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Improving expatriate adjustment: a social network perspective

Sasha Pustovit (Department of Management, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA)

Journal of Global Mobility

ISSN: 2049-8799

Article publication date: 29 January 2020

Issue publication date: 12 June 2020

763

Abstract

Purpose

While the value of connections with host-country nationals (HCNs) for expatriate adjustment is well established, there is little guidance regarding which HCNs stand to benefit expatriates most. The purpose of this paper is to utilize a social network perspective to build theory to explain how and why expatriates who are connected to a central HCN are more likely to adjust. This study offers explicit guidance for steps parent country management can take to assist expatriates in the development of valuable connections with HCNs, even while thousands of miles away from the expatriate’s new locale.

Design/methodology/approach

This study takes a social network approach to build theory that will improve understanding of the expatriate experience.

Findings

Because central individuals tend to be embedded in the organization, their embeddedness is likely to spread to expatriates with whom they are in close contact with. Links to central HCNs are posited to contribute to improved work adjustment by enabling expatriates to attain a better understanding of workplace requirements and workplace norms.

Practical implications

Management can take steps to identify central HCNs using social network analysis and introduce expatriates to highly central HCNs to help improve expatriate adjustment.

Originality/value

This study answers explicit calls in the literature for a greater exploration of social interaction of expatriates in understanding the expatriate experience, as well as calls for taking a more active role in the management of informal relationships. This study is the first to discuss implications of the HCN’s network to expatriate outcomes.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Maria Kraimer for her helpful comments on an earlier version of this paper.

Citation

Pustovit, S. (2020), "Improving expatriate adjustment: a social network perspective", Journal of Global Mobility, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 55-65. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-05-2018-0027

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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