Triumphs and tragedies: expectations and commitments upon repatriation

Building on and extending the literature on organizational commitment, this study examines the relationship between repatriates' work and non-work-related expectations and their commitment to their parent companies and new local work units after completing international assignments. The results, based on a sample of 174 repatriates and 92 partners within five US multinationals, indicate that positive, linear relationships exist between certain work and non-work expectations and commitment to the parent company and local work unit, while significant, nonlinear relationships exist between other expectations and these commitments. These results have both theoretical and practical implications, which are discussed.