The Dimensions of Expatriates Acculturation in China: A Review
Abstract
Trade globalization pushes multinational corporations (MNCs) to conduct business in many geographic regions, and talent flow has emerged as one of the main avenues for building the competitive advantage of international organizations. The work performance of expatriates is crucial for MNCs, which will suffer significant financial losses due to the high failure rate of expatriates. Therefore, itis important to focus on determining what led to the abroad assignment failing and then improving the expatriate’s work performance. Drawing on Black’s theory of cross-cultural adjustment, this paper reviews past research on the impact of expatriate management practices on work performance with facets of cross-cultural adjustment as a mediating variable. This paper proposes a new dimension that affects the acculturation of expatriates in China, namely Guanxi, and introduces it into the research framework. This integration offers a more comprehensive framework for future research.
Keywords: MNCs, work performance, expatriates, Guanxi, cross-cultural adjustment
References
[1] Guo Y, Rammal HG, Benson J, Zhu Y, Dowling PJ. Interpersonal relations in China: Expatriates’ perspective on the development and use of guanxi. International Business Review. 2018;27(2):455–464.
[2] Tarique I, Schuler RS. Global talent management: Literature review, integrative framework, and suggestions for further research. Journal of World Business. 2010;45(2):122–33.
[3] Zhong Y, Zhu JC, Zhang MM. Expatriate management of emerging market multinational enterprises: A multiple case study approach. Journal of Risk and Financial Management. 2021;14:252.
[4] Luk CL, Yau OHM, Sin LYM, Tse ACB, Chow RPM, Lee JSY. The effects of social capital and organizational innovativeness in different institutional contexts. Journal of International Business Studies. 2008;39(4):589–612.
[5] Yen DA, Barnes BR, Wang CL. The measurement of guanxi: Introducing the GRX scale. Industrial Marketing Management. 2011;40(1):97–108.
[6] Rotundo M, Sackett PR. The relative importance of task, citizenship, and counterproductive performance to global ratings of job performance: A policycapturing approach. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2002;87(1):66–80.
[7] Koopmans L, Bernaards C, Hildebrandt V, Van Buuren S, Van Der Beek AJ, de Vet HC w. Development of an individual work performance questionnaire. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. 2012;62(1):6–28.
[8] Tangen S. Demystifying productivity and performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. 2005;54(1):34–46.
[9] Kraimer ML, Wayne SJ, Jaworski RA. Sources of support and expatriate performance: The mediating role of expatriate adjustment. Personnel Psychology. 2001;54(1).
[10] Ang S, Van Dyne L, Koh C, ng KY, Templer KJ, Tay C, et al. Cultural intelligence: Its measurement and effects on cultural judgment and decision making, cultural adaptation and task performance. Management and Organization Review. 2007;3(3):335–371.
[11] Rockstuhl T, Seiler S, Ang S, Van Dyne L, Annen H. Beyond general intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ): The role of cultural intelligence (CQ) on crossborder leadership effectiveness in a globalized world. Journal of Social Issues. 2011;67(4):825–840.
[12] Setti I, Sommovigo V, Argentero P. Enhancing expatriates’ assignments success: the relationships between cultural intelligence, cross-cultural adaptation and performance. Current Psychology. 2020.
[13] Bandura A. Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review. 1977 Mar;84(2):191–215.
[14] Bandura A, Locke EA. Negative self-efficacy and goal effects revisited. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2003;88(1).
[15] Tian G, Wang J, Zhang Z, Wen Y. Self-efficacy and work performance: The role of work engagement. Social Behavior and Personality. 2019;47(12):1–7.
[16] Vancouver JB, Kendall LN. When self-efficacy negatively relates to motivation and performance in a learning context. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2006;91(5):1146– 1153.
[17] Vancouver JB, Thompson CM, Tischner EC, Putka DJ. Two studies examining the negative effect of self-efficacy on performance. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2002;87(3).
