Global crisis as catalyst: institutional changes and the rise of virtual global mobility

Purpose Exogenous crises do not merely disrupt organizational practices but can trigger fundamental reconfigurations of the institutional arrangements that underpin them. This study examines how a global crisis (COVID-19 pandemic) induced a shift to virtual global mobility (VGM), disrupting established regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive pillars of global mobility and creating conditions for their reconfiguration. Design/methodology/approach This longitudinal qualitative study draws on two waves of semi-structured interviews conducted in 2021 and 2022 with global mobility (GM) professionals and VGM workers across multinational corporations. Using an abductive analytical approach, empirical data were analyzed through Scott's three-pillar institutional framework, complemented by institutional work theory, to examine reconfiguration across organizational and individual levels. Findings By showcasing institutions as dynamic systems throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we uncover the evolving regulations, norms and cognitive structures, revealing how institutional change propagates across pillars rather than within them in isolation. As GM professionals and VGM workers adapt to the new work context and redefine global mobility rules, accepted standards and shared meanings, VGM emerged not as a settled alternative but as a practice with fragile legitimacy: operationally normalized yet not cognitively taken for granted. Practical implications VGM broadens access to international career development, offering more inclusive pathways for dual-career couples while preserving professional continuity and containing assignment costs. Realizing these benefits, however, depends on purposefully designed roles, clearly articulated expectations and sustained investment in cultural learning and relational embeddedness, which virtual settings can otherwise erode. Organizations should, therefore, adopt a differentiated mobility portfolio, reserving physical relocation for positions demanding intensive cultural immersion or complex knowledge transfer and complementing virtual arrangements with strategic business travel. Originality/value This study shows how a global crisis triggered lasting changes to the global mobility institution, accelerating a fundamental shift in how international work is understood and practiced. It demonstrates that crisis-induced institutional change is not uniform; each pillar responds through its own mechanism and at its own pace. The study introduces the concept of fragile legitimacy, capturing how a new work form can become operationally normal without yet being cognitively accepted. It also contributes a dual-perspective design, revealing the tensions between how organizations govern virtual mobility and how employees experience it.