Crossing Cultures: Unpacking the Expatriate Learning and Adjustment Process Over Time
Funded: February 2008 Completed: June 2011
Connie R. Wanberg, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Industrial Relations Center
David A. Harrison, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business
Jing Zhu, Ph.D. Student, University of Minnesota, Industrial Relations Center
Erica Waldera, Ph.D. Student, University of Minnesota, Industrial Relations Center
Abstract
The global nature of business requires international movement of talent. As more companies send employees on international assignments, HR practitioners need to understand the adjustment process of expatriates to minimize stress and turnover and maximize performance, onboarding, and career development experiences. Ten web surveys over a period of nine months will be used with a large and diverse sample of expatriates to explore the dynamic process of expatriate adjustment, career development, and personal learning with insight from coping theory, to identify the patterns and predictors of adaptation over time. Hierarchical linear modeling will be used to analyze the longitudinal data.
Read the Executive Summary of results.
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