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Individual profiles as predictors of expatriate effectiveness

Meredith Downes (Department of Management and Quantitative Methods, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA)
Iris I. Varner (Department of Management and Quantitative Methods, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA)
Masoud Hemmasi (Department of Management and Quantitative Methods, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, USA)

Competitiveness Review

ISSN: 1059-5422

Article publication date: 1 June 2010

2399

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the relationship between expatriate personality and effectiveness on overseas assignments.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 118 expatriates who were currently on assignments overseas or had been on an assignment in the past.

Findings

Results of multiple regression analysis show expatriate personality traits to be significant predictors of two of the effectiveness measured used. Extraversion, emotional stability, and openness have a significant, positive impact on expatriate adjustment, and agreeableness is significant and positively associate with expatriate job performance.

Practical implications

Organizations may be well‐served to consider expatriate personality as an important criterion for selection for overseas assignments, as successful assignments reflect on the organization in a number of ways and thus contribute to the company's global competitiveness.

Originality/value

Extant research on the connection between expatriate personality and effectiveness has been limited, relies on expatriate or supervisor perceptions of which traits they believe are important to success, and has been inconsistent in measuring the effectiveness construct. This paper directly assesses personality and employs multiple dimensions of effectiveness, thus contributing to the understanding of this relationship.

Keywords

Citation

Downes, M., Varner, I.I. and Hemmasi, M. (2010), "Individual profiles as predictors of expatriate effectiveness", Competitiveness Review, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 235-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/10595421011047424

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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