Why do they come to London? Exploring the motivations of expatriates to work in the British capital

Abstract

The literature has hitherto neglected the influence of specific cities on the decision to work abroad, implicitly treating all locations within countries as similar. Using a boundaryless careers and expatriation perspective, the research investigates a range of specific motives that individuals have when working in London, the British capital. The results of semi-structured, in-depth interviews and a large scale quantitative survey shed light on the relative importance of individual drives, career and development motivations, family and partner factors, organizational context, national and city-specific considerations to come to London. A range of London-specific attributes are identified and their importance assessed. A new framework of individual international mobility drivers is developed. The findings reiterate the importance of individual preparation of international sojourns based on proactive location choice. They also add to academic insights and inform organizational strategies, policies and practices with respect to international mobility.