Psychological adjustment and social capital: a qualitative investigation of Chinese expatriates

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beiting He ◽  
Ran An ◽  
John Berry
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Psychological Adjustment ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Adjustment Process ◽  
Qualitative Investigation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mainland Chinese

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the psychological adjustment process of expatriates from Chinese multinational enterprises, including how their social capital affects this process.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative investigation was based on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 26 Chinese expatriates. The grounded theory method was applied to guide the data collection and analysis.FindingsThe psychological adjustment process of Chinese expatriates includes three periods: crisis, self-adjustment and self-growth period. In addition, bonding capital (including organizational, family and co-cultural colleagues’ support) is more conducive to Chinese expatriates’ psychological well-being than bridging capital (e.g. host-nationals’ support). Finally, a separation acculturation strategy is more conducive to psychological adjustment, rather than an integration strategy.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focused on expatriates themselves. Future research should consider other stakeholders (e.g. organizations, family), and examine expatriate adjustment from new perspectives (e.g. strategic human resource management, work-family balance). This study had a small sample and focused on only one organization. Future research could usefully add other Chinese multinational corporations, and other Chinese expatriates to expand the generalizability of the current findings.Practical implicationsThis study suggests the possible benefits of management practices for expatriates. Organizations can develop an “expatriate bubble” to help structure basic life overseas. Organizations could develop family-support programs and make them expatriate-supportive. Organizations should also strengthen the connections between expatriates and local colleagues.Originality/valueFew scholars have elaborated on how different support groups (based on their cultural backgrounds) influence the psychological adjustment of expatriates. Until now, mainland Chinese expatriates have received little attention. In addition, this research takes a significant step forward by illuminating the psychological adjustment of Chinese expatriates from a social capital perspective.

Perceptions of corporate social responsibility amongst immigrant entrepreneurs

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fara Azmat ◽  
Ambika Zutshi
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Immigrant Entrepreneurs ◽  
Corporate Social

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the understanding of the term corporate social responsibility (CSR) by Sri Lankan immigrant entrepreneurs in Australia. It also seeks to investigate the importance the entrepreneurs place on CSR, their understanding of stakeholders, the types of CSR activities undertaken by them, and the issue of social capital.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with Sri Lankan entrepreneurs based in Victoria, Australia.FindingsThe interviewees were aware of the term CSR but, nevertheless, had different interpretations of its meaning. However, CSR was considered important and all the interviewees were, in some way, involved in CSR activities and also had a good understanding of the importance of their stakeholders. Findings also highlighted the significance attached to social capital by the entrepreneurs such as informal relationships and trustworthiness which build the intangible attributes of CSR. The present findings can be attributed to immigrant entrepreneurs behaving partly to adapt to the host country, by changing their beliefs, values, traditions and partly by being influenced by their home country culture as found in the extended part of this current study.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper addresses gaps in the fields of both CSR and immigrant entrepreneurship literature. However, the small sample size is a limitation and further research is required in order to generalize the findings.Originality/valueIt is important to have an understanding of the interpretation of social responsibility amongst immigrant entrepreneurs. Despite the steadily growing number of Sri Lankan immigrant entrepreneurs and their potential impact on the Victorian and Australian socio‐economic context, this area remains under‐researched. This paper addresses this gap in the literature and makes an attempt to provide insight into this area that can be used as a catalyst for future research.

Occupational stress and its consequences

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 224-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Mohammad Mosadeghrad
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Stress ◽  
Turnover Intentions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospital Employees ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Increased Risk

