Does Career Adaptability Motivate Self-initiated Expatriates to Embed with Their Jobs? The Mediating Effect of Job Crafting

Abstract

The aim of this research is to empirically investigate the career adaptability–job embeddedness relation by examining the mediating effect of job crafting using the job demands-resources theory. Using survey data from 881 self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) working in multinational companies across the UAE, a mediation model is tested. Structural equation modelling was utilized to assess the proposed hypotheses. The findings show that career adaptability improves job embeddedness. Furthermore, job crafting mediates the career adaptability and job embeddedness relationship. Job crafting and job embeddedness may benefit from high levels of career adaptability. The findings support the mediator effects of job crafting on career adaptability and SIEs’ job embeddedness. This study recommends job crafting as an imperative factor that influences career adaptability and job embeddedness relationships.

Keywords: Career adaptability, Job crafting, Job embeddedness, Self-initiated expatriates