Abstract
Orientation: A growing movement of foreign nationals is settling in South Africa. Given this, there is a need to understand not only those factors influencing foreign nationals to settle in South Africa but also their lived experiences as a basis for individual career development.Research purpose: To investigate the expatriation motivational factors and experiences of selfinitiated academic expatriates in South Africa.Motivation for the study: Calls have been made within the careers literature for more empirical focus on understanding career development using some of the neglected sample groups.Research approach, design and method: The interpretive paradigm was adopted to understand the main purpose of the study. Guided by study objectives, unstructured interviews were conducted using a sample of foreign academics working in South Africa (n = 25).Main findings: Individual stories and narratives highlighted that academics relocated for the following reasons: (1) individual preference, (2) economic meltdown and (3) political conditions. Furthermore, the lived experiences of the expatriates reflected discrimination within the workplace and the community of residences in South Africa.Practical and managerial implications: Research findings indicate that the human resources (HR) function can come up with interventions that positively influence the lived experience and career development of foreign academics working in South Africa.Contribution: The expatriate experience framed in this study provides a picture of the career development processes of neglected sample groups in the extant literature. Such an understanding is key in advancing literature and proposing interventions. All this is important given the global trend on labour and skills movement added to the role South Africa plays in the international arena.
Highlights
Many individuals are looking beyond their home countries in search of career opportunities and a better life. Mostert (2014) attributes the movement of labour to globalisation
Silvanto and Ozkaya (2015) observe that host countries have had to lower their migration requirements so as to attract skilled foreign nationals. This has changed the nature of work and the view of the notion of a career (Baruch, Dickmann, Altman & Bournois, 2013; Rodriguez & Scurry, 2014). Such international trends have led to the rise of, and need to investigate, self-initiated expatriates (SiEs) as an important source of talent (Doherty, 2013; Haslberger & Vaiman, 2013)
The purpose of this study was to explore the expatriation motivational factors and the lived experiences of SiE academics working at a South African rural university
Summary
Many individuals are looking beyond their home countries in search of career opportunities and a better life. Mostert (2014) attributes the movement of labour to globalisation. Mostert (2014) attributes the movement of labour to globalisation This has allowed host countries the opportunity to attract and retain skilled professionals within their workplace (Silvanto & Ryan, 2014). Ryan, Silvanto and Ozkaya (2015) observe that host countries have had to lower their migration requirements so as to attract skilled foreign nationals This has changed the nature of work and the view of the notion of a career (Baruch, Dickmann, Altman & Bournois, 2013; Rodriguez & Scurry, 2014). This even extends to the South African setting as well
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