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

Abstract

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.

Barriers to conducting and publishing research among nursing faculty members at Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study

“…The most identified barriers to research and publishing activities in this study are institutional barriers, including lack of time due to excessive work commitments; high teaching load; lack of administrative support; lack of financial budget; lack of knowledge, expertise and ongoing education on research; lack of adequate research facilities; and difficulty to access information resources. These findings concurred with those reported in previous research studies, calling for urgent interventions to address these barriers and promote opportunities for research and publishing works among faculty members (Doozgy & Najib, 2010 ; Dousin & Sulong, 2021 ; Konwar & Kalita, 2018 ; Ramón et al, 2022 ). Similar findings were also reported in the past local studies, which highlighted concerns about the existing barriers to research and publication, suggesting that this phenomenon has not yet been addressed in the Saudi context of nursing faculties (Alghanim & Alhamali, 2011 ; Darawad et al, 2018 ).…”

“…In SA, Islam is the religion of 100% of the Saudi people, and thus, their culture and traditions are rooted in Islam. Arabic is the official first spoken language in SA and other surrounding Arab countries (Dousin & Sulong, 2021 ). SA's setting is unique and recognised by cultural diversity, particularly in nursing, and thus, most of nursing workforce are expatriates due to chronic shortage of Saudi nationals (Aboshaiqah, 2016 ).…”

“…Regarding research and publication, nursing expatriates who are in SA, including faculty members, are highly expected to face challenges because of the culture gap and complexity of Arabic and Islamic culture, which is different from their own culture (Almutairi, 2015 ; Dousin & Sulong, 2021 ). This circumstance may affect or complicate the situation with respect to research, especially during face‐to‐face interviews with those who are unable to speak English or a different gender, as this is a culturally sensitive factor.…”

Influences on the career intentions of millennials; a view from the United Arab Emirates

“…The researchers of Project GLOBE [global leadership and organizational effectiveness'] considered executives and leaders who operated in a culture other than their own and/or in an environment of multiculturalism, recognised that cultural knowledge was vital for understanding aspects of human behaviour (House et al, 2001(House et al, , 2004Javidan et al, 2006). A study by Dousin and Sulong (2021), of expatriates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, recognised that the success of an overseas assignment was crucially based on expatriates' knowledge of local business norms and cultural differences. As well, academicians in the UAE recognised the importance of cultural orientation for an expatriate's capacity to manage cross-cultural differences amongst employees and that effective practitioners considered the effect of culture on working relationships (Kemp, 2013;Kemp and Zhao, 2016).…”

Management of Cross-cultural Communication Barriers for Indonesian Migrant Workers in South Korea

“…There are several previous studies that are similar to the concept of cross-cultural communication, including research on the cross-cultural competencies possessed by Malaysian migrant workers, exploring the cross-cultural challenges of expatriates in Saudi Arabia, and the cultural gap between Chinese migrant workers and local residents (Dalib, Mohamad, Nadeem, Halim, & Ramlan, 2023;Dousin & Sulong, 2022;Jiang, Duan, & Tang, 2023). Other research explored the unique crosscultural adjustment challenges experienced by South Korean and Canadian expatriates by looking at the magnitude of the cultural gap and examining black expatriates who had professional careers in South Korea who experienced discrimination and social bias (Arseneault, 2020;Dos Santos, 2020).…”