Mix and match: bicultural expatriates in multicultural Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Culturally Diverse ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expatriate Adjustment ◽  
Mix And Match

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the expatriate adjustment experiences of “biculturals”, defined here as individuals who have internalised at least two cultural profiles, in a host-country setting that is itself also culturally diverse. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with a small number of bicultural expatriates working in Malaysia. Findings The findings here echo previous studies in demonstrating bicultural expatriates’ ability (and tendency) to switch cultural frames as part of their adjustment. Despite this, however, their professional and social networks appear to still be shaped by cultural factors, with expatriates drawn towards networks whose members mainly comprise certain ethnic groups whose values and norms are perceived as being more closely aligned with those of the expatriate. Originality/value Though the literature on bicultural expatriates continues to grow, little emphasis has been given to a host-country setting that is itself culturally diverse. The findings here suggest that in such a setting, professional and social networks serve as an aid in the adjustment. Importantly, however, these networks, rather than being culturally impartial, as it were, may primarily comprise certain ethnic groups who are considered culturally “closer” to the expatriate in question.

From campfire to coliseum: motivations for using social networks

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Castro Pires de Souza Chimenti ◽  
Marco Aurelio de Souza Rodrigues ◽  
Marcelo Guedes Carneiro ◽  
Roberta Dias Campos
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Collective Narrative

Purpose Through a literature review, a gap has been identified regarding the role of competition as a driver of social network (SN) usage. This study aims to design to address this gap, seeking motivators for SN usage based on how SN consumption may be related to users’ experience of competition. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of competition in social media usage. Design/methodology/approach The authors used an exploratory qualitative approach, conducting a set of focus groups with young social media users. Data was analyzed with software. Findings Two new drivers for SN use are proposed, namely, competition and collective narrative. Research limitations/implications This is an exploratory study, and it does not seek to generalize results or quantify causal relationships among variables. Practical implications This paper offers SN managers a deeper understanding of key growth drivers for these media. Social implications This research can help society understand and debate the impacts of SNs on users’ lives, providing insights into drivers of excessive usage. Originality/value This paper proposes the following two SN usage drivers yet to be described in the literature: competition and collective narrative.

Responding to COVID-19 pandemic: interior designs’ trends of houses in Jordan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anas Atef Shamaileh
Keyword(s):  
Interior Design ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entire Life ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Study Methodology

Purpose The emergence of COVID-19 pandemic in the late 2019 was accompanied by various consequences that included almost the entire life aspects worldwide. To cope with the pandemic, imposing restricted measures was required, such as quarantine, lockdown and social distancing. The purpose of this paper is to identify the houses' interior designs responses in Jordan under Covid-19 Pandemic. Design/methodology/approach Under such conditions, people have to spend long periods inside their houses. This issue highlighted the importance and the vital role of houses interior design in meeting the various needs of residents under emergent and changing conditions. Findings This study revealed current and future responses that may be implemented to cope with the pandemic consequences in terms of houses’ interior design. Moreover, a conceptual model was proposed. Number of suggestions and further research were introduced considering the revealed findings. Originality/value This study aimed at identifying the houses’ interior design responses in Jordan under COVID-19 pandemic. The study methodology adopted both inductive and qualitative approaches to achieve its goals. Under the qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were undertaken by interviewing ten interior designers and academics.

Managing material value creation matters in integrated reporting

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasja Steenkamp ◽  
Roslyn Roberts
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Process Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge

Purpose This paper aims to explore how advanced integrated report preparers internalise and operationalise material value creation information to manage the generation of such information for the integrated report. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a qualitative approach using in-depth semi-structured interviews to examine how information about material value creation matters in six South African organisations are managed. Findings The findings will be useful to integrated reporting adopters as to how they might implement appropriate processes and systems to determine, communicate, collect and process information about matters that substantively affect their value creation. Originality/value The paper contributes to the body of knowledge by providing insight on how material value creation matters are determined, communicated internally and information about such matters generated.

