INDIVIDUAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO EXPATRIATES’ ADJUSTMENT IN INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENT AND THEIR IMPACT ON JOB PERFORMANCE: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF SRI LANKAN EXPATRIATES

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the contribution of age, working experience, length of time spent overseas, and managerial competence to determine Sri Lankan Expatriates’ adjustment in international assignments. At the same time, this research was intended to measure the degree to which international adjustment of the Sri Lankan Expatriates influenced on their job performance. To test the self-developed research model, fifteen organizations, which are registered in the Ceylon Chamber  of Commerce and the National Chamber of Commerce for the year 2005, have been used. Altogether 94 expatriates have been included for the study irrespective of their job positions. A structured questionnaire sending through electronic mail was used to collect data over a period of one month. It was measured first, how perceived factors link with Sri Lankan Expatriates international adjustment, and at the second stage how those adjustment factors link with job performance of the Sri Lankan expatriates. It was identified that four individual factors positively link with international adjustment. Among them, working experience length time spent overseas are insignificantly correlated. The degree of the influence of international adjustment towards determining job performance of the Sri Lankan expatriates is significantly positive.

Keywords: Expatriate Adjustment, Individual Factors, Job Performance

For full paper: fmscresearch@sjp.ac.lk