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Business, pleasure or both?: motivations and changing motivation of self-initiated expatriates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2022

William Vuk Despotovic Open the ORCID record for William Vuk Despotovic [Opens in a new window] ,
Kate Hutchings Open the ORCID record for Kate Hutchings [Opens in a new window]  and
Ruth McPhail Open the ORCID record for Ruth McPhail [Opens in a new window]
William Vuk Despotovic*
Affiliation:
Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources, Griffith University, Griffith Business School (G42), Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
Kate Hutchings
Affiliation:
Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources, Griffith University, Griffith Business School (G42), Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
Ruth McPhail
Affiliation:
Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources, Griffith University, Griffith Business School (G42), Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia
*
*Author for correspondence: William Vuk Despotovic, E-mail: w.despotovic@griffith.edu.au
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Abstract

Responding to calls for more knowledge about the motivations (and changing motivations) of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs), this qualitative research examines 58 Australian SIEs working in culturally (dis)similar host contexts, to address the question: Why are Australian SIEs motivated to expatriate to South Korea or the United Kingdom? The findings demonstrate that, although personal/lifestyle considerations are important to SIEs, career-related considerations are either primary or become more prevalent following expatriation. The findings reveal that, while SIEs expatriate with particular motivations, over time their motivations may change as other factors determine desire to stay/leave a host country. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT), the research highlights variations in extrinsic and intrinsic motivations of SIEs including those who intended to utilise their expatriation as part of a boundaryless career and those who unintentionally found themselves focused on career. Knowledge of (changing) motivations is salient to organisations' selection decisions and support for international employees.

Keywords

cross-cultural managementexpatriation/repatriationinternational human resource managementmotivationprotean and boundaryless careers

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 31 , Issue 4 , July 2025 , pp. 2114 - 2139
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management

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