[18] Bhaskar-Shrinivas P, Harrison DA, Shaffer MA, Luk DM. Input-based and timebased models of international adjustment: Meta-analytic evidence and theoretical extensions. The Academy of Management Journal. 2005;48.
[19] Mendenhall M, Oddou G. The dimensions of expatriate acculturation: A review. The Academy of Management Review. 1985;10.
[20] Wang D, Feng T, Freeman S, Fan D, Zhu CJ. Unpacking the “skill - cross-cultural competence” mechanisms: Empirical evidence from Chinese expatriate managers. International Business Review. 2014;23(3):530–541.
[21] Selmer J. Language ability and adjustment: Western expatriates in China. Thunderbird International Business Review. 2006;48(3):347–368.
[22] Parker B, McEvoy GM. Initial examination of a model of intercultural adjustment. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 1993;17(3):355–379.
[23] Wang C-H, Varma A. Cultural distance and expatriate failure rates: the moderating role of expatriate management practices. The International Journal of Human Resource Management. 2019;30(15):2211–2230.
[24] Zhou X, Qin J. A study on cross-cultural adjustment of Japanese and American Expatriates in China. International Journal of Business and Management 2009;4(12):197– 206.
[25] Lund DW, Shah D. Spousal perspective of expatriate family adjustment. International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities, and Nations: Annual Review. 2007;6(2):93–102.
[26] Sambasivan M, Sadoughi M, Esmaeilzadeh P. Investigating the factors influencing cultural adjustment and expatriate performance: The case of Malaysia. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. 2017;66(8):1002–1019.
[27] Trompetter D, Bussin M, Nienaber R. The relationship between family adjustment and expatriate performance. South African Journal of Business Management. 2016;47(2):13–21.
[28] Takeuchi R. A critical review of expatriate adjustment research through a multiple stakeholder view: Progress, emerging trends, and prospects. Journal of Management. 2010;36(4):1040–1064.
[29] Takeuchi R, Yun S, Tesluk PE. An examination of crossover and spillover effects of spousal and expatriate cross-cultural adjustment on expatriate outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology. 2002;87(4):655–666.
[30] Nas Z. The effects of cross cultural training on the performance of expatriates in business organizations. 2011;( June).
[31] Black JS, Mendenhall M. Cross-cultural training effectiveness: A review and a theoretical framework for future research. Academy of Management Review. 1990;15(1):113–136.
[32] Wurtz O. An empirical investigation of the effectiveness of pre-departure and incountry cross-cultural training. 2014;25(14):2088–2101.
[33] Selmer J. Cross-cultural training and expatriate adjustment in China: Western joint venture managers. Personnel Review. 2005;34(1):68–84.
[34] Taormina RJ, Gao JH. A research model for Guanxi behavior: Antecedents, measures, and outcomes of Chinese social networking. Social Science Research. 2010;39(6):1195–1212.
[35] Pearce JA, Robinson RB. Cultivating guanxi as a foreign investor strategy. Commer Law East Asia. 2017;223–230.
[36] Peng MW, Wang DYL, Jiang Y. An institution-based view of international business strategy: A focus on emerging economies. Journal of International Business Studies. 2008;39(5):920–936.
[37] Tsegaye WK, Su Q, Ouyang Z. Cognitive adjustment and psychological capital influences on expatriate workers’ job performance: An Ethiopian study. Journal of Psychology in Africa. 2019;29(1):1–6.
[38] Gabel-Shemueli R, Westman M, Chen S, Bahamonde D. Does cultural intelligence increase work engagement? The role of idiocentrism-allocentrism and organizational culture in MNCs. Cross Cultural & Strategic Management. 2019;26(1).
[39] Black JS. Work role transitions: A study of American Expatriate Managers in Japan. Journal of International Business Studies. 1988.
[40] Black JS, Mendenhall M, Oddou G. Toward a comprehensive model of international adjustment: An Integration of multiple theoretical perspectives. Academy of Management Review. 1991;16(2):291–317.