Workforce Localization Theorization, Contextualization, and Paradoxes

A Systematic Literature Review, with Ali Faqihi and Cathy (Ying) Xu.

Highlights

Workforce localization has become an important aspect of contemporary labor policies, driven by economic, cultural, and socio-political imperatives. This systematic literature review analyzes 85 scholarly works published between 2000 and 2025 to contextualize, theorize, and problematize workforce localization. With a comprehensive analysis of contexts and theoretical underpinnings, four key paradoxes of bounded diversity, strategic capability, autonomy-control, and global-local legitimacy are proposed. By highlighting the structural inequities and unintended consequences of these initiatives, this review offers nuanced insights into the intersection of localization, workforce diversity, and global labor market dynamics. The findings contribute to advancing theoretical and practical understandings of workforce localization, emphasizing the need for strategies that balance inclusion, capability development, and global integration.

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Wechtler, H, Faqihi, A., & Xu, X. (2026). Workforce Localization Theorization, Contextualization, and Paradoxes: A Systematic Literature Review. Doctoral thesis, Ali Faqihi, University of Newcastle.