Relationship between social support and repatriation intention of expatriates in international construction projects
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 21 November 2022
Issue publication date: 1 September 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the influence of social support and the repatriation intention of expatriates in international constructions in the postpandemic era of COVID-19. Furthermore, test the mediation effect of team climate and individual resilience in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey of 347 expatriates in international construction projects was conducted. A cross-level chain mediation model was employed to test the moderating effect of social support and repatriation intention. Then, statistical analysis with a bootstrap sample was used to test the mediation effect of the model.
Findings
The empirical results support that team climate, individual resilience and the chain mediating effect of team climate to individual resilience is significant among the influences of social support on repatriation intention. Social support can enhance the team climate of construction expatriates, promoting their resilience to reduce the repatriation intention further.
Practical implications
This study provides guidelines for international construction enterprises and managers to decide when and which expatriates should return home and formulate a series of policies to support expatriates and maintain a good team climate.
Originality/value
This study contributes to expatriate management literature by establishing the relationship between social support and repatriation intention. It provides a better understanding of how team-level factors impact individual thought. It takes team climate as one of the protective factors affecting individual psychological resilience. Also it takes social support as the antecedents of team atmosphere in case of emergencies.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: The study is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China with the award number 72171048, the National Natural Science Foundation of China with the award number 72101053, the Scientific Research Foundation of Graduate School of Southeast University with the award number YBPY2310 and the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province with the award number KYCX21_0167.
Citation
Gao, L., Luo, X., Yang, W., Zhang, N. and Deng, X. (2023), "Relationship between social support and repatriation intention of expatriates in international construction projects", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 30 No. 8, pp. 3292-3309. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-10-2021-0931
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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