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Dealing with Relocation Blues: Taking a Balanced Decision
A. Nagaraj Subbarao and Shweta Kaur Khalsa
Dayananda Sagar University, Bengaluru, India
Volume 17: 2024, pp. 63-70; ABSTRACT
With globalization, many executives in India now have opportunities to relocate to
foreign countries. While such moves offer significant career opportunities, they also introduce
unique personal and familial challenges. This case study throws light upon the personal and
professional conflicts faced by Sunil Joshi, an executive with TechSolve Inc., and explores the
implications on expatriate family life. While Sunil tackles a demanding job with frequent travel, his
wife Sukanya grapples with isolation and depression. Their son Anand, meanwhile, has trouble in
his new US school. The case study delves into the cultural and emotional hurdles of the expatriate
family life, exploring its impact on internal family dynamics and individual psychological wellbeing. Sunil is torn between personal aspirations and family responsibilities. His dilemma is whether
to prioritize his family’s happiness by returning to India or remain in the US. This case study
highlights relocation management, and the delicate balance between career aspirations and familial
obligations. It also emphasizes the critical role of the “trailing spouse”, in the family’s adjustment
process.
Keywords: cultural differences, work-life balance, dilemma, expatriate support.
