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Paper short abstract:

By surveying and interviewing relevant stakeholders, this study explores the expatriate management of Chinese construction MNEs in Africa to understand how expatriates work on construction projects and whether their work could influence or present China’s presence in African countries.

Paper long abstract:

With China promoting its global strategies like the Belt and Road Initiative and increasing foreign direct investment and aid to African countries, nearly one-third of the investment and aid has gone to the construction sector. However, most of the studies in this area focus more on discussing the influences from the government or company side, while the people who have been expatriated by Chinese MNEs are sometimes neglected. As more and more evidence emphasises the influences of Chinese expatriates on construction projects, it is worth understanding the expatriates and the expatriate management process of these Chinese MNEs.

This research is an initial attempt to aim specifically at developing an understanding of expatriate management in these Chinese construction MNEs by exploring the current situation of the MNEs’ motives, cultural factors, and institutional factors that impact the relevant Human Resource Management practices for the expatriates, while further exploring the expatriates’ repatriation and career development.

In this research, the author is using a mixed research method that includes both delivering questionnaires and conducting semi-structured interviews. Data is collected from Chinese expatriates, relevant government officers from China and African countries, cooperators with these Chinese construction MNEs, and other stakeholders. By analysing both quantitative and qualitative data, this research is designed to shed light on the practice of expatriate management by Chinese construction MNEs. Thus, the research is intended to further explore and understand the expatriates with solid empirical data.