Influence of ethnocentrism on the work behaviour of expatriates

With the surge in internationalisation of corporations, the number of expatriates in the workforce of organisations across the globe has dramatically increased. Presence of expatriates in the workforce has given rise to unique set of challenges. One of such is the effective management of expatriates’ work behaviour in the workplace. Whereas earlier studies have indicated that ethnocentrism is a fundamental determinant of expatriates’ work behaviour. Accordingly, this study aims at identifying the extent to which expatriates are ethnocentric in their work behaviour by analysing the variables intercultural communication apprehension (ICA), patriotism, and xenophobia. This is because it has been identified that these three constructs are related to ethnocentrism. A quantitative methodology was utilised for this study where data were collected from expatriates using an online self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate data analysis techniques were used in data analysis. The study’s results revealed that ICA, patriotism, and xenophobia are related with expatriates’ ethnocentric work behaviour. Thereby, the current study has offered a mechanism to measure the extent to which expatriates are ethnocentric in their work behaviour. A major outcome of this study would be providing insights into ethnocentrism and its influence on the work behaviour of expatriates.