Cross-cultural training: a study of European expatriates in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rizwan Tahir
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fundamental Factor ◽  
Cross Cultural Training

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the cross-cultural training (CCT) provided to European expatriate executives in New Zealand, and consequently add to the knowledge for human resource management in the Australasian region. Design/methodology/approach The present qualitative research study is based on open-ended and in-depth interviews with 30 European expatriate executives who had been residing in New Zealand for the past year or more. Findings The results indicate that at least some CCT was provided to all interviewees; however, the training content seemed to be strongly centered around professional work, with little focus on the culture of the host country. Moreover, there was no follow-up to the pre-departure CCT and very few expatriates in the sample received any training in New Zealand. Similarly, the family is considered a fundamental factor for the success of expatriates; however, in the sample, neither spouses nor children received any training before or after their arrival in New Zealand. Research limitations/implications The research is limited by the sample small size. The study’s inconclusive highlights the need for further research to explore the influences of local residents, colleagues and neighbors on expatriates’ adjustment. Similarly, further studies are also required to ascertain the effectiveness of CCT in helping support expatriates’ performance and adjustment in New Zealand. Practical implications The present study suggests that opportunities do exist for multinational companies (MNCs) to better prepare their expatriates for assignments by integrating more effectively issues related to cultural awareness into their CCT. Specifically, experimental CCT methods that emphasize the host country’s culture are most valuable. The CCT technique should be tailored to the cultural distance between the host nation and expatriates’ country of origin and to the nature of their assignment. Originality/value Given the existence of many MNCs in New Zealand, it is surprising that the issue of CCT in this context has received little research attention. The current study endeavors to address this gap. This paper hopes that the findings may also be useful for consultants and human resource managers in MNCs who are involved in preparing expatriates for foreign assignments in Australasia, especially New Zealand.

Learning and development practices in international context: conceptual introspection towards bringing the best work place strategies

2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 180-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rabindra Kumar Pradhan ◽  
Lalatendu Kesari Jena ◽  
Nrusingh Prasad Panigrahy
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Resource Development ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
International Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internal Customers ◽  
Cross Cultural Training

Purpose In today’s competitive environment, long-term viability and sustainability of a firm requires a combination of both specialized and knowledge-based resources. Earlier research findings have surfaced the fact that by leveraging knowledge, successful multinational companies in the Western world are able to create a position for capitalizing on market imperfections in the field of human resource development and correspondingly achieving higher returns on their investments. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to examine the approaches of successful multinational enterprises (MNEs) from newer industrialized and developing economies, especially in the perspective of learning and development initiatives. Design/methodology/approach The focus of this study is to introspect on the causal that influences toward fostering a better human resource development climate in the international context. Findings The proposition explores a road map to strategize organizational policies and practices as to how best to serve its expatriate internal customers. Originality/value The findings of this study has confirmed the link between cross-cultural training and expatriate adjustment and performance, but still the scope lies in future research to carry out the specific context or conditions influencing the effectiveness of cross-cultural training programs by using quantitative statistical findings of country-wide successful MNE analysis in the learning and development domain and subsequently proposing the benchmarking practices for impersonation by the developing nations.

scholarly journals “Stepping out of the ordinary”: exploring cross-cultural challenges of expatriates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Dousin ◽  
Rini Suryati Sulong
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Training

Purpose In the study of expatriation and expatriate adaptation, there are limited studies that focus on issues faced by expatriates working in foreign countries with very distinct cultures. This study aims to explore this idea through the experiences of western expatriates working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Two research questions were posed to examine the cross-cultural issues and challenges faced by expatriates in the KSA, as well as the role of cross-cultural training in expatriate adjustment. Design/methodology/approach The study was guided by an interpretivism paradigm through a qualitative method by using a semi-structured in-depth interview approach. Interviews were conducted among 12 expatriates from the USA and UK who are currently working in KSA. Findings A coding technique and theoretical thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The results of this study highlighted three key themes that had a considerable influence on expatriates’ adjustment, in particular: culture shock, lack of pre-departure training and the demand for an extensive cross-cultural training. Research limitations/implications It is acknowledged that the existence of sub-cultures within the KSA would expose the respondents to varying cultural values within the community. Thus, future studies within a similar context should consider the influence of intra-cultural variations. Originality/value The findings of the study emphasized on the importance understanding the cultural gap between home and host country and the individual cultural awareness of the expatriate. It calls attention to the need for a tailored and extensive pre-departure, cross-cultural training and a collaborative effort between employees’ and managers to improve expatriates’ motivation and retention.

scholarly journals Cross-cultural Training and Second Language Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Zhonghao Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
Complex Process ◽  
Culture Teaching ◽  
Culture And Language

Culture and language are inseparable, and cultures as groups adopt particular practices and norms of behavior. Culture teaching is a long and complex process concerning something more than language use itself. The two popular theories influencing practice today are the Constructivist and the Creative Constructionist approaches, and the technique for conveying cultural awareness is cultural assimilator, which has been designed for specific cultures around the world. Cross-cultural training can be used to promote cultural awareness, that is, sensitize people to the influence of culture on people’s values and behaviors and help them recognize and accept the existence of cultural differences.

