Organisational practices enhancing positive job attitudes of expatriates on international assignments
With increasing foreign revenues, multinational corporations need for expatriateassignments shows little sign of slowing down. Maintaining an expatriate is a costlyand complicated process, and if the expatriate fails in his/her assignment, theexpatriate exercise becomes even more costly for all involved. A prominent issue ininternational staffing literature is the premature return of an expatriate to his/herhome country or resignation during or shortly after the foreign assignment. An expatriate may be defined as an employee who works for a firm but is not a citizen of the country in which the firm is located (host-country). However, he is a citizen of the country in which the organisation is headquartered (parent country). Losses anddamages resulting from expatriates returning prematurely or resigning during or shortly after a foreign assignment add up to considerable costs. Considering these costs, it is imperative that expatriate assignments are managed effectively.
The above raises the following research questions:
<ul><li>What is the relationship between job attitudes and expatriate managers intentionto return prematurely from foreign assignments or to resign during or shortly afterforeign assignments?</li><li>What specific aspects of job attitudes are perceived by expatriate managers ascritical to their adjustment while on a foreign assignment?</li></ul>
The main aim of this research is an empirical investigation into the variables influencing expatriates job attitudes and a statistical examination of the relationship between job attitudes and expatriates intention to quit or return prematurely. The envisioned result is to identify organisational practices that will facilitate expatriate adjustment during a foreign assignment. Successful adjustment will ultimately reduce the number of expatriates returning prematurely and resigning from a foreign assignment, thereby saving multinational corporations considerable expenses.
The research was conducted through self-administered questionnaires. A convenience sample with purposive characteristics, comprising of South African managers on foreign assignments, was used. Response was received from 71 managers. The study relied on descriptive and inferential statistical procedures to analyse the quantitative data and analytical induction to analyse the qualitative data.
The results of the study showed a negative relationship between certain favourablejob attitudes and intention to quit a foreign assignment. Using the Spearmans rhotest the following correlations proved to be significant: role conflict (-.369), jobcharacteristics (-.391) and co-workers (-.349). Job characteristics (-.107), promotional opportunities (.282) and roleconflict (-.312) were identified, usinglogistic regression, as the variables playing a critical role in the expatriates decision to quit. The qualitative data analysis added the following critical adjustment aspects: commitment to the vision of the organisation, supportive supervision, organisational support practices, reasonable compensation packages, and realistic expectations.
Based on the variables identified as critical, an organisational best practiceframework is proposed. This framework can serve as a managerial guideline for South African multinational corporations to facilitate expatriate adjustment.
© University of Pretoria 2008
Type of publication: | Other
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Language: | English |
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Notes: | http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-06102008-170804/ |
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Source: | BASE |
Persistent link: https://www.econbiz.de/10009462311