Purpose – This study aims to identify the status of occupational stress among a sample of hospital employees in Iran. It further intended to reveal the harmful effects of occupational stress on employees’ health and well-being. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a cross-sectional research design. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from hospital employees. Findings – Job-related, working environment, interpersonal and organisational factors were related to occupational stress. One-fourth of employees rated their occupational stress high. The major sources of occupational stress were inadequate pay, inequality at work, too much work, staff shortage, poor recognition and promotion, time pressure, job insecurity and lack of management support. High levels of occupational stress have been linked to an increased risk of physical injuries, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, depression and increases in negative personal behaviours such as anger, anxiety and irritability. Occupational stress was positively associated with employees’ turnover intentions. Research limitations/implications – The findings of this study are not generalisable to the wider population of hospital employees in Iran due to the small sample size. Thus, future research should involve additional samples. Practical implications – The study has practical relevance for designing and implementing strategies to decrease occupational stress among hospital employees. Originality/value – This article contributes to health care theory and practise by identifying factors contributing to employees’ occupational stress and examining the association between occupational stress and two important employee outcomes – health status and turnover intention.

Transitional leadership to resolve conflict, facilitate change and restore wellbeing

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 1053-1072
Author(s):  
Tim J. Pratt ◽  
Roy K. Smollan ◽  
Edwina Pio
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unique Contribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
Transitional Leadership ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Christian Denomination

Purpose This paper aims to explore the experiences of church ministers who played the role of transitional leaders in congregational situations involving conflict. Design/methodology/approach Grounded theory was chosen as a suitable approach to investigate phenomena that occasionally penetrate religious publications and even less frequently scholarly management journals. Accordingly, in-depth interviews were conducted with six church ministers who had been transitional leaders in one Christian denomination in New Zealand. Findings Participants indicated that the drivers of transitional ministry were conflict, dysfunction and loss of direction; the goals were to heal the damage caused by conflict and restore functionality and well-being; the process, underpinned by a leadership philosophy of affirmation, trust-building, engagement and communication, involved working with church members to instil hope, establish operational structures, identify and resolve dysfunction, envision a future and ultimately recruit a permanent minister. Research limitations/implications The limitations of a small sample size in one Christian denomination could be addressed by using wider samples in other contexts. It is suggested that insights into transitional leadership after conflict will be of interest to researchers as well as practitioners in other religious organizations, the wider non-profit sector and the private sector. Future research into the impact of transitional leadership, against a background of conflict and organizational change, will add to this empirical foundation. Originality/value The model of transitional ministry is a unique contribution to religious literature and practice. It also offers insight into how other types of organization could deal with the exit of its permanent leader, in circumstances of conflict, and manage the transition phase of a temporary replacement, so that the organization returns to a state of well-being with a renewed sense of purpose.

Learning motivational interviewing: prospects to preserve practitioners' well-being

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul C. Endrejat ◽  
Simone Kauffeld
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Change ◽  
Motivational Interviewing ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Report ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Content Type

PurposeMotivational interviewing (MI) is a collaborative communication style designed to help clients achieve desired behavior changes. MI includes communication methods along with a mindset that avoids attempting to impose behavior change. Relying on the conservation of resources theory, this research report argues that learning MI helps practitioners communicate more effectively and preserve their own psychological health resources.Design/methodology/approachWe tested whether MI training resulted in beneficial effects on practitioners' resilience and burnout (i.e. exhaustion and disengagement), surveying participants (N = 42) from various disciplines who learned MI at a training institute. Subjects received a questionnaire before and one month after MI training. The post-training questionnaire also assessed whether participants applied the training content in practice.FindingsThe results revealed that the training reduced participants' disengagement. Practical application was a predictor for this decrease as well as an increase in resilience.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the small sample size and self-reported data, this paper should be considered an experimental study that could inspire future research in this area, using more elaborate research designs.Practical implicationsLearning MI not only helps in facilitating behavior change in clients but also in bolstering practitioners' own resources. MI novices should aim to apply their newly acquired skills.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to explicitly hint at the possibility that learning MI helps practitioners preserve their psychological resources.