Role of culture-specific rights, responsibilities and duties in industry 4.0: comparing Indic and Western perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Biswajita Parida ◽  
Sanket Sunand Dash ◽  
Dheeraj Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Western Tradition ◽  
The West ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
The Cross

PurposeThe increasing globalization of business has led to increasing demand for executives who can function in cultural milieus different from their own. This demand has been exacerbated by the fact that globalization has not led to cultural homogenization and hence, for good or bad, executives are not able to universally apply the home country's conceptualizations of rights, responsibilities and duties and must operate within the constraints of host country's cultural environments. Hence, business scholars and global executives increasingly need to reflect on the conceptualization of rights, responsibilities and duties; understand the historical context which has led to different conceptualizations across geographies and appreciate and harness these differences for improving business effectiveness. This paper helps in this endeavor by explaining the differences and similarities that exists between the Indian and Western cultures regarding the concepts of roles, responsibilities and duties. This exposition will help multinational organizations improve their internal practices and employee training methods.Design/methodology/approachThis study attempts to trace the differences and similarities in the conceptualization of rights, duties and responsibilities between the Western tradition and the Indic tradition by literature review. The Indic tradition refers to the broad cultural paradigm that shapes the thinking of the people of Indian subcontinent. The prominent sources of the Indic tradition include Hinduism and Buddhism. India was a British colony for two hundred years and is home to one of world's largest English-speaking population. There are more Muslims in the Indian subcontinent than in the Middle East (Grim and Karim, 2011). Hence, the Indic tradition has also been substantially influenced by the Western and Islamic traditions.FindingsThe paper argues that Westerners and Indians have different conceptualization of rights, duties and responsibilities and their relative importance. Broadly speaking, Indian ethos focuses on context-specific responsibilities while the Western attitude focuses on universal rights. These differing conceptualizations have been shaped by the cultural history of the two regions and are manifested in the decision-making styles, levels of individual autonomy and views on the ethicality of actions. There is a need to train expatriate Western and Indian managers on these issues to enable smooth functioning.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-cultural literature has tended to lump together all non-Western civilizations under the category of East thereby ignoring significant differences between them. The Far-East countries of China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan have been highly influenced by the Confucian ethics. India-specific social systems like the caste system, division of human life span into stages with specific responsibilities, enduring worship of nature and Western influence through colonization have been absent in these countries or much less marked. The paper aims to bring forward the distinguishing features in Indian thought that contributes to its distinctive attitude toward rights, responsibilities and duties; contrast it with the Western views on rights and duties and identify the relevance of the discussion to the business context.Practical implicationsThe cross-cultural training needs to emphasize both conflict resolution and behavioral aspects. For example, the conflict resolution process in Western countries can be more algorithmic with conflicts being rationally determined by consistent application as well-defined rules (as nature of duties is more universal in Western tradition). On the other hand, conflict resolution practices in India need to be contextual and may require appeals to higher ideals (as nature of duties is more contextual and idealistic in Eastern tradition).Social implicationsThe differences in attitudes regarding rights, responsibility and duties between the West and India suggest the need for cross-cultural training of managers and contextual conflict resolution techniques. The need is exacerbated by the increase in the number of multinational corporations (MNCs). Earlier, most MNCs were headquartered in the West and hence cross-cultural training was primarily geared to help Western expatriates fit into the host country culture (Nam et al., 2014). The growth of Asian MNCs has increased the need of cross-cultural training for Asian expatriates (Nam et al., 2014).Originality/valueThe training processes can be customized to supplement cultural strengths and promote behaviors that are culturally inhibited. Employees in India can be trained to emphasize the value of assertiveness in communication, the need to articulate one's personal success and appreciate the rigid nature of rules in Western contexts. Similarly, Westerners can be trained to emphasize the importance of context in business interactions, the need to forge personal relations for business success and the importance of paternalistic behavior in securing employees commitment.

Developing cross-cultural managerial skills through social media

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 116-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Wankel
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Intercultural Training ◽  
Global Networks ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Skills ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
Media Applications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to familiarize managers with alternative social media applications of cross-cultural training approaches. Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides an overview of the current state of social media-based cross-cultural training and its trajectory. Findings – Social media is increasingly an integral part of contemporary communication. This paper shows how training technologies engaging to the born-digital generation have multiple advantages and unique deployment opportunities for cross-cultural know-how development. Originality/value – This paper provides a technological reframing of intercultural training that better aligns with the practices of the millennial generation, who are ready to embrace the accoutrements of international business and global networks. Readers will be sensitized to the advantages and disadvantages of new social media for intercultural training and education.

