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Chapter 4 64 This paper reviews empirical research on the relationship between organization-based social support and the success of international assignments. Four search engines were used to obtain empirical studies relating organization-based social support to success criteria. Studies were compared based on their theoretical foundation, on criteria of success, on sources of social support, and on study design. The reviewed studies draw on three theoretical paradigms – based on stress, social capital and relational exchange. The results demonstrate that expatriates receive social support from multiple organization-based sources and that these sources’ proximity to the expatriate influences the relationship between social support and success. Moreover, results suggest sources in the home and host countries fulfil different supportive functions and therefore stimulate different success criteria. Additionally, the supportive practices offered by the organization can influence various criteria of success. The impact of support from organizational members is further influenced by their hierarchical proximity to the expatriate, with supervisory support relating most strongly to success. In addition to proximity, characteristics of the expatriating employee and the assignment (e.g., expatriate motivation and assignment hardship) influence the value of social support. Finally, social support relates most strongly to expatriates’ satisfaction, commitment, and adjustment and these frequently mediate its effect on expatriates’ retention and performance.