What Makes Self-Initiated Expatriates Perform Well? Development and Testing of a Model

Abstract

Drawing upon anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) theory and organization support theory (OST), this study developed and tested a model of how self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) perform well. We collected data from 276 superior-subordinate dyads and which was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the hypotheses of the study. The model posed that SIEs’ job performance depends on interplay of perceived organizational support and role clarity that, however, do not influence job performance directly. The results were in line with the idea behind the model: a). role clarity mediates the influence of perceived organizational support and work adjustment; and b). work adjustment mediates the influence of role clarity on task performance and organizational citizenship behavior. The implications of the findings for theory, practice and for future research are discussed.