Repatriation: a qualitative study of repatriates after returning from China assignments

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-394
Author(s):  
John A. Kimber
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Expatriate Assignments ◽  
Difficult Part

Purpose Companies expend significant resources on global assignees’ success during deployment. However, the broader repatriation experience of organizational expatriates and their families, beyond securing employment, is still largely unexplored. Thus, the purpose of this paper, an exploratory study, is to describe the repatriation experience of five US Christian repatriates who returned to the USA after long-term expatriate assignments in China. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was employed, and data were collected through five open-ended interviews with US Christian repatriates, focusing on their social networks and family repatriation experiences. Findings Upon repatriation, most global assignees received assistance with relocation and securing stateside employment but no assistance with readjustment issues for themselves or their accompanying family members. Most found repatriation the most difficult part of the assignment, and home churches were of little assistance. The findings support the deterioration of home social networks during longer assignments and extend the literature’s findings to the expatriate spouse and families. Originality/value This exploratory study addresses the experiences of Christian US repatriates and their social support through work and non-work home social networks. The findings highlight the importance of intentional efforts by repatriates and their families to strengthen their home social connections in order to minimize repatriation difficulties.

Evaluation of PPP road projects in Greece

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Marinelli
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Managerial Practices ◽  
Road Projects ◽  
Revenue Risks ◽  
Managerial Experience ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Geographical Context

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and evaluate the problems encountered by five major road projects recently implemented in Greece as public–private partnerships (PPP) and make recommendations for improvement of the relevant managerial practices and contractual clauses for the benefit of similar future projects. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was adopted in this research as only senior engineers with specific managerial experience were deemed suitable for the purposes of this research. In total, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with CEOs of the PPPs and heads of independent engineers involved in the projects’ implementation as well as with senior officials of two Greek Ministries. Findings The experts identified different areas of weakness relevant to the revenue risks, the planning of the scope, the management of designs and legal permits as well as the toll policy selected. They also made specific recommendations for the streamlining of the relevant procedures in the future. Practical implications The experts’ opinions and recommendations constitute a solid basis for the achievement of higher efficiency in the management of future PPP projects worldwide. Originality/value This research offers a holistic perspective to PPP project management as it sheds light to the problems encountered by the Greek PPP programme as a whole and incorporates the experience gained at the contracts’ renegotiation. The research draws from the experience of experts and offers recommendations for systemic improvements which can be widely applied in any geographical context.

Conceptual mindsets and heuristics in credibility evaluation of e-Word of Mouth in tourism

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 954-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lluisa Llamero
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Formal Knowledge ◽  
Think Aloud Protocol ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to find out how credibility judgements intervene in the consumption of electronic-Word of Mouth (e-WOM) in tourism, as there is discrepancy in the literature about its influence on decision-making processes. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach is explored, based on semi-structured interviews and observation through think-aloud protocol. This methodology provides fruitful insights as it focuses on the users’ browsing habits. The author interviewed a sample of professionals of tourism, cybertourists and bloggers. Findings – Results reveal that only part of e-WOM is granted credibility. Therefore, its persuasiveness depends on those limited positive judgements. Travellers use a conceptual mindset and a series of cognitive heuristics (homophily, crowd consensus, etc.) to assess credibility. Formal knowledge background and social pressures have proven to be weak. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to a reduced sample of informants but their adjustment to the most typical profiles interviewed compensates this restriction. Another limitation is that data comes from a single cultural context (Spain), but on the other hand provides data that did not exist in the international literature on the topic. Practical implications – Outcomes can help tourism managers to monitor key heuristics employed by end-users in webs of e-WOM and detect new trends of travelling habits. Originality/value – The paper is original in that it establishes the rationalities behind the daily use of cognitive heuristics explored through different traveller's profiles.

