Expatriates Success Factors (Esf) For Increasing Commitment To Assignment In Arab Markets

Authors

  • ROBERT J. HANSON

Keywords:

Expatriate management,IHRMs,cultural adjustment,ESFs, Arab markets

Abstract

Expatriate Success Factors (ESFs) are essential to evaluate expatriate commitment to international assignments. The study aims to identify ESFs that impact expatriate commitment levels;and rank these factors according to their importance. 13 factors were studied, and structured interviews were conducted with 10 experts from different industries. An online survey was distributed to non-Arab expatriates, who were currently working in 22 Arab countries. Valid responses from 5280 expatriates were collected and data was treated using factor loading and statistical analysis.Results indicated that logistical support, compensation, professional development, cultural adjustment, and satisfaction with human resources(HR) procedures are amongst five most important factors impacting expatriates’ commitment to their assignment. This study provides international human resources managers (IHRMs)with areas that must be addressed when locating expatriates abroad. However, further research is needed for non-Arab markets.

References

Aljbour, R.H. (2015). Impact of European Expatriates’ Gender of Their Adaptability to Arab Culture: proceeding of the Eighth EuroMed Academy of Business conference, Verona, Italy. ISPN: 978-9963-711- 37-6, pp. 129-137.

Aljbour, R.H., & Hanson, J. (2015). Task Complexity and Non-Arab Expatriates’Wasta Performance in Arab Markets. Middle East J. Management, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 30–54.

Aljbour, R.H., Hanson, R.J. & El-Shalkamy, M.M. (2013), ‘Cultural training impact on non-Arab leaders’ network performance in Arab markets’, Middle East J. Management, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 3-27.

Aljbour, Rami H. (2011). Wasta and non-Arab training, characteristics, task, and culture in Arab markets. (Doctoral Dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global database.

AlMazrouei, H., &Pech, R. J. (2015). Working in the UAE: Expatriate management experiences. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 6(1), 73. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/1670923248?accountid=45927

Armstrong, A. F., Francis, R. D., & Grow, H. S. (2017). Ethical issues in the employment of expatriate leaders in corporations. Economic and Social Development: Book of Proceedings, 95.

Bader, B. (2015). The power of support in high-risk countries: Compensation and social support as antecedents of expatriate work attitudes. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,26(13), 1712-1736. doi:10.1080/09585192.2014.962071

Bonache, J., Sanchez, J., &Zárraga-Oberty, C. (2009). The interaction of expatriate pay differential and expatriate inputs on host country nationals’ pay unfairness. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,20(10), 2135-2149. doi:10.1080/09585190903178062

Caligiuri, P. M., &Colakoglu, S. (2007). A strategic contingency approach to expatriate assignment management. Human Resource Management Journal, 17(4), 393-410. doi:10.1111/j.1748- 8583.2007.00052.x

Canhilal, S. K., Gabel Shemueli, R., & Dolan, S. (2015). Antecedent factors for success in international assignments: the case of expatriates in Peru. Journal of Global Mobility, 3(4), 378-396.

Darawong, C., Igel, B., &Badir, Y. F. (2016). The impact of communication on conflict between expatriate and local managers working in NPD projects of MNC subsidiaries: A local perspective. Journal of Asia- Pacific Business, 17(1), 81-99.

du Toit, L., & Jackson, L. (2014). Personality and work success among expatriate educational leaders in the United Arab Emirates. Middle Eastern & African Journal of Educational Research.

Eriksson, C., Bjorck, J., Larson, L., Walling, S., Trice, G., Fawcett, J., . . . Foy, D. (2009). Social support, organisational support, and religious support in relation to burnout in expatriate humanitarian aid workers. Mental Health, Religion & Culture,12(7), 671-686. doi:10.1080/13674670903029146

Erkmen, T., & Bozkurt, S. (2016). Moderating effect of organizational commitment on the relationship between work alienation and formalization. Journal of Economic Development, Management, I T, Finance, and Marketing, 8(2), 16-23. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/1815349236?accountid=45927

Forster, N. 2000. “Expatriates and the impact of cross-cultural training”, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 63-78.

Green, S.B. (1991). How Many Sujects Does It Take to do Regression Analysis? Multivariate Behavioral Research. 26, 499-510.

Gregersen, H.B., Morrison, A.J. & Black, J.S. (1998). Developing leaders for the global frontier. Sloan Management Review, Fall, 21-32.

Guchait, P., &Seonghee, C. (2010). The impact of human resource management practices on intention to leave of employees in the service industry in India: the mediating role of organizational commitment. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(8), 1228-1247.

doi:10.1080/09585192.2010.483845

HaithamAlshibly, Raymond Chiong&YukunBao (2016) Investigating the Critical Success Factors for Implementing Electronic Document Management Systems in Governments: Evidence From Jordan, Information Systems Management, 33:4, 287-301, DOI:10.1080/10580530.2016.1220213

Harrison, E. C., &Michailova, S. (2012). Working in the Middle East: Western female expatriates’ experiences in the United Arab Emirates. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 23(4), 625-644.

