This study investigates the antecedents and outcomes of expatriate adjustment on international assignment (IA). 47 expatriates, 25 spouses and 31 supervisors / co-workers assigned to five different countries participated in this survey. In the first part of the study the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to accept an IA on the acculturation attitude is investigated, and the effects of the acculturation attitude on general, interaction, and work adjustment are examined. Intrinsic motivation is positively related to mainstream culture orientation. Mainstream culture orientation is in turn related to interaction adjustment, but not to general and work adjustment.
The second part of the study explores the influence of expatriate adjustment on strain, task, contextual and adaptive performance and the intention to leave the assignment prematurely. General adjustment was negatively related to strain, while work and spouse adjustment showed a positive relationship to strain. Interaction adjustment was not significantly related to strain. This study found that expatriate and spouse adjustment were not significantly related to any of the three facets of performance. Spouse adjustment and strain were both related to the intention to leave the assignment prematurely.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. ANTECEDENTS OF ADJUSTMENT
2.1. The concept of Adjustment
2.2. The concept of Motivation
2.3. The concept of Acculturation
3. OUTCOMES OF ADJUSTMENT
3.1 Adjustment and Strain
3.2. Spouse adjustment
3.3. The concept of performance
3.4. Performance and Strain
3.5. Adjustment and performance
4. METHOD
4.1 Sample and data collection
4.2 Measures
4.2.1 Motivation
4.2.2 Acculturation attitude
4.2.3 Adjustment
4.2.4 Performance
4.2.5 Intention to leave
4.2.6 Strain
4.2.7 Control variables
4.3 Analyses
5. Results
5.1. Descriptive results
5.2 Motivation and Mainstream culture orientation (Hypothesis 1)
5.3. Mainstream culture orientation and adjustment (Hypothesis 2)
5.4. Acculturation types and adjustment (Hypothesis 3)
5.5. Adjustment and strain (Hypothesis 4)
5.6. Adjustment, strain and performance (Hypothesis 5)
5.7. Strain, spouse adjustment and intention to leave the IA prematurely (H6)
6. Discussion
6.1. General Discussion
6.2. Limitations
6.3. Practical implications
6.4. Further research
6.5. Conclusion
Research Objective and Scope
This study aims to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of expatriate adjustment during international assignments (IA). The central research question examines how intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as acculturation attitudes, influence expatriate adjustment, and subsequently, how this adjustment affects performance, strain, and the intention to leave the assignment prematurely.
- Analysis of motivation types (intrinsic vs. extrinsic) on acculturation attitudes.
- Evaluation of the influence of acculturation attitudes on adjustment facets.
- Examination of the relationship between expatriate/spouse adjustment and strain.
- Investigation of the impact of adjustment and strain on task, contextual, and adaptive performance.
- Assessment of the link between strain, spouse adjustment, and premature departure intentions.
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2.1. The concept of Adjustment
Because adjustment, acculturation and adaptation are used interchangeably in the expatriate literature, definition and operationalization of adjustment still poses a problem in the expatriate research and no consensus has as yet been found. (Aycan, 1997; Mendenhall et al., 2002). Adjustment has frequently been defined as the degree of fit and reduced conflict between the expatriate and the environment (Aycan, 1997; Breiden, Mirza, & Mohr, 2004) or as a self reported feeling of acceptance, satisfaction and comfort of the expatriate towards the new environment (Ali et al., 2003; Hechanova et al., 2003; Mendenhall et al., 2002).
One of the most popular models of adjustment was conceptualized by Black, Mendenhall and Oddou (1991). Black, Mendenhall and Oddou derived their model from Bandura’s social learning theory. To adjust, expatriates need to learn new roles, rules and norms of social interaction. Black et al. reviewed the domestic relocation literature and cross-cultural adjustment literature and integrated it into a “comprehensive model of international adjustment” (Black et al., 1991). This model is based on the concept of adjustment as a multifaceted phenomenon. Each facet of adjustment can be influenced by different factors, such as the expatriate himself or herself or the organization, and has different impacts on various outcomes of adjustment (Aycan, 1997).
