Abstract:
Ineffective management of repatriation of employees is a potential hurdle for better use of top talent
and hampers the successful process of internationalization of the organization and can be costly for both
repatriates and the organization. This study aims to provide a theoretical model of repatriation
adjustment of employees explaining factors that facilitate repatriation adjustment and its consequences
based on literature in different disciplines. This study proposed seven propositions and developed a model
that was supported by theoretical and empirical evidences. This theoretical model suggests that
repatriates’ proactive behavior, perceived coworker support and organizational support facilitates the
repatriation adjustment process and repatriates’ adjustment influences repatriate’s knowledge sharing
behavior at home organization. Further, it discusses the role of repatriates’ personal and situational
variables on adjustment. This study contributes to the literature in a way of providing a meaningful
theoretical model explaining the factors that facilitate repatriation adjustment and its consequences, and
relates socialization theories to repatriation adjustment. The key practical implications relate to enabling
better adjustment of academic repatriates and better use of top talent at the organization.