Hertz, L. (2015). Preparation for International Assignments: A Case Study of Four Swedish Multinational Companies.

Hippler, T., Brewster, C., &Haslberger, A. (2015). The elephant in the room: The role of time in expatriate adjustment. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,26(15), 1920-1935.

doi:10.1080/09585192.2015.1041762

Jassawalla, A. R., Asgary, N., &Sashittal, H. C. (2006). MANAGING EXPATRIATES: THE ROLE OF MENTORS. International Journal of Commerce & Management, 16(2), 130-140. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/212841059?accountid=45927

Jun, S, Gentry, J.W. and Hyun, Y.J. 2001. Cultural adaptation of business expatiates in the host marketplace. Journal of International Business Studies, 32: 369-377

Kawai, N., & Strange, R. (2014). Perceived organizational support and expatriate performance: understanding a mediated model. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 25(17), 2438- 2462. doi:10.1080/09585192.2014.884615

Konopaske, R., Robie, C., &Ivancevich, J. M. (2009). Managerial willingness to assume traveling short- term and long-term global assignments. Management International Review, 49(3), 359-387. Retrieved from http://lynn-lang.student.lynn.edu:2048/login?url=https://lynn- lang.student.lynn.edu:2379/docview/202694705?accountid=36334

Kraimer, M., Bolino, M., & Mead, B. (2016). Themes in expatriate and repatriate research over four decades: What do we know and what do we still need to learn?. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 3, 83-109.

Kraimer, M., Shaffer, M., &Bolino, M. (2009). The influence of expatriate and repatriate experiences on career advancement and repatriate retention. Human Resource Management,48(1), 27-47.

doi:10.1002/hrm.20265

Lauring, J., Selmer, J., &Kubovcikova, A. (2017). Personality in context: effective traits for expatriate managers at different levels. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 1-26.

Lazarova, M., McNulty, Y., &Semeniuk, M. (2015). Expatriate family narratives on international mobility: key characteristics of the successful moveable family. In Work and family interface in the international career context (pp. 29-51). Springer, Cham.

Lee, L. & Croker, R. 2006. A contingency model to promote the effectiveness of expatriate training. Industrial Management & Data Systems. 106, 8, pp. 1187–1204.

Leung, K., Lin, X., & Lu, L. (2014). Compensation disparity between locals and expatriates in china: A multilevel analysis of the influence of norms. Management International Review : Journal of International Business,54(1), 107-128. doi:10.1007/s11575-013-0190-3

Lii, S., & Wong, S. (2008). The antecedents of overseas adjustment and commitment of expatriates. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 19(2), 296-313. doi:10.1080/09585190701799861

Lin, P. K., & Lin, P. C. (2014). Key Success Factors in Expatriate Management in Multinational Medicine Industry. Studies on ethno-medicine, 8(1), 43-49.

Liu, Y., &Ipe, M. (2010). The impact of organizational and leader-member support on expatriate commitment. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,21(7), 1035-1048.

doi:10.1080/09585191003783496

McEvoy, G. M., & Buller, P. F. (2013). Research for Practice: The Management of Expatriates. Thunderbird International Business Review, 55(2), 213-226. doi:10.1002/tie.21536

McNulty, Y., &Cieri, H. (2013). Measuring expatriate return on investment with an evaluation framework. Global Business and Organizational Excellence,32(6), 18-26. doi:10.1002/joe.21511

Min, H., Magnini, V. P., &Singal, M. (2013). Perceived corporate training investment as a driver of expatriate adjustment. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 25(5), 740-759. Retrieved from http://lynn-lang.student.lynn.edu:2048/login?url=https://lynn- lang.student.lynn.edu:2379/docview/1398041920?accountid=36334

Noer, M., C.R. Leupold and M. Valle. 2007. An Analysis of Saudi Arabian and U.S. Managerial Coaching Behaviors. Journal of Managerial Issues, 19, no. 2: 271-287.

Paik, Y., Parboteeah, K. P., & Shim, W. (2007). The relationship between perceived compensation, organizational commitment and job satisfaction: the case of Mexican workers in the Korean Maquiladoras. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(10), 1768-1781.

doi:10.1080/09585190701570940

Peterson, R. B., Napier, N. K., & Shul-Shim, W. (2000). Expatriate management: A comparison of MNCs across four parent countries. Thunderbird International Business Review, 42(2), 145-166. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/202784562?accountid=45927

Pinto, L., Cabral-Cardoso, C., &Werther, W. (2011). Why solidarity matters (and sociability doesn’t): The effects of perceived organizational culture on expatriation adjustment. Thunderbird International Business Review,53(3), 377-389. doi:10.1002/tie.20415

Pokharel, B. (2016). Triumph over failure of expatriate in an International Assignments from the International Human Resource Management Perspective. International Journal of Business and Management, 11(5), 310.

