THE COMPARATIVE ROLES OF HOME AND HOST SUPERVISORS IN THE EXPATRIATE EXPERIENCE

This study investigates the impact of home and host supervisors on expatriate success. Using survey and archival data on 206 expatriates of a large U.S. professional services firm, we hypothesize that high-quality leader-member exchange (LMX) relationships with home and host supervisors have different outcomes. Relationships with host-country supervisors have greater influence on in-country and short-term outcomes, including adjustment and intentions to complete the assignment. Home-country supervisors, on the other hand, have a greater influence over expatriates' subjective fit with their jobs and longer-term perceptions of how the overseas assignment will impact their career. Using a separate survey of home and host supervisors at the same firm, we found that one reason that home and host supervisors influence expatriates differently may be because home supervisors are more likely to see professional development as a goal for expatriate assignments. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.