Effects of predeparture and postarrival cross‐cultural trainings on expatriates adjustment: A study of Chinese expatriates in Nigeria

Abstract

The increase in economic globalization has created a need for multinational corporations to use expatriates to manage their foreign subsidiaries. Expatriate employees face many challenges that they can meet successfully only if they are well prepared through sound cross‐cultural training. In this exploratory study, we investigated the effects of cross‐cultural training on Chinese expatriates in Nigeria. We mainly focused on the relationship between predeparture and postarrival cross‐cultural training. In this study, we surveyed 198 Chinese expatriates in Nigeria and found that both predeparture and postarrival training have significant and positive influences on Chinese expatriates' adjustment. Additionally, our results demonstrated that language training and previous overseas experience also have positive effects on Chinese expatriates' adjustment in Nigeria. The implications of these findings are also discussed.

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

“…Moreover, the moderating test results indicated that the training phase was not a significant moderator for the CCT–adjustment relationship. In fact, while CCT exhibited a slightly larger relationship with adjustment in an in-country stage rather than a pre-departure stage, consistent with prior findings (Selmer, 1998; Wang and Tran, 2012; Wurtz, 2014; Okpara et al. , 2021), the two relationships did not have significant differences.…”

“…departure stage, consistent with prior findings (Selmer, 1998;Wang and Tran, 2012;Wurtz, 2014;Okpara et al, 2021), the two relationships did not have significant differences. We urge more preliminary studies on post-arrival CCT and on the continuity of the training phase to optimize the trainees' adjustment.…”

“…Some scholars have emphasized the importance of CCT in the in-country stage over the predeparture stage (e.g. Wang and Tran, 2012;Wurtz, 2014;Okpara et al, 2021). Specifically, Selmer (1998) illustrated that the culture-shock phase, which was the initial period of ICCCT, served as the most effective phase for training.…”

Wind of change brought by COVID‐19: Exploring the response and the new normal from the perspectives of Indian flexpatriates

“…Flexpatriates are frequent flyers who perform a wide range of duties by crossing cultural and national boundaries at a short notice and over short time spans while maintaining their family lives in their home country (Mayerhofer, Hartmann, & Herbert, 2004 ). Flexpatriation is catching momentum because of lower costs associated with it as there is no movement of the family, lower training costs, less time for preparation, and adjustment, and relatively simpler compensation packages (Collings & Isichei, 2018 ; Farndale et al, 2014 ; Okpara, Kabongo, & Lau, 2020 ). Secondly, with the rise in dual‐career partnerships, employees are not comfortable relocating to foreign location because of spouse's career (Harvey, Ronald Buckley, Novicevic, & Wiese, 1999 ).…”

Relationship Between Cultural Intelligence and Cross-Cultural Adjustment of Foreign Employees in Kosovo

“…Moreover, the most critical foreign employee's cultural intelligence affected this process by improving cross-cultural living and working conditions. As a result, it is essential to provide training and other modalities that would enhance employees' CQ because, as the study of Okpara et al (2020) pointed out, training had significant and positive influences on expatriates' adjustment. An employer with high levels of CQ can help leaders recognize their leaders' transformational behaviors and enhance employees' job performance (Nam & Park, 2019) which should be very important for the cross-cultural adjustment of foreign employees.…”