Exploring the motives of company-backed and self-initiated expatriates

In the age of ‘liquid modernity’: self-initiated expatriates in Crete, their multi-generational families and the community

“…Indeed, many of them are either self-employed or freelancing, categories not often addressed by research on expatriates. Moreover, whilst Doherty, Dickmann, and Mills (2011) suggest that Self-Initiated Expatriates form a much larger group than previously thought, our study also indicates a much broader range of occupations and fields of activity than previously reported.…”

“…By focusing our sample on the members of an expatriate organization, our study has uncovered a much broader pool of talent out there than the management literature seems to suggest. Doherty et al (2011) do indicate that the pool of Self-Initiated Expatriates is probably much larger than hitherto thought, but our study also reveals a much wider range of skills and talents available amongst such expatriates than previously documented.…”

“…They all face some problems in settling in Crete, whether linguistic challenges, difficulties in dealing with the bureaucracy or adjusting to cultural differences. Yet, as Doherty et al (2011) note, Self-Initiated Expatriates display a considerable degree of agency and tend to be more proactive in integrating into the new environment than Corporately Assigned Expatriates. The following section will explore the ways in which expatriates use their agency in the process of adjustment.…”

The moral challenge of expatriate employment in developing countries

“…Different metaphors have been used to explain the motivating grounds for selfinitiated expatriation (Richardson & McKenna 2002, 2003Selmer & Lauring 2010;Doherty, Dickmann, and Mills 2011). The primary reasons for this type of expatriation are considered to be: 1) explorer instinct, 2) fleeing the familiar, 3) quest for better wages and 4) career development considerations.…”

New Constructs for the Prediction of Self-Initiated International Mobility: An Exploratory Study

“…While there has been recognition that this form of expatriation is increasing (Al Ariss &Özbilgin, 2010), differs from corporate expatriation (Doherty et al, 2011;Jokinen, Brewster, & Suutari, 2008), and is valuable to both individuals and organisations (Doherty & Dickmann, 2009;Richardson & Mallon, 2005), further insights are limited. There has been little consideration of the different patterns and forms that mobility can take (Bozkurt & Mohr, 2011); for example, 'there-and-back' mobility, consecutive mobility, repeated cycles of mobility, or of the cumulative impact of successive moves.…”