In Search of the Best Suited Expatriate

Dissertation / Doktorarbeit von Iris C. Fischlmayr

Abstract:

Much has been written on expatriation so far but literature is mainly US based. An exhaustive critical literature review serves to discover underresearched areas, to look for aspects from other disciplines that could be enriching, and to identify areas where empirical data are missing or weak.

In order to test the applicability of articles on expatriation to different contexts, an empirical study on expatriation in Austria is conducted. Information on the Austrian background, where data on expatriation simply do not exist, are gained through explorative interviews with personnel managers of Austrian companies and with former expatriates.

Based on those, and on the findings from literature, hypotheses are created, which are tested with the help of a large questionnaire study among expatriates from Austrian and foreign controlled companies located in Austria.

Although considered as essential for a successful completion of the foreign assignment in theory, some fields are only rarely found in practice (e.g. predeparture training, support for family). Others, on contrast, are seldom mentioned in the literature but of high practical relevance (e.g. goal setting, psychological level, distinction between different types of expatriates according to different transfer aims or different host countries). In most of the cases, the applicability of studies is limited. Certain factors have to be adapted according to different contexts.

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