The elephant in the room: the role of time in expatriate adjustment

Abstract

This conceptual article explores the role of temporal dynamics in the study of expatriate adjustment. We introduce the dimensions and the domains of adjustment and discuss the dynamics between them, as well as the dynamics between antecedents, state and consequences of adjustment. Issues such as the role of time lags, duration and rate of change as well as reciprocal causation are discussed. We address the consequences of these issues for theory building in the area of expatriate adjustment and the implications for methodological choices. We conclude with specific recommendations for the future research of expatriate adjustment that recognise the nature of adjustment as a process evolving over time and that we hope will enhance the rigour and relevance of this area of research.

Keywords::

• cross-cultural adjustment
• expatriation
• international assignments
• longitudinal research
• temporal dynamics
• time

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.