Self-initiated expatriation : factors and implications driving individuals to seek overseas assignments

• Main Author: Choo, Brenda Jia Yee
• Other Authors: Eunae Cho
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2020
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/142022
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

As a result of globalisation, many organisations are increasingly seeking to employ individuals with high intercultural proficiency (Atalar, 2020; Roy, Newman, Ellenberger & Pyman, 2018). International migration has also generally been on the rise (Kobler & Lattes, 2017), along with increased interests in studying abroad among tertiary education students and policymakers (British Council, 2008; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2019). However, there is limited understanding on self-initiated expatriation in comparison to traditional, assigned expatriation in literature (Doherty, Richardson & Thorn, 2013). As such, the current study examined the relationship between study abroad programmes such as student exchange programmes and self-initiated expatriation, as well as student exchange programmes and self-perceived employability, and their underlying mechanisms in relation to career adaptability. A total of 113 participants either in their penultimate or final year were recruited via convenience sampling and completed the study’s measures. Contrary to existing literature, results indicated that student exchange programmes did not predict for intentions to self-expatriate, and career adaptability did not mediate the relationship between student exchange programmes and self-initiated expatriation intentions. In line with research, career adaptability was found to predict for self-perceived employability. However, career adaptability was not found to mediate the relationship between student exchange programmes and self-perceived employability. Implications of the current study and future research directions were discussed.