Management Of The Family'S Opposition In The Decision-Making Of Senegalese Self-Initiated Repatriates (Sirs)[Gestion De L'Opposition De La Famille Dans La Prise De Decision Des Rapatries Auto-Inities (Ra) Senegalais]

The aim of this study is to understand the influence of family opposition on the repatriation decisions of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs). Based on 28 interviews with Senegalese self initiated repatriates (SIRs), we identify a three-stage process for managing this constraint. In the first stage, we have the projection, where the self-initiated repatriate tries to predict and understand family opposition. In the second stage, there is preparation, which is a time for adopting proactive behaviours towards the family. In this process, there are two different strategies: a strategy of rapprochement with the extended family, and a strategy of distancing oneself from the extended family. Rapprochement is achieved through tactics intended to be prepared for this opposition. Distancing occurs in the case of repatriates married to foreign women. It takes the form of concentrating on the opposition of this partner, to the detriment of that of the extended family. Finally, we have the confrontation, where the repatriate tries to convince rationally and emotionally a small number of opponents, mostly his two parents and/or his wife, who is more important to him. This research makes a triple contribution to the literature. Firstly, it enriches the literature on repatriate adjustment during the anticipatory phase, with an understanding of the family not as a resource but also as an obstacle. Secondly, it extends this existing theory of repatriate adjustment process, by proposing a decision-making process in the anticipatory phase. Finally, based on the case of self-initiated Senegalese returnees, this research opens the reality of repatriation in the African context, with the influence of the extended family in the professional world, thus complementing existing work, most of which focuses on cases from Western countries.