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

Abstract

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.

Key Factors of Corporate Expatriates' Cross-Cultural Adjustment - an Empirical Study

“…The earliest research and most of the authors since then put intercultural adaptation at the center of their research. The examined variables include previous experiences, the extent of cultural differences (Black, 1990;Black & Mendenhall, 1990;Black & Stephens, 1989), language difficulties (Fukuda, 2015;Shaffer & Harrison, 2001;Tanaka, 2006), family members' integration (Fujio, 2018;Simeon & Fujio, 2000;Ozeki & Knowles, 2009;Takeuchi &Tesluk, 2002;Lauring & Selmer, 2009;Teague, 2015), individual characteristics of the expatriate (Sparrow & Hiltrop, 1994;Ali et al 2003;Gupta et al 2012), or the effect of cross-cultural training (Forster, 2000;Deshpande & Chockalingam 1992;Tahir, 2022). To some extent, all of these factors influence expatriate work performance and play a crucial part in whether the expatriate will be able to accomplish the assignment objectives successfully.…”

Adjustment of self-initiated and organizational expatriates: The moderating role of cross-cultural training

“…With the help of CCT, expatriates may better locate and adapt to their host settings to perform at a higher standard. The goal of CCT is to train individuals of one culture how to interact successfully and work with individuals of another culture and to assist them in efficiently adjusting to their new place ( Tahir, 2022 ). This training includes cultural orientation, language learning, social skill building, interactions, etc.…”

Vulnerability in the Global Tropics? An Ethnography of the Experiences of International Managers in Venezuela and Mexico

“…The 'solidity' of culture is one of the reasons why global working is still considered complex and difficult; it always implies friction, collusion and an act of quasi trespassing. Whether coming from the tropics or Scandinavia, origins provide the individual with a cultural imprint that will necessarily construct differences and otherness (Tahir, 2022) and therefore make any movement "abroad" traumatic and challenging.…”