Abstract
For two decades, individual motivations to expatriate have received substantial attention in the expatriation literature examining self-initiated and assigned expatriation. Recently, however, this literature has changed direction, demonstrating that prior to forming their actual motivations, individuals undergo a process wherein they actively form those motivations. No review has yet unraveled this motivation process, and this systematic literature review fills this gap. Using the Rubicon Action model that discusses the motivation process of expatriation, this article demonstrates that for self-initiated and assigned expatriation, individuals follow similar processes: expatriation expectations are formed; then, they are evaluated; and finally, preferences are built that result in motivations to expatriate. Findings for each stage are discussed in light of their contributions to the expatriation literature. For major gaps, new research suggestions are offered to advance our understanding of the individual motivation process that expats experience prior to forming their motivations to move abroad.
Highlights
For many countries, expatriation is of paramount importance, especially because it brings in knowledge and talent from abroad, strengthening the competitive advantages of regions and cities within countries (Ridgway and Robson, 2018), and it may even improve a country’s global economic status (Caligiuri and Bonache, 2016)
Career We found thirty-four articles identifying career as a motivation to expatriate for both self-initiated expatriation (SIE) and assigned expatriation (AE) (SIE, N 23; AE, N 11)
Thirty-four discuss expatriation expectations, twenty-nine discuss how individuals expatriate, and fifteen demonstrate that individuals developed preferences to expatriate to a specific country
Summary
Expatriation is of paramount importance, especially because it brings in knowledge and talent from abroad, strengthening the competitive advantages of regions and cities within countries (Ridgway and Robson, 2018), and it may even improve a country’s global economic status (Caligiuri and Bonache, 2016). Many countries adopt national and regional strategies to attract talent, as is the case, for example, in the Gulf State of Qatar, where highly skilled expatriates are attracted from Europe, North America, Australia, Egypt, Jordan and the Philippines. Recognizing the importance of expatriation to countries, researchers have paid substantial attention to this topic in academic work. Perhaps because individual motivations to expatriate to a specific country reflect the country-level factors that attract
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