Unexplored themes in expatriate management: Inspirations from the New Mobilities paradigm

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a different perspective on the concept of global mobility and apply the multifaceted concept in proposing new themes to explore in expatriate management research. Design/methodology/approach: This study draws upon the theoretical underpinnings relating to the New Mobilities paradigm from sociology to outline a new perspective on global mobility and thereby describe novel themes to include in future expatriate management studies. Findings: This study identifies four themes in need of further development within the expatriate management research field: materiality, infrastructure and access, inequality and immobility and emotional dynamics. Within each of these themes, this study presents several examples of research questions that can provide new thrust to the theory development of expatriate management research. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to draw on central ideas in the New Mobilities paradigm to propose a future research agenda for expatriate management studies. This study aims to enhance the study of “mobility” in new and unorthodox ways.