A focus on change

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/tie.22026
• Published date: 01 November 2018
• Author: Mary B. Teagarden
• Date: 01 November 2018

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A focus on change

This year has been one of tumultuous change—the ravages of climate

change causing floods and wild fires around the world; the post-World

War II geo-political and economic order being torn asunder; the rap-

idly expanding presence of China's global hard and soft power; the

high-tech darling Tesla losing its charm; and the loss of political peace-

makers and entertainment giants. The challenge for academics is to

help guide practitioner sense-making in these times. We at Thunder-

bird have undergone considerable change as well as we welcomed a

new dean, Sanjeev Khagram a true internationalist, visionary and

problem-solver. We moved from our suburban location, where we

had been since 1946, to temporary offices in downtown Phoenix

while we await completion of a new school next to ASU's Sandra Day

O'Connor Law School and across from the Cronkite Journalism

School. Tumultuous change is not for the faint of heart. But it serves

the courageous well. Tumultuous change provides a promise of abun-

dant opportunity.

This past year we brought articles and Special Issues to the fore

that contribute to this sense-making from scholars around the world.

No fewer than 183 authors shared their insights, observations and

solutions in the articles published this year. We owe them gratitude

for their wisdom and generosity—a sincere thank you to our authors,

one and all. Behind the scenes, our Editorial Board and reviewers

assist in evaluating the robustness and contribution of each of these

articles. They advised me. To them I extend a hearty thank you and

owe a debt of gratitude. Guest Editors who curate Special Issues—like

this one—make invaluable contributions and bring cutting edge and

timely knowledge to our readers. They play a very important role in

the success of Thunderbird International Business Review. A sincere

thank you to each Guest Editor—you make my job easier and our

journal contributions richer!

I also acknowledge the incredible contributions that Ms. Suzy

Howell makes to the journal. Behind the scenes she coordinates the

efforts of authors and reviewers, manages the complex publication

process, and makes sure our editorial process is executed flawlessly.

She is a ray of sunshine to those around her. Suzy, our authors,

reviewers, Guest Editors and I all thank you from the bottom of our

hearts for your unflagging dedication to excellence in doing a very dif-

ficult and delicate job. You are indeed a gem! The Wiley staff and I are

ecstatic to have you on our team.

The focus of this Special Issue is the changing nature of expatria-

tion, a topic of significant importance to multinational organizations in

today's dynamic (turbulent) context. The issue's Guest Editors, Jaime

Bonache, Chris Brewster, Vesa Suutari and Jean-Luc Cerdin have

curated a very important issue. I believe it will have a positive impact

on academics and practitioners alike. These Guest Editors are among

the very top scholars in their (and my) field. They are not only profes-

sional colleagues—they are friends. Few academics reach out to pro-

vide solid advice and insights for practitioners. These Guest Editors

have done so. Their Introduction to the Special Issue highlights the

contributions of each article and I will not repeat these here but wish

to acknowledge each author's contribution to advancing knowledge

and know-how. Jaime, Chris, Vesa and Jean-Luc, I offer a sincere

thank you for your contributions to Thunderbird International Business

Review, and appreciation from the academics and practitioners who

will benefit from this Special Issue. To our readers, enjoy!

Mary B. Teagarden

DOI: 10.1002/tie.22026

Thunderbird Int Bus Rev. 2018;60:813. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/tie © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 813