Repatriation of academics: re-socialisation and adjustment

Abstract

Despite a large and growing body of literature that has investigated the return of corporate repatriates, the repatriation of academics has not been sufficiently discussed in the literature. The literature on repatriation of corporate employees has identified several antecedent conditions that facilitate or hamper the process of repatriation adjustment and its implications for corporate organisations and repatriates. But, it is not clear whether the antecedents and consequences of repatriation adjustment are the same for both corporate and academic repatriates. This study applies the extant literature on repatriation and three socialisation theories: organisational socialisation theory (OST), socialisation resources theory (SRT), and uncertainty reduction theory (URT) to identify and examine the role of organisation, individual and group in the process of adjustment and the influence of adjustment on repatriates’ work engagement and retention. We particularly identified and discussed the repatriation adjustment of academic repatriates, consequences of unsuccessful adjustment and how universities and repatriates can effectively manage the repatriation transition.