Working Remotely, Feeling Remote? The Role of Digitally Mediated Communication in Shaping the Identity of Virtual Expatriates.

Utilizing the social identity theory, this conceptual article has proposed how digitally mediated communication between expatriates and host country nationals (HCNs) in a remote work arrangement is linked with individualized change experiences of virtual expatriates. The conceptualized model proposes that the lack of in-depth conversations via virtual communication platforms leads to the development of weak emotional interactions between virtual expatriates and HCNs. However, weakened emotional interactions might result in positive or negative impact on expatriates' identity based on personality-based differences.