JOB EMBEDDEDNESS OF EXPATRIATES IN SAUDI ARABIA

Sami Alghamdi

faculty of Business, University of Bisha, P.O.Box 551, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia

E-mail : samig@ub.edu.sa

Abstract

Job embeddedness refers to a combination of elements such as adaptation, relationship building, and sacrifice that influence employees’ decisions to stay or quit their respective occupations. It is a concept that puts more emphasis on the factors that influence employee retention and commitment to their firms.  This study aims to examine the job embeddedness theory, as well as, the reasons that promote job embeddedness of expatriates in Saudi organizations.  Job embeddedness theory states that employees tend to be characterized by a series of connections that influence their commitment to their firms or occupations. Employees are said to be more job-embedded in events where they are involved in a broad range of work-related responsibilities, roles, and relationships. Job embeddedness theory recognizes three specific elements that determine the degree of connections that employees may develop with their firms. These elements can be broadly classified as a sacrifice, links, and fit. Sacrifice refers to the degree of disruption that employees would face if they were to quit their occupations, whereas, the link refers to how a person is connected to other individuals. On the other hand, the fit is defined as how a person’s occupation is linked to his/her goals and values.  This study explores these elements of job embeddedness and their applicability in Saudi organizations in the context of expatriates. The data for this study was collected using the questionnaire method and analyzed using quantitative data analysis techniques. The findings of this research reveal that different organizational factors, as well as off-job factors such as family attachment, play a huge role in influencing job embeddedness of expatriates in Saudi organizations.

Keywords: Job embeddedness, expatriates, Saudi, organizations