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Chapter 4 78 on the success criteria is discussed. Moreover, each section includes an overview of the moderating factors, such as the other proximity dimensions, that may have influenced the results. While each section concludes with a brief summary, the overall implications are presented in the general discussion. 4.6 Supervisor support Social support by supervisors and its impact on the success of IAs is examined by nine studies in the current review. The majority of these studies used the construct of leader-member exchange to measure the perceived supervisor support (PSS) by the expatriate (alternatives in Kawai & Mohr, 2015; Pattie, 2007; Stroppa & Spieß, 2011; Supangco & Mayrhofer, 2014). 4.6.1 Supervisor Support and Success Support from supervisors consistently has positive effects on the satisfaction, commitment and retention of expatriates. Four studies demonstrated how PSS contributes to the job satisfaction of expatriates (Benson & Pattie, 2009; Kawai & Mohr, 2015; Stroppa & Spieß, 2011; Supangco & Mayrhofer, 2014), whereas one study demonstrated how PSS fosters expatriates’ commitment (Liu & Ipe, 2010). Furthermore, because a positive impact of PSS on expatriate retention was found in two large studies (Pattie, 2007; Pattie & Benson, 2009), a smaller study attributed its nonsignificant effect to study artefacts (Pattie et al., 2013). Results are more ambiguous regarding the criteria of adjustment and performance. While two studies demonstrated how supervisors may assist expatriates in their adjustment process (Chen, 2010; Kawai & Mohr, 2015), no such adjustment effects were found in two other samples (Kraimer & Wayne, 2004; Kraimer et al., 2001; Supangco & Mayrhofer, 2014). Similarly, supervisor support has been found to improve expatriates’ performance in four studies (Kraimer & Wayne, 2004; Kraimer et al., 2001; Pattie, 2007; Pattie & Benson, 2009), whereas three other studies found nonsignificant effects (Kawai & Mohr, 2015; Pattie et al., 2013; Stroppa & Spieß, 2011). 4.6.2 Moderating Factors A review of the included studies suggests that their mixed findings may have been caused by at least three moderating factors. The first factor relates to the possibility that expatriates have multiple supervisors/managers. Second, the context in which the support is provided may be influential. Finally, results suggest interpersonal affectivity may play a role. As a first moderating factor, expatriates may have multiple supervisors at different geographical locations, and these have been shown to play different supportive roles. Benson and Pattie (2009) demonstrated how assistance by local, subsidiary supervisors was essential for the adjustment and retention of expatriates. In contrast, support from supervisors in the home country primarily influenced expatriates’ performance and career success. Despite these findings, limited academic attention has been paid to these differing supportive roles that supervisors fulfil. This is highlighted by two studies in the current review that leave the location of the supervisor in question completely
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