IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/worbus/v46y2011i1p22-30.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cross-cultural training and expatriate adjustment: A study of western expatriates in Nigeria

Author

Listed:
  • Okpara, John O.
  • Kabongo, Jean D.

Abstract

Multinational corporations (MNCs) are having difficulty retaining expatriates for their global operations. It is estimated that 10-80% of expatriates sent on foreign assignments return home prematurely. One of the reasons for expatriates' failure has been cited as the inability of these managers and/or their spouses to adapt to the host-country's culture. As a result, cross-culture training programs provided to employees and their families by MNCs have become crucially important for successful international operations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of cross-cultural training (CCT) on different facets of expatriate managers' adjustment in Nigeria. A sample of 226 multinational western expatriate managers working in Nigeria was surveyed for this study. Results show that different types of cross-cultural training affect expatriates' adjustment. Implications for practice are identified and discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Okpara, John O. & Kabongo, Jean D., 2011. "Cross-cultural training and expatriate adjustment: A study of western expatriates in Nigeria," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 22-30, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:46:y:2011:i:1:p:22-30
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090951610000295
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Margaret A Shaffer & David A Harrison & K Matthew Gilley, 1999. "Dimensions, Determinants, and Differences in the Expatriate Adjustment Process," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(3), pages 557-581, September.
    2. J Stewart Black, 1988. "Work Role Transitions: A Study of American Expatriate Managers in Japan," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(2), pages 277-294, June.
    3. Ken Kamoche, 1996. "Strategic Human Resource Management Within A Resource‐Capability View Of The Firm," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 213-233, March.
    4. J Stewart Black & Hal B Gregersen & Mark E Mendenhall, 1992. "Toward a Theoretical Framework of Repatriation Adjustment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 23(4), pages 737-760, December.
    5. Kim, Kwanghyun & Slocum Jr., John W., 2008. "Individual differences and expatriate assignment effectiveness: The case of U.S.-based Korean expatriates," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 109-126, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Caligiuri, Paula & Bonache, Jaime, 2016. "Evolving and enduring challenges in global mobility," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 127-141.
    2. Kubovcikova, Annamaria & van Bakel, Marian, 2022. "Social support abroad: How do self-initiated expatriates gain support through their social networks?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(1).
    3. Debmalya Mukherjee & Saumyaranjan Sahoo & Satish Kumar, 2023. "Two Decades of International Business and International Management Scholarship on Africa: A Review and Future Directions," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(6), pages 863-909, December.
    4. Clarisse Blazi & Olawumi D Awolusi, 2020. "Employee Engagement in Multinational Diverse Organization in Difficult Terrain: A Study of Non-Family Station Organization," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 12(1), pages 45-62.
    5. Ammar Ahmed & Ismail bin Lebai Othman, 2017. "The Impact of Strategic Attributes on Organizational Performance in Pakistan Banking Sector: A Review and Suggestions for Future Research," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(8), pages 371-387, August.
    6. Patel, Parth & Varma, Arup & Sengupta, Santoshi & Prikshat, Verma & Park, HyunMi, 2022. "The international training of expatriates in Western subsidiaries of emerging multinational enterprises: A knowledge-based perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(1).
    7. Alexander S. English & Xinyi Zhang & Adrian Stanciu & Steve J. Kulich & Fuxia Zhao & Milica Bojovic, 2021. "Ethnic Stereotype Formation and Its Impact on Sojourner Adaptation: A Case of “Belt and Road” Chinese Migrant Workers in Montenegro," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-17, September.
    8. Jack Pegram & Gioia Falcone & Athanasios Kolios, 2018. "A Review of Job Role Localization in the Oil and Gas Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-18, October.
    9. Koveshnikov, Alexei & Wechtler, Heidi & Dejoux, Cecile, 2014. "Cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates: The role of emotional intelligence and gender," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 362-371.
    10. Dey, Bidit L. & Nasef, Youssef Tarek & Brown, David M & Samuel, Lalnunpuia & Singh, Pallavi & Apostolidis, Chrysostomos, 2023. "(Im)migrants’ appropriation of culture: Reciprocal influence of personal and work contexts," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    11. Hemin Song & Shuai Zhao & Wenwen Zhao & Hua Han, 2019. "Career Development Support, Job Adaptation, and Withdrawal Intention of Expatriates: A Multilevel Analysis of Environmental Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-15, October.
