Repatriation and the psychological contract:A Saudi Arabian comparative study

This research explores repatriates’ perceptions of their psychological contract pre and post international assignment, upon return to Saudi Arabia. As international assignments can last several years, expectations are likely to change, to the extent that repatriates perceive a gap between their expectations and organizational obligations upon their return. The paper draws on findings from two case studies. These revealed significant differences across the two organizations indicating that human resource policies and practices, as well as informal organizational norms, specifically associated with the expatriation and repatriation process, can have a profound impact on repatriates’ perceptions of whether their psychological contracts have been fulfilled or breached upon their return. The findings also demonstrate the importance of well-defined, explicit HR policies and practices, particularly regarding career development/promotion, if repatriates are to perceive that their psychological contract has been fulfilled upon their return

Repatriation and the Psychological Contract: A Saudi Arabian Comparative Study

PhDStudies related to psychological contracts have made significant contributions to our understanding of the exchange relationship between employees and employers. However, the influence of national/organisational culture on the psychological contract has largely been neglected. The thesis examines the influence of national and organisational culture on the way in which psychological contracts are constituted, and how they may change following international assignments and repatriation. The research examines differences in the nature, and consequences of, psychological contract fulfilment or breach across two Saudi organisations in the petroleum and petrochemicals sectors. A qualitative case study approach was adopted. The data were gathered using multiple methods, including interviews, non-participant observations and analyses of organisational documents. The findings reported in the thesis draw upon 60 semi-structured interviews with employees who had been repatriated within the previous 12 months, and 14 interviews with Human Resource (HR) managers in the two organisations, triangulated with extensive documentary analysis and observations. The research findings demonstrate the influence of strong national cultural values shaping organisational culture and HR practices in both organisations, which, in turn, influence the content of the psychological contract (i.e. expectations and obligations) at an individual level, both pre- and post-international assignment. Differences were identified between the two organisations in terms of the influence of different national cultural values on organisational culture and practices; these differences influenced individuals’ perceptions of whether their psychological contract had been fulfilled or breached post-international assignment. The implications of this research are also considered.Saudi Arabian Government Ministry of Educatio