the employee, (2) spouse and family issues, and (3) support provided by the corporation in critical areas. All of the assessment and development work that SRI conducts centers on these three fundamental areas.
For maximum effectiveness, assessing employees and their families for international assignment should be integrated into a larger global talent development system. SRI begins all new engagements with a one-day working session, structured to integrate SRI tools and processes into existing and planned talent management programs of the corporation.