Non-Work Related Adjustment factors-a strong Predictor of Expatriates’ Commitment in Mission Hospitals in Kenya: The role of Transformational Leadership

Abstract

Many organisations worldwide rely on the contributions of expatriates, who are crucial in filling skill gaps in business operations. However, expatriates face challenges that stem from cultural differences. This paper models the relationship between non-work-related adjustment factors and the expatriates’ commitment. Previous research provides mixed results on this relationship. Therefore, this paper fills the void by interrogating the influence of transformational leadership on the relationship between non-work adjustment factors and commitment. Based on a sample of 112 expatriates drawn from selected mission hospitals in Kenya, results indicated that non-work-related adjustment factors significantly affected the expatriates’ commitment (β=1.277, p=0.000). Transformational leadership also affected expatriate commitment (β=.951, p=0.000), and finally, transformational leadership moderated the relationship between the non-work related adjustment factors and expatriates’ commitment (β=1.127, p=0.000). The study recommends that human resource managers in the mission hospitals should set up policies on the non-work related adjustment of expatriates in their hospitals. Also, managers of institutions in the home country should prepare their expatriates on cross-cultural adjustment mechanisms to adapt to their commitment to their host country.