TY - JOUR

T1 - Expatriate Social Networks in Terrorism-Endangered Countries

T2 - An Empirical Analysis in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia

AU - Bader, Benjamin

AU - Schuster, Tassilo

PY - 2015/3/1

Y1 - 2015/3/1

N2 - Despite the increasing relevance for international business, international assignments in terrorism-endangered countries have hardly been analyzed. Applying a social network perspective, this study investigates the impact of expatriate social network characteristics on psychological well-being in the terrorism-endangered environment of Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. Drawing on data surveying 175 expatriates, the study finds that large and diversified networks positively affect the psychological well-being of international expatriates. When including the influence of terrorism it is revealed that a higher terrorism level per se does not necessarily negatively affect the psychological well-being of expatriates, however, the impact of expatriate social network characteristics on psychological well-being is amplified. Hence, social networks are more beneficial on expatriates' psychological well-being in countries which suffer from terrorism. Discussing these findings, the study also differentiates between closeness with host country nationals and other nationalities, and presents several implications for managers how to improve psychological well-being.

AB - Despite the increasing relevance for international business, international assignments in terrorism-endangered countries have hardly been analyzed. Applying a social network perspective, this study investigates the impact of expatriate social network characteristics on psychological well-being in the terrorism-endangered environment of Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. Drawing on data surveying 175 expatriates, the study finds that large and diversified networks positively affect the psychological well-being of international expatriates. When including the influence of terrorism it is revealed that a higher terrorism level per se does not necessarily negatively affect the psychological well-being of expatriates, however, the impact of expatriate social network characteristics on psychological well-being is amplified. Hence, social networks are more beneficial on expatriates' psychological well-being in countries which suffer from terrorism. Discussing these findings, the study also differentiates between closeness with host country nationals and other nationalities, and presents several implications for managers how to improve psychological well-being.

KW - Management studies

KW - Country risk

KW - Expatriate social networks

KW - Psychological well-being

KW - Social support

KW - Terrorism

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84924496978&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.intman.2014.09.004

DO - 10.1016/j.intman.2014.09.004

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 21

SP - 63

EP - 77

JO - Journal of International Management

JF - Journal of International Management

SN - 1075-4253

IS - 1

ER -