It takes two to tango: Knowledge transfer between expatriates and host country nationals

Abstract

Integrating conservation of resource (COR) theory and the theory of relational organizing, we conceptualize expatriate-host country national (HCN) knowledge transfer as resource gains between the sender and receiver. Based on a sample of 107 expatriate-HCN dyads, we found that when the knowledge receiver, be it an expatriate or HCN, is high on cultural intelligence (CQ), the sender will be more likely to perceive higher levels of trust in the receiver and shared vision with the receiver. These cognitive responses to the receiver's CQ are instrumental in facilitating the receiver's knowledge acquisition. We also identified the sender's perceptions of the collaborative-based HR configuration as a contextual condition that strengthens the relationship between the knowledge receiver's CQ and the sender's perceived trust in the receiver and shared vision with the receiver.

Host country nationals’ domestic cross-cultural work experiences: A new construct and linkage to socializing behaviors toward expatriates

“…Fourthly, this study acts as a bridge to connect cultural intelligence and HCN literature. As mentioned above, the role of cultural intelligence has only recently been tested empirically in HCN-related studies and they mostly focused specifically on expatriate-HCN knowledge transfer and acquisition (Hsu et al, 2022; Zulkifly et al, 2020). This study extends the literature by following the suggestions to dig deeper into the specific dimensions of cultural intelligence (Ott and Michailova, 2018; Rockstuhl and Van Dyne, 2018), this study examines HCNs’ motivational cultural intelligence.…”

“…Researchers who are interested in the antecedents and outcomes of cultural intelligence have been particularly interested in expatriates, mainly because of their cross-cultural working relations (for a review, please see Ott and Michailova, 2018). However, the literature has only begun to explore the role of cultural intelligence from the HCN perspective with an emphasis on the effect of cultural intelligence on expatriate-HCN knowledge transfer and acquisition (Hsu et al, 2022; Zulkifly et al, 2020). Both of these studies used an overall cultural intelligence measure as an independent variable for increasing knowledge transfer and acquisition.…”

The evolving field of global mobility: responses to global volatility (2013–2022)

“…In addition, expatriates' international training has been investigated from the novel perspective of MNCs hosted in emerging economies (Patel et al ., 2022). Likewise, research published in 2022 attempted to clarify the converging benefits of international assignments for MNCs and individuals (Andresen et al ., 2022), with the conservation of resources theory being recurrently employed in this pursuit (Biswas et al ., 2022; Hsu et al ., 2022; Kanstrén and Mäkelä, 2022).…”

Conflicts between expatriates and host country nationals during the acculturation process

“…Second, although scant, existing research has recently shown the important role of conflict in maintaining a quality relationship between expatriates and HCNs, and even the success of international assignments (Jassawalla et al. , 2004; Hsu et al. , 2021; Fee and Michailova, 2021; Arman and Aycan, 2013; Oltra et al.…”

“…and HCNs, and even the success of international assignments (Jassawalla et al, 2004;Hsu et al, 2021;Fee and Michailova, 2021;Arman and Aycan, 2013;Oltra et al, 2013). For example, Ljubica et al (2019) found that conflicts between expatriates and HCNs may increase relational cost, lead to relational detachment, and eventually result in a relational breakdown.…”