The construction and initial validation of a measure of expatriate job performance

Abstract

Based on Campbell's (1990, Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2nd ed., Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, 687–732) multi-factorial model of job performance, the Expatriate Performance Scales were developed to measure components of expatriate performance. Item generation for the scales was informed by job performance theory, content analysis of interviews with expatriates and item sorting by subject matter experts. The scales (48 items) were administered to 106 Australian expatriates in the Special Administrative Regions of China. Data were subjected to exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis as well as tests for criterion, convergent and discriminant validity. These procedures resulted in 32 items measuring an amended model of expatriate performance with six components: task performance, communication performance, demonstrating effort, maintaining personal discipline, team and leadership performance and management and administration performance. Results provide initial psychometric evidence of criterion, convergent and discriminant validity.