A typology of long-term expatriates: Conceptualization, consequences and future research

The expatriation literature typically focuses on single and temporary types of international assignments and rarely studies how expatriates' experiences may evolve over time. We examine why and how expatriates extend their assignments. Adopting an embeddedness lens, we draw on organizational and community embeddedness—and expatriate lifestyle embeddedness as a novel third dimension—to better understand expatriates' embeddedness and subsequent career-related decisions. We unpack the intrapersonal and interpersonal consequences of being a long-term expatriate and develop a future research agenda. We contribute to the literature with an embeddedness-informed typology of long-term expatriation that theorizes about salient attributes and international experiences of long-term expatriates. • Expatriation literature focuses on single and temporary international assignments. • We examine why and how expatriates extend their international assignments. • We draw on organizational, community, and expatriate lifestyle embeddedness. • We unpack intrapersonal and interpersonal consequences of long-term expatriation. • We develop a typology of long-term expatriation and a future research agenda.