The effect of cross-cultural training on expatriates’ adjustment

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 1114-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
John O. Okpara ◽  
Jean D. Kabongo
Keyword(s):  
Management Development ◽  
Cultural Adjustment ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Adjustment Process ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
Expatriate Managers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Purpose One of the most important issues multinational corporations (MNCs) face in their global operations is expatriate failure. It is estimated that between 10 and 80 percent of expatriates sent on overseas assignments return home early. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of cross-cultural training (CCT) on different facets of expatriate managers’ adjustment in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 212 western expatriate managers working in Nigeria was surveyed. Respondents were selected from four cities where they had been working for at least one year. Findings The main finding of this study was that expatriates’ adjustment could be predicted from different types of CCT. The findings of this research confirm the view expressed by researchers over the last two decades that both conventional and specific experimental CCT have positive effect on the facets of cross-cultural adjustment. Research limitations/implications Given that the authors did not collect their data over time, the cross-sectional nature of the design limits them from making definitive causal statements. In the future, more resources and efforts could be applied to safeguard larger samples of respondents, thus potentially resulting in better statistical power. A longitudinal approach could be used; such an approach may have generated a richer data source, where different patterns of adjustment could have been identified and compared over time. Data for the study were collected through questionnaire, thus any observed relations might be due in part to common method effects. Since the data were collected from four cities, there may be some concern as to the generalizability of the findings to expatriates working in other cities in Nigeria. Practical implications MNCs should pay more attention to CCT and management development. Ineffective CCT and management development have an adverse impact on MNCs’ effectiveness. Developing CCT programs could add value to corporations and employees especially employees who are destined for foreign assignments. In addition, developing CCT for expatriates’ spouses and children would facilitate adjustment process and may reduce failure rate. Originality/value Once corroborated by further studies, this exploratory research may contribute to the understanding of the adjustment of western expatriates in Nigeria. Few, if any, prior studies, have examined CCT and expatriate adjustment in Nigeria.

Developing cultural intelligence: learning together with reciprocal mentoring

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-40
Author(s):  
Sheetal Desai ◽  
Srinivasa A. Rao ◽  
Shazi Shah Jabeen
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Training

Purpose This paper aims to focus on how reciprocal mentoring can be used to make employees culturally intelligent. Design/methodology/approach The authors conceptualize and present this framework based on their own experience in the industry and research experience in cross-cultural competence. Findings Workplaces today are characterized by high levels of multiculturalism. In such environments, being able to navigate this cultural diversity can be a challenge to many employees. Investing in cross-cultural training can be costly and time consuming. In such a situation, what better way to learn and appreciate cultural diversity than by bringing together two individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Reciprocal mentoring for developing cultural intelligence can be an effective practice that organizations can follow to develop intercultural competence amongst its employees. Practical implications The concept presented in the paper can help organizations use their own existing resources to develop cultural intelligence company-wide, rather than choosing third-party interventions/training. Originality/value This paper provides executives with a quick glimpse into the concept of cultural intelligence and its development through reciprocal mentoring.

Meta-analysis of the impact of cross-cultural training on adjustment, cultural intelligence, and job performance

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Chenyang
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Cultural Intelligence ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Training Effectiveness ◽  
Training Method ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis research aims to provide an updated meta-analysis of cross-cultural training effectiveness through quantitatively reviewing the links between cross-cultural training and three outcomes: adjustment, cultural intelligence and job performance.Design/methodology/approachDrawing from 37 independent samples from 1991 through August 2021 involving a total of 7,040 trainees, the author adopt random-effects meta-analyses method to assess the relationships between cross-cultural training and three outcomes and examine potential moderators (i.e. training phase, training method and rating source) that influence these relationships.FindingsThe meta-analytical results mainly support our hypotheses. Cross-cultural training -adjustment exhibits a medium and significant positive effect, whereas cross-cultural training is positive significantly related to job performance and cultural intelligence of small effect sizes. Training method and data source significantly moderate the cross-cultural training's impact on cultural intelligence and performance correspondingly.Originality/valueThis study considers longitudinal statistics for measuring cross-cultural training effectiveness, breaking down the inadequacy of cross-sectional measurement and covers sub-dimensions of cross-cultural training outcomes to provide more comprehensive and advanced evidence of cross-cultural training effectiveness for the latest 30 years.

Organizational practices for the expatriates’ adjustment: a systematic review

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cátia Sousa ◽  
Gabriela Gonçalves ◽  
Joana Santos ◽  
José Leitão
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Organizational Practices ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Cultural Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Cultural Training ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

Purpose The globalization of work has contributed to a great increment in cross-cultural interactions, contributing to a new impetus in the expatriates’ topic. The costs associated with the failed international missions are high, and the identification of effective adjustment strategies is of extreme importance, both for organizations and for individuals. The purpose of this paper is to identify the kind of practices that are developed by organizations and their impact on the adjustment of expatriates. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the proposed objective, a systematic review of literature (from the late 1980s to the present day) will be carried out. Findings Based on five articles on the topic, the results show that there are few studies that assess the impact of the types of adjustment to organizational practices, with the cross-cultural training and language training being the most common. These practices have shown a positive effect on performance and adjustment of expatriates. Originality/value The authors feel the lack of studies that have adequate indicators to measure the integration and effectiveness of the adjustment of expatriates.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document