This study examines the mediating effects of burnout and engagement on the relationships between work characteristics (work overload and social support) and turnover intentions in the nursing community of two Ibero-American countries within the job demands-resources model. The sample consists of 316 registered nurses employed in Uruguay and 502 employed in Spain. We used multiple structural equation modelling analyses. The proposed model fit the data for both nursing samples. Burnout was found to fully mediate the relationship between work overload and turnover intention, whereas work engagement partially mediates the relationship between social support and turnover intention. The results contribute to our understanding of the potential applicability of two leading empirical models and of the dynamic relationship between work characteristics and turnover intentions through work engagement and burnout. Researchers should continue to focus on gaining a broader understanding of the effects of work characteristics in healthcare facilities and the associated organizational outcomes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of cultural intelligence (CQ), idiocentrism-allocentrism and organizational culture on work engagement in a multinational organization from the perspective of conservation of resources theory. Design/methodology/approach The sample consisted of 219 employees of a multinational company (MNC). Partial least squares–structural equation modeling was used to test the research model. Findings The results suggest that CQ is positively related to work engagement and that this relationship is moderated by employees’ idiocentrism-allocentrism, as well as by the adaptability dimension of organizational culture. Research limitations/implications Greater generalizability of the findings could be achieved with a more geographically dispersed sample. Other cultural dimensions, as well as personal and organizational characteristics, should be considered in order to more clearly ascertain the relationships between these variables. Practical implications The findings suggest that CQ is a powerful tool for developing employee engagement within MNCs. Furthermore, a highly adaptive organizational culture and consideration of employees’ cultural values are important in order to enhance the effect of CQ on engagement. Originality/value This study identifies relevant resources that can aid in managing a diverse workforce and increasing employee engagement in companies that operate across national borders.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relative most important antecedent factors related to success in international assignment (IA) in specific context such as Peru. It reviews the full range of individual, organizational and contextual factors associated with success in IA as well as discusses the importance of context in expatriate research. Combined with limited interviews, synthesis is offered and the most relevant determinant factors are identified. Design/methodology/approach – This is a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with 45 participants who currently hold IA positions or have broad experience in overseas positions. The interviews were conducted in the English and Spanish languages. A priori coding system classification technique based on a content analysis methodology was administrated for the purpose of analyzing and codifying the interviews. Findings – The findings reveal that a combination of individual, organizational and contextual antecedent factors are relevant for explaining success in IA. However, only nine of the 32 factors were found to be the most determinant to success. In particular, cross-cultural competencies, spouse adjustment, motivational issues, time on assignment, emotional competencies, previous international experience, language fluency and social relational skills, as well as contextual cultural differences and organizational recruitment and selection practices, were found to be the most associated to success in IA. The relative importance of the antecedents are discussed related to the context. Research limitations/implications – Because of the nature of qualitative design, a single factor may affect the interpretation and generalization of the findings. In addition, the ample and broad conceptualizations and definitions of the antecedent factors examined from different viewpoints may cause theoretical overlapping and cross-over definition biases, which may result in misleading findings. Therefore, the authors encourage future research to continue examining the full range of antecedent factors employing different methodological approaches by integrating context in a more systematic manner. Practical implications – The paper reviews the implications for IA selection design and process implementation, cross-cultural training and development. Originality/value – To begin with, this paper fills a need to study the antecedents of IA success and determine their relevance. In particular, and to the best of the knowledge, this is one of the few studies that include multi-level perspective: individual, organizational and contextual factors. This comprehensive approach aids in better understanding of the role and relevance of the respective antecedent factors that leads to success in IA with an aim to integrate context in the equation. Second, the sample consists of expatriates in particularly in Peru which gives information about adjustment of expatriates in Peru.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of the interaction effect of work conditions including work overload, emotional demands, social support and self-development opportunities on work engagement within the framework of the job demands-resource model. Design/methodology/approach A total of 481 registered nurses in Uruguay participated in this study. A series of multiple structural equations modelling analyses were used to examine the interaction hypotheses and their effect on work engagement. Findings Three out of four two-way interactions presented significant effects, showing that social support mitigated the negative effects that emotional demands and work overload have on work engagement. However, self-development opportunities only moderated the effect of emotional demands on work engagement, but did not relieve the effects of work overload. Research limitations/implications The study only considered two demands and two resources to test for interactions. Inclusion of other work characteristics as well as personal resources could provide a better understanding of the relationships within an organisation. Practical implications The importance of developing a pool of resources in order to increase nurses’ work engagement and buffer the increasing demands of healthcare professionals is discussed. Originality/value The findings provide evidence of the impact of the interaction of job demands and job resources in the development of work engagement in Uruguay. Additionally, the results emphasise the importance of identifying relevant work conditions that contribute to sustaining work engagement in the nursing profession in Latin-American countries.