An interdisciplinary theoretical framework is proposed for analysing justice in global working conditions. In addition to gender and race as popular criteria to identify disadvantaged groups in organizations, in multinational corporations (MNCs) local employees (i.e. host country nationals (HCNs) working in foreign subsidiaries) deserve special attention. Their working conditions are often substantially worse than those of expatriates (i.e. parent country nationals temporarily assigned to a foreign subsidiary). Although a number of reasons have been put forward to justify such inequalities—usually with (...) efficiency goals in mind—recent studies have used equity theory to question the extent to which they are perceived as fair by HCNs. However, since perceptual equity theory has limitations, this study develops an alternative and non-perceptual framework for analysing such inequalities. Employment discrimination theory and elements of Rawls’s ‘Theory of Justice’ are the theoretical pillars of this framework. This article discusses the advantages of this approach for MNCs and identifies some expatriation practices that are fair according to our non-perceptual justice standards, whilst also reasonably (if not highly) efficient. (shrink)

This paper contributes to the understanding on the reasons that lead to entrepreneurship in other countries. We focus on expat-preneurs, those who decided to undertake business opportunities in other countries (before or after settling there). Using comparison analysis and logistic regression, we examine pre-departure and transitioned expat-preneurs’ demographic characteristics and push-pull factors that lead them to expatriate. From a survey conducted in 2015-2016 of 5,532 Lithuanians expatriated in 24 countries, a sample of 308 respondents with their own businesses abroad was (...) selected. This research contributes to the literature on expat-preneurs, with empirical evidence on pre-departure and transitioned self-initiated (SI) expat-preneurs. The results revealed that demographic features matter when studying such global entrepreneurs. It is a process experienced differently by males and females and, as such, it can be considered as gender selective. Thus, more pre-departure expat-preneurs are male than female, but there is a growing number of female transitioned expat-preneurs. Pre-departure expat-preneurs are older and less educated than transitioned ones and have been pushed to move abroad by issues such as political corruption or a non-supportive tax system, and are attracted by a higher possibility of self-realisation as well as the prestige of the host country. Meanwhile, transitioned expat-preneurs have been pushed to emigrate due to family reasons or too few employment opportunities in their home country. (shrink)