The value of gift personalization: current insights from the gift recipient’s perspective and future research directions

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 512-521
Author(s):  
Marta Pizzetti ◽  
Michael Gibbert
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Gift ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Mass Personalization

PurposeThis paper aims to explore gift personalization, i.e. the design of gifts by givers on mass-personalization platforms, from the perspective of the gift recipient.Design/methodology/approachGiven the exploratory objectives of this study, the qualitative approach was deemed suitable. Two complementary qualitative studies (i.e. semi-structured interviews and critical incidents) have been conducted, and the narratives have been thematically analyzed.FindingsGift recipients value gift personalization because of the utility they derive from the product, as well as the ability of the personalized gift to express the giver. Recipients recognize the capacity of the personalized gift to communicate symbolically the giver; they appreciate not only the enhanced attributes of the end product but also the process that led to it, which is imagined as creative and risky. The inherent expressivity of the personalized gift makes it highly valuable in the recipient’s eyes, even when it fails to please him or her.Originality/valueThis research redefines the boundaries of personalization value based on the perceptions of consumers who are not involved in the design process; highlights implications of personalization for firms targeting givers as users of their mass-personalization platforms; and proposes a research agenda to further investigate personalization in marketing.

scholarly journals University-school partnerships as arrangements in policy implementation

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 134-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Unni Vere Midthassel
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Mutual Trust ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Partnerships ◽  
University Partnerships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University School Partnerships ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to add to the knowledge base of school-university partnerships by exploring such partnerships in terms of policy implementation. Design/methodology/approach This paper takes a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews. Findings To achieve a joint understanding of roles, focus, and work in the partnerships based on the schools’ needs and scholars’ competence was crucial. This was not easily achieved in all partnerships. Conflicting expectations were part of the process. Although they were demanding, the partnership arrangements also represented opportunities for the university scholars to learn. Originality/value The findings suggest that partnership arrangements require parties that understand the implications of this collaboration and that respect, mutual trust, and joint understanding are needed. It is likely that bringing different parties together will create conflicts that must be resolved. If unfamiliar to the parties, the use of partnership arrangements is itself an implementation that has its own process that operates in parallel to the work in focus.

Role of social and organizational support in the adjustment of Tunisian self-initiated expatriates

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 171-190
Author(s):  
Hajer Khedher ◽  
Muhammad Ali Asadullah
Keyword(s):  
Host Country ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Advance Research ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to explore the lived experiences of Tunisian self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) for social and organizational support that they experienced during their international expatriation assignment in a host country. Design/methodology/approach This study is a qualitative research. The data were collected from Tunisian Expatriates through semi-structured interviews. Findings This study has revealed diverse some interesting insights about the lived experiences of Tunisian SIEs about the support which they received from their family members, social network and members of the host-country organization. This study has also introduced a scale that can be used for measuring the level of social and organizational support received by SIEs. Practical implications This study has offered some implications for the researchers and professionals to advance research and practice to regulate the lived experiences of SIEs. Originality/value This study has highlighted the lived experiences of SIEs for social and organizational support in the Tunisian context representing the collectivist Muslim society.

Host country language proficiency and identity: Spanish self-initiated expatriate nurses in Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Miguel Rosa González ◽  
Michelle Barker ◽  
Dhara Shah
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Language And Identity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
International Human Resource Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Workplace Interactions ◽  
Sociocultural Environment

PurposeDespite over 50 years of expatriation research, the implications of expatriation for identity remains an under-researched topic in mainstream international human resource management (IHRM) literature. Expatriation can cause disruption to expatriates' familiar sociocultural environment, which can often pose challenges to their self-concept and identity. The study underpinned by identity and social identity theories explores the perceptions of Spanish self-initiated expatriate (SIE) nurses living in Germany and other Spanish nurses who repatriated from Germany to understand the influence of expatriation on their self-concept and identity.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with Spanish SIE nurses in Germany (n = 20) and others who had repatriated from Germany (n = 10). Data analysis was assisted by NVivo software.FindingsThe study identified that low proficiency in the host country language (HCL) and the problematic workplace interactions that ensued, challenged the participants' self-conceptions as competent professionals and prompted their reliance on social networks of fellow Spaniards for social validation.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough focused on a specific context, the study not only enhances practical understanding of Spanish SIE nurses in Germany but also offers valuable insights to organisations working with SIEs. It adds to extant knowledge on language and identity in the expatriation context and discusses the implications for global HRM related to underutilisation of SIEs' knowledge and skills within organisations.Originality/valueThe study contributes to theory building on the under-researched link between expatriation and identity, while adding to the growing literature on SIEs.

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