Black and Gregersen (1991) describe three dimensions of adjustment: general adjustment, interaction adjustment and work adjustment. General adjustment refers to the degree of adjustment to general living conditions including climate, food, housing, and cost of living. Work adjustment refers to the adjustment to work values such as expectations and standards in the host country. Interaction adjustment refers to the interpersonal communication with host country nationals. It is especially noteworthy that interaction adjustment only refers to host country nationals. Situations are possible where expatriates can have their social needs met only with other expatriates or even expatriates from the same home country. This clearly is also a form of adjustment, but a different one than the adjustment towards host country nationals, since language and non-verbal communication might not differ as much as it does with the host country nationals.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides the context of international assignments as a key tool for corporate development and outlines the study's goal to explore motivation and acculturation as drivers of expatriate adjustment.
2. ANTECEDENTS OF ADJUSTMENT: Defines key constructs including adjustment, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and acculturation strategies to establish the study's theoretical foundation.
3. OUTCOMES OF ADJUSTMENT: Reviews literature on how adjustment relates to performance, strain, spouse adjustment, and the potential for premature withdrawal from an assignment.
4. METHOD: Details the empirical approach, including the sample of 47 expatriates, data collection methods, and the specific scales used to measure research variables.
5. Results: Presents the findings of the hierarchical regression and covariance analyses testing the hypothesized relationships between motivation, adjustment, strain, and performance.
6. Discussion: Interprets the findings, acknowledges the study's limitations regarding sample specificity, and provides practical suggestions for companies and future research directions.
Keywords
Expatriate Adjustment, International Assignment, Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, Acculturation, Mainstream Culture Orientation, Heritage Culture Orientation, Strain, Performance, Spouse Adjustment, Intention to Leave, Organizational Socialization, Language Ability, Cultural Novelty, Role Novelty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the antecedents (motivation and acculturation) and outcomes (strain, performance, and intention to leave) of expatriate adjustment during international assignments.
What are the central themes of the research?
The core themes include motivation theory, acculturation strategies in cross-cultural contexts, the impact of spouse adjustment on expatriate success, and the link between adjustment and performance facets.
What is the main objective of the study?
The goal is to expand existing expatriate literature by empirically testing how motivation and acculturation influence adjustment, and how adjustment mediates important outcomes for the individual and the organization.
Which scientific methodology is used?
The study employs a quantitative approach using surveys and hierarchical regression analyses to test hypotheses on a sample of 47 expatriates, their spouses, and their supervisors.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main sections establish the theoretical frameworks for adjustment, motivation, and acculturation, define the methodology used for data collection, and present statistical results derived from the survey data.
What are the key concepts that characterize the research?
Key concepts include Mainstream and Heritage culture orientation, different facets of adjustment (General, Interaction, Work), and the three-dimensional view of performance (Task, Contextual, Adaptive).
How does the author define the "individualist" acculturation type?
The author adapts the concept to the expatriate context, describing it as an individual who rejects both the heritage and the mainstream culture, often preferring to identify as an individual rather than conforming to a group, which is noted as common in individualistic societies like Germany.
Why was the "spouse adjustment" considered a critical factor?
The study treats the spouse's adjustment as a crucial mediator because family maladjustment is historically cited as a primary reason for premature expatriate return, impacting the expatriate's ability to maintain performance.
What role does language ability play in this study?
Language ability is identified as a vital control variable that significantly correlates with various aspects of the expatriate sojourn, influencing both the expatriate's adjustment and the adjustment of their spouse.
- Quote paper
- Dipl.-Psych. Elizabeth Schibli-Lazzaro (Author), 2006, Antecedents and outcomes of expatriate adjustment - The influence of motivation and acculturation attitude on adjustment and performance, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/84725
