Factors affecting Singaporeans’ acceptance of international postings

Abstract

Singapore is a cosmopolitan city. With the rapid globalisation of businesses and the government's call for Singapore companies to “go global”, to what extent are Singaporeans ready to take up foreign assignments? Location‐related factors have often been cited in the popular press as one of the most powerful barriers to expatriation. This study aims to ascertain: the willingness of Singaporeans to consider overseas assignments with specific reference to the cultural distance between the host and home countries; and the relative importance of different contributing factors (demographic attributes, individual personality traits, job and community tenure, spouse‐related attributes and company relocation policy) in determining Singaporeans’ willingness to accept expatriate assignments. Results from a survey of 200 working adults reveal that Singaporeans, in general, prefer to work in a culturally similar host country rather than an unfamiliar place. For both locations, the most influential antecedent of expatriation appears to be a company's relocation policy.

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