Expatriates face a myriad of cultural issues as they conduct their business internationally and employ certain adjustment mechanisms. In general, expatriates face cultural and identity issues of temporariness, uncertainty, gender inequality, differing language skills, alienation from the corporate culture, “nomadic” family issues. This view has been supported in the works of McNulty and Inkson (2013), Hocking, Brown, and Harzing (2007), and Benson and Pattie (2009). Cross-cultural adjustment necessitates traits, skills, and capacities such as open-mindedness, cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity, flexibility, patience, and a sincere interest in other cultures. Those who may not readily adjust to new cultural surroundings may need to employ adjustment mechanisms such as learning a new language or taking up a relaxation practice. These capacities can either be selected for when companies hire expatriates or developed through training programs.
The meaning of “expatriate” has evolved over the course of time and is closely tied to the concept of globalization. McNulty and Inkson (2013), propose a variety of definitions or types of expatriates, such as PCNs (parent country nationals), TCNs (third country nationals, foreign local hires), EHCOs (expatriates of host country origin/returnees), and FELOs (foreign executives in local organizations). For the purpose of this paper, an expatriate is defined either as a verb referencing the transnational movement of people by MNCs (multinational corporations) or as noun: a small, relatively privileged, percentage of the international workforce who move across borders for work temporarily, which, according to Herod, are generally kept on the same salary structure as fellow employees at their home country but may receive better benefits (2008).
Cultural issues that expatriates might face include, but are not limited to, temporariness, uncertainty, gender inequality, alienation, and adjusting to the “nomadic” family life. In Van Vianen, De Pater, Kristof-Brown and Johnson’s document, Fitting In: Surface And Deep Level Cultural Differences and Expatriates’ Adjustment (2004) both surface and deep cultural issues between expatriates and locals are explored. Their research indicates that surface-level cultural differences are related to general adjustment issues and daily struggles such as shopping at the grocery store or communicating with a cab driver; whereas, deeper cultural differences pertained to the idea of “self-transcendence” or the interrelations between work life and interaction adjustment. Specifically, self-transcendence can be defined as “people’s concern with the welfare of others (for example: social justice, equality, helpfulness, and loyalty)” (2004, p.705). Other conclusions found include that openness to change, the idea of conserving or protecting one’s own culture, and self-enhancement, did not significantly change the adjustment process for expatriates.
At the most basic level, expatriates can struggle with differing language skills in foreign countries. Proficiency in the host country’s language is not usually a requirement for working in a foreign nation, although it is an asset. According to Oltra, Bonache, and Brewster, other abilities such as business knowledge or managerial experience are usually regarded as more important than speaking the local language (2013, p. 303-304). This can produce challenges between foreign employers and local employees as performance appraisal may not be as effective by expatriates, who are not proficient in the local language, or much less, understand the local customs.
According to research, Berry and Bell (2012) claim that women are less likely to be selected to be expatriates and are less than fifteen percent of MNC-assigned expatriates. However, when women are selected to work overseas, they may be subjugated to differing views of gender and be less empowered than in their home country. For example, in the event that a female would serve as an expatriate in a Middle Eastern country such as Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, she may experience hardships which do not exist in her home (most likely Western) country. In nations such as KSA, women are not allowed to drive, eat in the same sections of restaurants and cafes as men, and are required to wear a hijab in public, even if they are not Muslim. Understanding these gender-based inequalities inherent in some cultures is necessary before the female accepts a job in such nation. Yet these understandings can be used as forces of change within the business context as well as ease the process of adjustment.
Problems of adjustment can differ in nature from cross-cultural problems to problems in home life. According to research conducted by McEvoy and Butler, when adjustment is a problem for expatriates, it is usually not “cross-cultural in nature” but rather relates to expats home lives and “being at home with the children”, as opposed to working (2013, p. 209). It is often the case that IHR managers deal with very few expatriates who are concerned about adjustment or culture shock. Rather, issues arise such as a spouse’s inability to work in the overseas location (perhaps due to visa or work permit restrictions) as well as children’s adjustment levels. Thus, it can be assumed that unwedded and childless expatriates may have fewer adjustment issues because they lack the dependence of others.
Expatriates can ease the process of adjustment by preparing for entering a new culture and living abroad before leaving their home country. The advent of the Internet can be a wonderful tool for expats to research and attempt to understand the new place that they are moving to before they arrive. The Internet and globalization are formative shapers for the global economy for the past forty years. Through these two mechanisms, people are more culturally aware and sensitive to ways of life unlike their own. Facebook, news outlets, Skype, Twitter, Instagram, online radio stations, have essentially made the world much smaller, as people are able to have international interactions more so than ever before. There also websites that can help expats integrate into their new community and partake in activities for expatriates. These include InternNations.org, a website that unites 1 million plus expats in countries around the world and ExpatForum.com, a space for people moving overseas to ask questions to the online, global communities and better prepare for their moves.
There are two main components that can prevent or reduce expatriate failure rates, according to Wentland (1998). Selecting the right kind of applicant through a thorough selection process and applying effective cross-cultural training (CCT) can be significant steps in easing workers into the expatriate lifestyle. Through these steps, the sociocultural issues that arise may be lessened and expatriates may have a more positive experience abroad. Overall, certain cultural issues faced by expatriates are universally experienced; however through preparation and training, expats can control their own adjustment processes and have a fruitful work and life experience overseas.
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