Practicing International Human Resource Development

International HRD Consulting On Your Own: In a series of post-911 interviews, ten Human Resource Development professionals talk about their lives and work as independent international consultants. Averaging better than two decades abroad, they share the joy and excitement of working in exotic lands as well as the unpredictability, perils and loneliness of cultural isolation. Relive their tales of amazement and growth, as well as exhaustion and fear, through their own words. Finally, confront with them the shock of returning home to colleagues who do not understand the subtleties of foreign ways, organizations unwilling to embrace their hard-earned skills negotiating the labyrinths of cross-cultural interaction, and the corner desk now occupied by someone else. A must read for those who would work overseas in a changing business environment or for a non-profit global enterprise, by an author who has held both short and long-term engagements in exotic lands, and who has lived through two states of siege and a revolution, himself. The insights gained here will help you better prepare for both the rigors and pleasure that attend international work.

Jules K. Beck, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW, is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas. He has experience in international community and leadership development in South and Central America, West Africa, and Eastern Europe. Beck chaired the St. Louis Park, MN Human Rights Commission and served three terms as president of the ACLU of Minnesota.