Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Although the number of transnational institutions worldwide has increased dramatically over the past decade, little is known about the “independent academic expatriates” (IAEs) teaching in those institutions. This study investigates the influences that have shaped the decisions of 14 academics to seek and retain teaching positions in a transnational institution in a developing country in Southeast Asia. Based on in-depth interviews, the findings show that decisions about whether to change job location were influenced by personal, vocational, relational, institutional and geographical reasons. The relative importance of each category of reason varied according to the individual, generating a typology consisting of four types of IAE: Opportunist, “Kin-nected”, Expatriate Partner, and Altruist. The findings of this study will enable educational institutions to recruit and retain academic staff more effectively. Those who are seeking to teach or are currently teaching overseas will also gain insights into whether they should stay at or stray from their current job location. The findings are also of interest to those involved in international human resource management of expatriates.