The relative importance of motives for international self‐initiated mobility

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the relative importance of the motives and sub‐motives which influence a highly educated individual's decision to move across global boundaries.Design/methodology/approachThe approach takes a multi‐dimensional perspective of mobility, resulting in the development of a range of motives for self‐initiated mobility. The paper employs a quantitative methodology, with over 2,600 internet survey responses from highly educated New Zealanders living and working around the world.FindingsThe importance of the cultural and travel opportunities and career motives are highlighted as the most important motives in a decision to be mobile. Within these motives, opportunities for travel and adventure and for career development were central. Economics was ranked as the third most important motive, contrary to the extant literature, followed by relationships, quality of life and the political environment. The priority accorded to each of these motives varies according to gender, location and life stage, creating different equations of motivation. The paper explores the implications of these findings to career theory.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses only on New Zealanders living abroad and there may be some factors, which apply to these people but not to people from other countries.Practical implicationsThe data could be useful for policy makers trying to either retain highly educated people in the home country, or to attract them back from abroad.Originality/valueThe study utilises a novel methodology to identify the relative importance of motivating factors and shows that there is a different mixture of these motives at different life stages.