Research on Host-Country Nationals in Multinational Enterprises : the Last Five Decades and Ways Forward

We systematically review theoretical and empirical research published in 38 journals over the last 52 years dealing with host-country nationals (HCNs) in multinational enterprises. We find that HCNs are treated in a relatively homogeneous manner, despite their important differences. Three themes dominate: HCN–expatriate relationships, human resources policies and practices influencing HCNs, and the impact of expatriate interactions on different HCNs. Social psychology theories are commonly applied, and most studies are empirical and cross-sectional. We suggest a more refined treatment of HCNs, promising theoretical and methodological approaches, and thematic directions to enrich the HCN literature further