Poonpol, P. (2018). Determinants of expatriate cross-cultural adjustment and its effect on performance. AU Journal of Management, 8(2), 52-64.

Ren, H., Shaffer, M., Harrison, D., Fu, C., &Fodchuk, K. (2014). Reactive adjustment or proactive embedding? multistudy, multiwave evidence for dual pathways to expatriate retention. Personnel Psychology,67(1), 203-239. doi:10.1111/peps.12034

Salamin, X., &Davoine, E. (2015). International adjustment of female vs male business expatriates. A replication study in Switzerland. Journal of Global Mobility, 3(2), 183-212.

Santoso, J., &Loosemore, M. (2013). Expatriate management in Australian multinational enterprises. Construction Management & Economics, 31(11), 1098-1109. doi:10.1080/01446193.2013.853129

Sarfraz, M., & Liu, S. (2015). Empirical Study on Why Expatriates Fail in Different Environments: Case from Workers Working in Muslim Environment. Global Journal of Management And Business Research.

Sarkiunaite, I., &Rocke, D. (2015). The expatriate experience: the factors of international assignment success. Transformations in Business & Economics, 34(1), 20-47.

Seak, N., &Enderwick, P. (2008). The management of New Zealand expatriates in China. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 19(7), 1298-1313. doi:10.1080/09585190802110109

Selmer, J., &Lauring, J. (2015). Host country language ability and expatriate adjustment: The moderating effect of language difficulty. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 26(3), 401-420.

Shaffer, M.A., Harrison, D.A., and Gilley, K.M. (1999), “Dimensions, Determinants, and Differences in the Expatriate Adjustment Process,” Journal of International Business Studies, 30, 3, 557–582.

Singh, A., & Gupta, B. (2015). Job involvement, organizational commitment, professional commitment, and team commitment. Benchmarking, 22(6), 1192-1211. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/1704305821?accountid=45927

Skarmeas, D., Katsikeas, C. S., &Schlegelmilch, B. B. (2002). Drivers of Commitment and its Impact on Performance in Cross-Cultural Buyer-Seller Relationships: The Importer’s Perspective. Journal Of International Business Studies, 33(4), 757-783.

Susanto, E. and Rostiani, R. (2012). Enhancing cross-cultural training efficacy on expatriate adjustment through emotional intelligence and social capital. GadjahMada International Journal of Business,14(2), 123- 137.

Suutari, V., & Brewster, C. (2001). Expatriate management practices and perceived relevance: Evidence from Finnish expatriates. Personnel Review, 30(5), 554-577. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/214804347?accountid=45927

Taylor, S., Levy, O., Boyacigiller, N. A., &Beechler, S. (2008). Employee commitment in MNCs: Impacts of organizational culture, HRM and top management orientations. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19(4), 501-527.

Trompetter, D., Bussin, M., &Nienaber, R. (2016). The relationship between family adjustment and expatriate performance. South African Journal of Business Management, 47(2), 13-21.

van Bakel, M., Gerritsen, M., & van Oudenhoven, J. P. (2016). The importance of relationship quality: Maximizing the impact of expatriate contact with a local host. Thunderbird International Business Review, 58(1), 41-54. doi:10.1002/tie.21740

Van der Heijden, J., Van Engen, M., &Paauwe, J. (2009). Expatriate career support: Predicting expatriate turnover and performance. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,20(4), 831-845. doi:10.1080/09585190902770745

van der Laken, P., van Engen, M., van Veldhoven, M., &Paauwe, J. (2016). Expatriate support and success: A systematic review of organization-based sources of social support. Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research, 4(4), 408-431.

Van ERP, K., GIEBELS, E., Van Der ZEE, K., & Van DUIJN, M. (2011). Expatriate adjustment: The role of justice and conflict in intimate relationships. Personal Relationships,18(1).

Varma, A., & Russell, L. (2016). Women and expatriate assignments. Employee Relations, 38(2), 200-223. Retrieved from http://lynn-lang.student.lynn.edu:2048/login?url=https://lynn- lang.student.lynn.edu:2379/docview/1757689012?accountid=36334

Webb, A. (1996). The expatriate experience: Implications for career success. Career Development International, 1(5), 38-44. Retrieved from http://lynn-lang.student.lynn.edu:2048/login?url=https://lynn- lang.student.lynn.edu:2379/docview/219377831?accountid=36334

Woods, P. (2003). Performance management of Australian and Singaporean expatriates. International Journal of Manpower, 24(5), 517-534. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/docview/231916452?accountid=45927

Wu, P., &Ang, S. (2011). The impact of expatriate supporting practices and cultural intelligence on cross- cultural adjustment and performance of expatriates in Singapore. The International Journal of Human Resource Management,22(13), 2683-2683.

Downloads

Published

2021-04-30

How to Cite

HANSON, R. J. . (2021). Expatriates Success Factors (Esf) For Increasing Commitment To Assignment In Arab Markets. The Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and Government, 27(2), 933–952. Retrieved from https://cibgp.com/au/index.php/1323-6903/article/view/1003