Knowledge exchange between expatriates and host country nationals: an expectancy value perspective

Abstract

Purpose: Drawing on expectancy value theory (EVT), this paper examines knowledge exchange between expatriate and host country national (HCN) dyads to understand whether receivers' perceptions about senders' motivation to transfer knowledge and perceived value of the knowledge jointly affect receivers' motivation to learn and, in turn, facilitate their knowledge acquisition and sharing. Design/methodology/approach: Latent moderated structural (LMS) equations were used to analyze data from 107 expatriate–HCN dyads working in the Asia Pacific region. Findings: In general, whether senders are expatriates or HCNs, only when receivers perceive that (1) knowledge to be transferred is valuable and (2) senders are motivated to transfer, receivers are likely to be motivated to receive knowledge transferred from senders and, in turn, acquire and share knowledge with senders. Originality/value: This study is one of the first in the expatriate and knowledge transfer literature to address the mixed findings between senders' motivation to transfer and receivers' knowledge acquisition and sharing by drawing on EVT.