Toward a Theoretical Framework of Repatriation Adjustment

TLDR: The authors argue that repatriation adjustment is sufficiently different from other forms of work adjustment (e.g., domestic relocation and expatriate assignments) to warrant separate theoretical and empirical investigation and propose an initial theoretical framework and set of derived propositions to guide and spark future research on this topic.

Abstract: Although the increased internationalization of business has brought greater scholarly attention to the issue of adjustment to overseas assignments, comparatively little research activity has been paid to the topic of adjustment back to the home country and home office—repatriation adjustment. In this article we argue that repatriation adjustment is sufficiently different from other forms of work adjustment (e.g., domestic relocation and expatriate assignments) to warrant separate theoretical and empirical investigation. To facilitate this, we propose an initial theoretical framework and set of derived propositions to guide and spark future research on this topic.