Self-initiated expatriates from emerging markets: career benefits arising from personal initiative
Career Development International
ISSN: 1362-0436
Article publication date: 21 April 2023
Issue publication date: 16 August 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of self-initiated professional expatriates about their subjective/intangible and objective/tangible successes in both home and host countries.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an empirical study using a survey methodology that included a sample of 211 (Male = 120 and Female = 91) employed professionals from India. Structural equation modeling, ANOVA and t-tests were used to analyze the data.
Findings
This study is unique in examining a sample from a homogeneous population from one country with one segment deciding to be SIEs while the other segment decided to return to their home country. The application of personal initiative (PI) theory and the theory of intrinsic motivation to SIEs is also relatively new. The focus on female professional SIEs from an emerging market to an advanced economy adds value to this study. The results have implications for employers and policy makers as well as US universities.
Originality/value
This study is unique in examining a sample from a homogenous population from one country with one segment deciding to be SIEs while the other segment deciding to return to their home country. The application of personal initiative (PI) theory to SIEs is also relatively new. The focus on female professional SIEs from an emerging market to an advanced economy adds value to this study. The results have implications for employers and policy makers as well as to US universities.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to specially thank Divyashree Ravishankar for research adminstration, and the PES-IUP Alumni for responding to the survey.
Citation
Bharadwaj, P.N. and Buchanan, F.R. (2023), "Self-initiated expatriates from emerging markets: career benefits arising from personal initiative", Career Development International, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 426-442. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-07-2022-0202
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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