The influence of cross-cultural training and experience on expatriate adaptation during international assignments

Abstract

Particular interest to expatriate adaptation on the assignment is explained by the globalization of business and the necessity to catch growing opportunities on the international market with the help of qualified and effective human resources. The researchers try to identify the antecedents of successful international assignments (Black, Gregersen, and Mendenhall 1992, Parker and McEvoy 1993) and to provide the evidence of cross-cultural training utility for expatriate adaptation and performance in the host country (Deshpande and Viswersvaran 1992, Earley 1987). D However, according to the literature, only 30-45% of American multinational corporations provide cross-cultural training to their expatriates. The effectiveness of cross-cultural training and its different components as well as its prevalence in Canadian multinational companies remain under-explored. Reported in the literature results concerning the impact of some individual, family-related and host country characteristics on expatriate adaptation are contradictory. In this study the attempt was made to investigate the importance of crosscultural training and previous international and cross-cultural experience of expatriates for their adaptation in the host country. The influence of several intermediate factors (personality, demographic, family characteristics and adaptation, job, host country and expatriate community characteristics) on expatriate adaptation was also examined. The concept of expatriate adaptation was divided into three facets: general, interaction, and work adaptation. The population of this study was represented by 140 expatriates working for one division of Canadian multinational company. The data was collected between October 2000 and February 2001. Twenty three valid questionnaires were received. 3 The results demonstrated that cross-cultural training of expatriates was not a commonly used practice and, even when provided, had no, or in some components, had a negative impact on expatriate adaptation. At the same time, cross-cultural training was perceived as important by the expatriates. Previous international and cross-cultural experience were reported by the majority of expatriates. While previous international experience was found to be negatively associated with expatriate adaptation, previous cross-cultural experience had a positive impact on the dependent variable. Positive family relations, family support, favorable family perception of the relocation, successful family adaptation in the host country and knowledge of the host country predominant language turned out to be the most important antecedents of effective expatriate adaptation. Young age, personal characteristic self-efficacy and greater hierarchical position on the assignment were predictors of a better expatriate adaptation. Longer international assignments were associated with worse expatriate adaptation. Meanwhile, marital status of expatriates, level of education completed and importance of expatriate community in the host country were not related to any facet of expatriate adaptation. The assumption about positive relationship between expatriate adaptation and expatriate effectiveness on the international assignment was empirically confirmed in this study. 0 The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between expatriate adaptation and expatriate performance on the assignment and mark out the role of some antecedents of successful expatriate adaptation. Though no positive relationship has been found between cross-cultural training and expatriate adaptation the importance of cross-cultural training should not be eliminated. The proper content of training, the right moment of its implantation and corresponding intensity can affect significantly adaptation of expatriates on their first assignment and increase adaptation of those with previous experience of international relocations.