    12. Adrián Segura-Robles & María Elena Parra-González, 2019. "Analysis of Teachers’ Intercultural Sensitivity Levels in Multicultural Contexts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-12, June.
    13. Papadopoulos Panagiotis & Ezziane Zoheir, 2020. "Managing Expats and Their Effectiveness: A Comparative Study," Journal of Intercultural Management, Sciendo, vol. 12(1), pages 138-157, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Caligiuri, Paula & Bonache, Jaime, 2016. "Evolving and enduring challenges in global mobility," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 127-141.
    2. Horak, Sven & Yang, Inju, 2016. "Affective networks, informal ties, and the limits of expatriate effectiveness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1030-1042.
    3. Ramsey, Jase R., 2005. "The role of other orientation on the relationship between institutional distance and expatriate adjustment," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 377-396, September.
    4. Dimitrova, Mihaela & Chia, Sherwin Ignatius & Shaffer, Margaret A. & Tay-Lee, Cheryl, 2020. "Forgotten travelers: Adjustment and career implications of international business travel for expatriates," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(1).
    5. Kim, Kwanghyun & Slocum Jr., John W., 2008. "Individual differences and expatriate assignment effectiveness: The case of U.S.-based Korean expatriates," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 109-126, January.
    6. Guttormsen, David S.A., 2018. "Does the ‘non-traditional expatriate’ exist? A critical exploration of new expatriation categories," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 233-244.
    7. Ren, Hong & Yunlu, Dilek G. & Shaffer, Margaret & Fodchuk, Katherine M., 2015. "Expatriate success and thriving: The influence of job deprivation and emotional stability," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 69-78.
    8. Md. Sayed Uddin & Rosazman Hussin & Badariah Ab Rahman, 2020. "Socio-Cultural Adjustment and Job Performance Among Expatriates: A Critical Overview," International Journal of Human Resource Studies, Macrothink Institute, vol. 10(1), pages 146157-1461, December.
    9. Muhammad Noman & Muhammad Safdar Sial & Talles Vianna Brugni & Jinsoo Hwang & Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto & Thai Hong Thuy Khanh, 2020. "Determining the Challenges Encountered by Chinese Expatriates in Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, February.
    10. Jinxi Michelle Li, 2011. "Analysis of Work and Cultural Adjustment of Korean-Chinese and Han-Chinese Workers in Korea under Framework of ERG Theory," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 79-113, June.
    11. Maertz Jr., Carl P. & Hassan, Ahmad & Magnusson, Peter, 2009. "When learning is not enough: A process model of expatriate adjustment as cultural cognitive dissonance reduction," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 66-78, January.
    12. Ravasi, Claudio & Salamin, Xavier & Davoine, Eric, 2013. "The challenge of dual career expatriate management in a specific host national environment: An exploratory study of expatriate and spouse adjustment in Switzerland based MNCs," FSES Working Papers 447, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Freiburg/Fribourg Switzerland.
    13. Koveshnikov, Alexei & Wechtler, Heidi & Dejoux, Cecile, 2014. "Cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates: The role of emotional intelligence and gender," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 362-371.
    14. Kraus, Sina A. & Blake, Benjamin D. & Festing, Marion & Shaffer, Margaret A., 2023. "Global employees and exogenous shocks: considering positive psychological capital as a personal resource in international human resource management," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(3).
    15. Peltokorpi, Vesa & Froese, Fabian, 2014. "Expatriate personality and cultural fit: The moderating role of host country context on job satisfaction," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 293-302.
    16. Sweta SINGH, 2010. "The Journey of Expatriates from pre Expatriation to post Expatriation," REVISTA DE MANAGEMENT COMPARAT INTERNATIONAL/REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL COMPARATIVE MANAGEMENT, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 11(2), pages 308-315, May.
    17. Wechtler, Heidi & Koveshnikov, Alexei & Dejoux, Cecile, 2015. "Just like a fine wine? Age, emotional intelligence, and cross-cultural adjustment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 409-418.
    18. Abdul Malek, Marlin & Budhwar, Pawan, 2013. "Cultural intelligence as a predictor of expatriate adjustment and performance in Malaysia," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 222-231.
    19. Eugenia Sánchez Vidal, M & Valle, Raquel Sanz & Isabel Barba Aragón, M, 2007. "Antecedents of repatriates' job satisfaction and its influence on turnover intentions: Evidence from Spanish repatriated managers," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(12), pages 1272-1281, December.
    20. Usunier, Jean-Claude, 1998. "Oral pleasure and expatriate satisfaction: an empirical approach," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 89-110, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:46:y:2011:i:1:p:22-30. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/620401/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.