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Expatriate support and success: A systematic review 69 resource that is shared with the expectation of reciprocity (Cohen & Syme, 1985) and, therefore, exchange theories argue that interactions between two parties create a pattern of mutual obligation (Blau, 1964; Gouldner, 1960). For example, expatriates form an exchange relationship with their employing organization(s). Organizational support theory therefore posits that, based on the policies and practices in place in an organization, an expatriate may infer to what extent the organization(s) support(s) his/her well-being. The more supported the expatriate perceives him-/herself to be, the more s/he will reciprocate that support regarding the good of the organization and its members (Rhoades & Eisenberger, 2002). This process closely links to theory on psychological contracts, which involves the expectations of employees and organizations regarding their mutual obligations to each other (Rousseau, 1995). However, expatriates also perceive such an exchange relationship with their leaders (i.e., their supervisors). An expatriate with a high-quality leader-member exchange relationship will build mutual respect and loyalty over time through the reciprocal exchange of supportive resources with his/her supervisor(s) (Liden & Maslyn, 1998). The care and assistance these expatriates perceive themselves as receiving from their supervisors may, by itself, increase their ability to be successful. However, expatriates may return the favor to their supervisors by showing higher levels of affection and effort. In conclusion, this “relational” paradigm proposes that expatriates receive support from their work environment and feel obliged to reciprocate with effort and psychological bonding. In sum, the 39 studies in this review have used stress, social capital and relational paradigms to explain how social support may relate to IA success. The remainder of this review first examines the support that expatriates perceive themselves to receive from their organization(s), before turning to the assistance expatriates receive from three hierarchical groups of organizational members (i.e., supervisors, mentors and co- workers). Each separate section elaborates on the relationship between social support from one source and the five success criteria. Moreover, each section presents source- specific moderating factors and an intermediate conclusion. The overall conclusions and implications for future research and practice are presented in the final discussion section.