The psychological contracts of self-initiated expatriate women: contract type, expatriate status and intention to stay

Purpose Self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) are relevant resources for multinational enterprises, but the topic of gender is often overlooked. This study aims to examine how psychological contract (PC) types differ between women and men SIEs and how the intersection of gender and occupational status shapes these contracts and associated intentions to stay. Specifically, we investigate how relational and transactional psychological contracts (PCs) mediate the relationship between supervisor–subordinate relationship quality and intention to remain with the same employer and in the host region, with a particular analytical focus on women SIEs. Design/methodology/approach We use survey data from 234 women SIEs (and a comparator group of 386 men). The cross-sectional data were collected in the United Arab Emirates and analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine gender- and status-based differences. Findings Our findings demonstrated positive direct effects between the relationship with the supervisor and holding both relational and transactional PCs. Relational PCs were positively related to intention to stay with the employer, but not in the host region, while transactional PCs were negatively related to both outcome variables. Furthermore, we found that medium-status women SIEs tend to hold PCs with fewer relational features compared with their higher qualified counterparts. Originality/value This study advances PC research by incorporating gender, occupational status and mobility context into a single analytical framework. For practice, the findings highlight the importance of high-quality supervisory relationships and career development opportunities in supporting the retention of women SIEs at both organisational and regional levels.