Porcelain for All – a nursing home study

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 662-675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Victor Hansen ◽  
Christina Tølbøl Frøiland ◽  
Ingelin Testad
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
User Involvement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The Porcelain for All project was an initiative by Figgjo AS, a porcelain factory in Norway, which needed more research on different coloured porcelains. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The study aimed to gain new knowledge about how different décor and dinner plate colours can positively influence dementia sufferer food intake and appetite. The intervention period lasted three weeks. Four days were randomly picked during that period. Each plate was photographed before and after the resident had eaten, researchers conducted observations during mealtimes. Two CurroCus® group interviews were used to collect additional empirical data. In total, 12 dementia sufferers (five females) between 65 and 85 years were observed during dinnertime. Findings Plates with a white well, yellow lip and red rim seemed to be preferred regarding food intake. Three main categories were noted from the observations and group interviews: mealtime dignity, porcelain design and appetite. Research limitations/implications Future research could incorporate well-being in people with dementia regarding food weight, testing different meal room environments, user involvement, food presentation and should include more nursing homes and residents. Practical implications This study only encompasses a small sample (12 residents), all diagnosed with dementia. Social implications Outcomes may help to prevent undernutrition among elderly people. Originality/value Combined coloured porcelain, food intake and residents with dementia is scarcely investigated.

Fashioning masculinity among young New Zealand men: young men, shopping for clothes and social identity

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa McNeill ◽  
Jacob McKay
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Age Cohort

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how fashion clothing is perceived and consumed by young males, what their attitudes are toward fashion and how fashion is used in the construction of a social identity by these men. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory approach is used in this research, with the fashion consumption behaviours and perceptions of males aged between 19 and 25 explored. Findings Results note the positive role of social comparison amongst young men in their fashion-seeking behaviour, with fashion consumption playing a large role in the emotional well-being of young men in a social context. Research limitations/implications This research was exploratory in nature and used a small sample of males from a specific age cohort. As such, the results cannot be generalized but do offer analytical insights into male attitudes and behaviour toward fashion that can be extended in future research. Practical implications While the act of shopping for clothing was traditionally seen as a female recreation, fragmentation of the traditional male/female dichotomy has seen men become active in the social consumption ethic surrounding fashion. The current study examines the emergence of fashion-aware males and offers insight into the key motivations for young males to seek out fashion products. Social implications In a society where fashion seeking is a popular recreational activity across genders and changing notions of masculinity allow for more appearance focused men, shopping for clothes is no longer considered an exclusively female activity. Originality/value Where research has previously examined fashion items and their integral role in product-self extension from a female perspective, very little studies focus on males’ relationships with fashion. Whilst prior research has examined men’s self-image and self-modification via exercise or plastic surgery, there is little that focuses on the role of clothing in men’s identity creation.

scholarly journals Ethnic Disparities in Social Capital and Health among Jewish and Arab Participants in the Israeli Mamanet Cachibol League

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 295
Author(s):  
Yuval Paldi ◽  
Daniel S. Moran ◽  
Orna Baron-Epel ◽  
Shiran Bord ◽  
Riki Tesler
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
Ethnic Disparities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Reported Health ◽  
Health And Well Being

The Israeli Mamanet Cachibol League (MCL) serves as a community model that incorporates physical activity and amateur team sports among women. Team sports have been shown to bridge gaps and build positive relationships between communities. There is a paucity of data regarding the advantages of team sports to promote the health and well-being of women from different ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of participation in MCL with social capital, health, and well-being across two ethnic groups: Jewish and Arab women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among women aged 25–64: 102 Jewish and 96 Arab MCL participants, and 102 Jewish and 81 Arab non-MCL participants. Data regarding social capital (trust, social support and social involvement) and well-being (self-reported health and psychosomatic and depressive symptoms) were analyzed using two-way analyses of covariance and multiple regression models with sequential entry of the variables. MCL participants from both ethnic groups reported higher social capital (p < 0.001), better self-reported health (p < 0.001), and lower psychosomatic symptoms (p < 0.001) compared to non-participants. Jewish MCL participants reported lower depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) than non-participants, however no difference was found between Arab MCL participants and non-participants (p < 0.160). Amateur team sports such as MCL are related with higher levels of well-being and social capital. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies that examine the change in social capital and well-being over time.

