Work Engagement of Expatriates: The Role of Autonomous and Controlled Motivations

While there is ample research on the reasons that drive individuals to become expatriates, there is a scarcity of studies on the relationship between different types of motivation to expatriate and expatriates’ attitudes and behavior. Based on self-determination theory, this study analyses the relationship between two types of motivation - autonomous and controlled motivation – and expatriates’ sociocultural adaptation and work engagement. With a sample of 84 Chinese expatriates in Portugal, we test a conceptual model with structural equations modelling and partial least squares (PLS). Results indicate that autonomous motivation and controlled motivation are, respectively, positively and negatively associated with sociocultural adaptation. Controlled motivation is positively associated with work engagement but the relationship between autonomous motivation and work engagement is not significant. The relationship between sociocultural adaptation and work engagement is also not significant and thus, in this sample, sociocultural adaptation does not have a mediating role between motivations to expatriate and work engagement.