Re-entry issues and challenges of Finnish repatriates : study of corporate expatriates, employees of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and employees of the defence forces

This study provides an insight to the re-entry and re-adaptation experiences of three different privileged, voluntary, temporary groups of Finnish professionals. The main goal for the qualitative research was to find greater understanding of the re-entry phenomenon, and outline and identify the most important aspects of the home country re-entry process of the chosen sojourner groups. In addition, the study aimed to clarify possible differences and similarities of the re-entry experiences between these groups. The study was mainly based on the repatriation adjustment model of Black, Gregersen, and Mendenhall from 1992, although theories and studies of various other academic scholars were also used. Re-entry has often been described difficult, yet the research proved otherwise as most of the respondents reported rather smooth repatriation experience although also some challenges were reported. Although re-entry is deeply personal experience and the amount it takes to make the transition is highly individualistic, the findings obtained from the study revealed no major differences in the re-entry experience and re-adaptation process back home between the groups. Although the qualitative study does not thoroughly fulfil the requirements of generalization of material, the study provided some new and useful insights into the repatriation experiences of Finnish repatriates and advanced the current understanding of the re-entry experience of the chosen Finnish sojourner groups. Comparison research among Finnish sojourner groups has been limited. This study offers a new insight to the phenomenon and might therefore be considered to act as a pioneering study in Finland. It also suggests there is room for future studies in the field.