scholarly journals Community intervention strategies to reduce the impact of financial strain and promote financial well-being: a comprehensive rapid review

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-50
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Glenn ◽  
Lisa Allen Scott ◽  
Teree Hokanson ◽  
Karla Gustafson ◽  
Melissa A. Stoops ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Community Intervention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Financial Strain ◽  
Rapid Review ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Impact

Financial well-being describes when people feel able to meet their financial obligations, feel financially secure and are able to make choices that benefit their quality of life. Financial strain occurs when people are unable to pay their bills, feel stressed about money and experience negative impacts on their quality of life and health. In the face of the global economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, community-led approaches are required to address the setting-specific needs of residents and reduce the adverse impacts of widespread financial strain. To encourage evidence-informed best practices, a provincial health authority and community-engaged research centre collaborated to conduct a rapid review. We augmented the rapid review with an environmental scan and interviews. Our data focused on Western Canada and was collected prior to the pandemic (May–September 2019). We identified eight categories of community-led strategies to promote financial well-being: systems navigation and access; financial literacy and skills; emergency financial assistance; asset building; events and attractions; employment and educational support; transportation; and housing. We noted significant gaps in the evidence, including methodological limitations of the included studies (e.g. generalisability, small sample size), a lack of reporting on the mechanisms leading to the outcomes and evaluation of long-term impacts, sparse practice-based data on evaluation methods and outcomes, and limited intervention details in the published literature. Critically, few of the included interventions specifically targeted financial strain and/or well-being. We discuss the implications of these gaps in addition to possibilities and priorities for future research and practice. We also consider the results in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences.

The many faces of suzhi in the Chinese organization and society

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Upton-McLaughlin
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Chinese Society ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mainland Chinese ◽  
Foreign Companies ◽  
Expatriate Managers ◽  
The Many ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to explore the Chinese concept of suzhi and how it relates to behavioral standards within mainland Chinese society and the workplace. The article provides a general discussion of suzhi and its inherent elements to act as a foundation for the education of expatriate managers and executives and for future research by Chinese human resource management (HRM) scholars. Design/methodology/approach – This paper draws on the author's first-hand experience and observations from five years of living and working abroad in mainland China with Chinese companies and executives. Findings – The concept of suzhi in China is a reflection of multiple behavioral standards throughout China. And while suzhi's roots are in ancient Chinese culture and Confucianism, it is also subject to influence and change. Practical implications – The paper may serve as a foundation both for expatriate managers seeking to improve HRM practices in foreign companies in China and future scholars who wish to conduct further research on suzhi and Chinese behavioral standards as they can be applied to the workplace. Originality/value – This is an attempt to enlighten expatriate managers and executives in China on the concept of suzhi and its implication for HRM in China.

Community-based social partnerships in crisis resilience: a case example in Greece

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Drakaki ◽  
Panagiotis Tzionas
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Partnership ◽  
National Network ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Shared Risk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe in-depth a community-based social partnership, emerged in response to the financial crisis in Greece, with members from the private, public and civic sectors, using a case example of a grass-root self-organised national network. Design/methodology/approach Formal and informal interviews as well as written communication with members of the partnership mainly formed the basis for the analysis. Topics covered formation and implementation activities, outcomes, relationship issues, such as trust and links to social capital. Findings A shared community risk and a national media campaign to increase public awareness of the issue were catalysts for individuals’ sensitisation and participation in the partnership. The shared risk was the loss of community’s social cohesion, through poverty aggravated by the financial crisis. Self-organisation led to innovative relationships, whereas trust, collective action and collaboration show social capital attributes in the partnership enabling resilience development. Research limitations/implications The research contributes in the fields of community-based partnerships and engagement in building community and crisis resilience. The findings are based on a case example. More evidence is needed in order to derive generalised statements about the partnership’s contribution to crisis resilience. Practical implications The partnership has shown impact on community engagement, health and well-being. Originality/value This paper presents a partnership type for building community and crisis resilience with the case example of one such partnership in Greece, formed to alleviate community distress caused by the crisis.

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