International graduate students' perceptions and interest in international careers

Nikos Bozionelos (), Giorgos Bozionelos (), Konstantinos Kostopoulos, Shyong Chwen-Huey, Yehuda Baruch and Wenxia Zhou
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Nikos Bozionelos: Audencia Recherche - Audencia Business School
Giorgos Bozionelos: General Hospital of Katerini - General Hospital of Katerini
Konstantinos Kostopoulos: Norwich Business School - UEA - University of East Anglia [Norwich]
Shyong Chwen-Huey: Durham Business School - Durham University
Yehuda Baruch: Southampton Management School - University of Southampton
Wenxia Zhou: Renmin University of China, Beijing

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Abstract: This research developed and tested a comprehensive model of the antecedents of international graduate students' interest in an international career. Based largely on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the model included elements that pertain to perceptions of external constraints (perceptions of the labor market, family pressure to return), international student experience (adjustment in the foreign country during graduate studies, exposure and immersion to the international context) and individual factors (self-efficacy with respect to working abroad and outcome expectancy). Participants were 139 international graduate students in the UK. Individual factors and perceived constraints were directly related to interest in an international career. The factors that comprised current international student experience were indirectly related to interest via their relationship with self-efficacy, while adjustment moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and interest. Although the hypothesized moderating role of family pressure to return did not materialize, the findings suggest that perceptions of constraints play a more substantial role in the formation of interest than has been assumed by SCCT theory thus far. The findings are discussed with respect to their implications for the literature and for the policies of host country stakeholders.

Keywords: International students; International careers; Interest; Graduate students; Self-efficacy; Perceived barriers; Exposure and immersion; Adjustment; Labor market conditions; Social Cognitive Career Theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://audencia.hal.science/hal-01148009v1
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Published in The International Journal of Human Ressource Management, 2015, 26 (11), pp.1428-1451. ⟨10.1080/09585192.2014.935457⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01148009

DOI: 10.1080/09585192.2014.935457

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