PurposeConflict is one of the important aspects of the expatriate-host country nationals (HCNs) dyad. The purpose of this study is to understand how the level of conflict between assigned expatriates and HCNs emerges and evolves during acculturation over time.Design/methodology/approachBuilding on expatriate literature, diversity literature, and acculturation literature, the authors adopted a longitudinal lens and developed a conceptual model to describe the dynamic process of conflict emergence and evolvement between assigned expatriates and HCNs.FindingsThis study offers a dynamic multi-stage conceptual model with the authors' novel propositions to explain how conflicts between assigned expatriates and HCNs emerge and evolve through the acculturation process.Originality/valueThis study provided a theoretical framework demonstrating when and how conflicts between HCNs and expatriates emerge and evolve during acculturation. In doing so, the authors integrate the conflict and diversity literature with the expatriate literature and offer a theoretical foundation to enrich the authors' understanding of the conflict between expatriates and HCNs.