Success of self-initiated expatriates: Different occupations, different realities?

This chapter provides an overview of the expatriate literature, paying attention to assigned expatriates (AEs) and self-initiated expatriations (SIEs) success, and offering theoretical perspectives that can explain why occupations and managerial rank matter. It offers implications for research and practice. The chapter contributes to research on SIEs in three important ways. First, conceptual framework and findings from two independent samples in four countries i.e. China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore seek to increase understanding of the heterogeneity of SIEs’ occupations and organisational ranks and their relation to expatriation success in terms of cross-cultural adjustment and two work attitudes: job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Second way differentiates and increase conceptual clarity of factors related to AEs and SIE success. Third uses the conservation of resources theory and the managerial discretion concept to increase conceptual understanding of the antecedents of SIE success.