Purpose -This paper aims to offer a critical review of how self-initiated expatriation (SIE) is theorized compared to migration in the management literature and to indicate venues for future research on SIE. Design/methodology/approach -A systematic review has been conducted using the ISI Web of Knowledge database as well as ABI/INFORM in order to include key journals in the management field. Findings -Despite the importance of present theorizations on SIE, the authors show that the literature presents a narrow focus on the most privileged of self-initiated expatriates and presents some important knowledge gaps. In order to fill these gaps, the authors propose a research map for future research on SIE. This map includes four key dimensions. These are: diversity-informed research on SIE; context specific and multilevel understanding of SIE; reflexive approaches to SIE; triangulated methods to studying SIE. Research limitations/implications -By proposing a research map with theoretical and methodological implications, this paper increases our understanding of SIE. It offers a guide for future research on SIEs. Practical implications -Research on self-initiated expatriation needs to be more inclusive and critical in terms of studying the diverse human resources in our contemporary societies. Originality/value -The paper indicates how research on self-initiated expatriation can become more developed in terms of its theorizations. Furthermore, it proposes a research map for future studies on SIE that is reflexive, relational, diversity-informed, and methodologically-triangulated.

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A systematic literature review in business and management studies was conducted, which paints a portrait of the existing literature on skilled migrants' host country career experiences. Core themes arising from this review are presented, including labeling inconsistency concerning the population (with researchers using terminology such as ‘skilled migrants,’ ‘immigrant professionals’ and ‘qualified immigrants’ interchangeably); the need for including skilled migrant managers and business professionals in research (rather than concentrating on lower‐level employment categories only); and a more relational, holistic realization of skilled migrants' careers (rather than the current literature's negative portrayal, propounding the image of migrants as exploited or under‐utilized). In underlining the gaps in the literature and research in this area, a research agenda is proposed. The review is relevant for individuals following careers in a foreign country; for organizations employing and developing the careers of internationally mobile employees; and for human resource management professionals supporting international employees.

This paper unpacks the dominant conceptualizations of talent management (TM) in contemporary academic publications, and considers these in relation to the increasingly important workforce population of skilled international migrants. It postulates that TM approaches are generally built from a relatively narrow human capital-based perspective wherein organizations focus on readily accessible and immediate skills, ignoring the longer term strategic potential of the international workforce of skilled migrants, particularly for multinational enterprises and other international organizations. Through a series of propositions, the paper highlights how organizations, in strategically using a more comprehensive TM lens rather than a human capital lens in approaching the TM of skilled migrants, could benefit from improved HRM performance over time. It also proposes a research agenda, by which future studies might test, explore, and further develop understanding on a more strategic utilization of skilled migrants in organizations.

Talent management (TM) is a growing field that concentrates on optimizing human resources so that they provide a sustained competitive advantage to organizations. While successful TM practices are widely understood to include career development, the topics of careers and TM remain largely disconnected in the human resource management (HRM) literature. In this conceptual paper, we review the traditional and boundaryless career literature from a multi‐level perspective, in order to theoretically develop TM, which to date has been consistently described as under‐theorized. We contend that consideration of the functioning of careers within and across individual, network, organization, industry, occupation, and national/global structures is important when developing effective TM practices. To further understand the relationship between careers and TM, this paper develops researchable propositions for future studies, supported by the existing literature.