The top five surveys are as follows:

1. ORC Worldwide Flash Survey: Cost Savings Initiatives 2009
2. ORC Worldwide: 2008 Worldwide Survey of International Assignment Policies and Practices
3. ORC Worldwide: 2008 Dual Careers and International Assignments Survey
4. Manpower Global Employment Outlook Survey
5. Brookfield Global Relocation Services: International Mobility: Impact of the Current Economic Climate

The top ranking survey, ORC Worldwide Flash Survey: Cost Savings Initiatives 2009," is a current and timely review of the impact of context on the use and management of expatriation in a tight economy," says Noeleen Doherty of Cranfield School of Management in the UK. It scored highly as a topic of value and interest to the HR profession, presented in an easy to read and digest form.

Expatica HR will shortly feature the highlights of each of the top five surveys.

Expatica Top 5 HR Industry Survey Awards recognise excellence across the entire HR spectrum including, but not limited to, international HRM, international management, compensation, policy and practices, technology, training, measurement, and talent management.

Selection process
Expatica applies a two-tier selection and judging process which requires entrants to meet a set of essential and desirable judging criteria in each award category. The criteria are as follows:

•    Findings:  Does the survey contribute new findings on a topic of interest to HR professionals? Is the survey based on a current ‘hot topic’ in HR? Are the survey findings novel or unique, cutting edge, and/or representative of findings that are under-researched or undeveloped? 

•    Methodology:  Does the survey use a rigorous methodology? Is the sample large enough to be representative of the general population? Is the method of data collection appropriate for the topic being investigated?  Is the sample appropriate for the topic being investigated?  Is methodological information easy to find and clearly articulated?

•    Readability:  Is the survey easy to read and digest? Does the design and layout lend itself to a ‘quick read’ or for use as a reference guide? Are page numbers, table of contents, and indexes available and accurate?

•    Quality of the data: Does the survey provide data that is of value to HR professionals? Can qualitative data be verified with quantitative evidence? Does it satisfy the ‘so-what?’ question in terms of investigating a topic of relevance to the profession? 

•    Willingness to have data scrutinised:  Is the submitting organisation willing to answer questions from the judging panel regarding verification of the survey data?

Panel of judges
Barbara Parry, Expatriate Consulting, Noeleen Doherty, Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University, United Kingdom. Stefan Mol, Amsterdam Business School, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Yvonne McNulty, Department of Management, Monash University, Australia.  Natasha Gunn, Editor Expatica HR and Editor-in-Chief Expatica.com.

The submitted surveys were published between June 2008 and 30 June 2009.
Any surveys published after this date up until June 2010, will be eligible for our 2009/2010 awards. We’ll be sending out a call for submissions early in the first quarter of 2010.

Expatica HR will shortly feature the highlights of each of the top five surveys. If you would like to know more about this topic, please visit Expatica HR at Expatica.com or contact Natasha Gunn.