Host Country Nationals Research Articles

Effect of cultural intelligence on burnout of Chinese expatriates in Thailand: The mediating role of host country national coworker support

Grounded in the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this research investigates the role of cultural intelligence (CQ) on the level of burnout experienced by Chinese expatriates working in Thailand. In particular, in light of the collectivist characteristics of Thai culture, the study proposes that coworker support of host country nationals (HCN) is the mediator that explains the association between CQ and burnout. Moreover, given the feminine and power distance characteristics of Thai culture, this research explores whether the effect of CQ on HCN coworker support is moderated by gender and job position of Chinese expatriates. Survey data was gathered from 413 Chinese expatriates working for 15 Chinese subsidiaries in Thailand. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. The analysis supports the mediating effect of HCN coworker support on the link between CQ and burnout. Moreover, moderating effect analysis indicates that the positive association between CQ and HCN coworker support is stronger for male Chinese expatriates and those in lower job positions.

Host country nationals' interaction adjustment as a social exchange: A theoretical model

SummaryIn this conceptual paper, we argue that host‐country nationals (HCNs), without crossing geographical and organizational boundaries, experience distinct and complex interaction adjustment processes in response to their social exchange relationships with expatriates. We develop a theoretical model that suggests that the perceived value of the relationships between HCNs and expatriates, the structure of these relationships, and the HCNs' alternative sources of exchange resources predict HCNs' learning‐rich interactions with expatriates and HCNs' extraneous stress, which, in turn, influence HCNs' interaction adjustment. Along with research implications, our theorizing points to features that can improve HCN and expatriate selection, preparation, and management.

How relationship quality, autonomous work motivation and socialization experience influence the adjustment of self-initiated expatriates in China

PurposeThe continued expansion of organizations outside China's planned economy due to the Belt-and-Road Initiative (BRI) is expected to increase recruitment of self-initiated expatriates (SIEs). Drawing on social capital, motivation and socialization theories, this study examines the experiences of SIEs in China, which is considered one of the most difficult locations for foreigners to work. While previous research has focused on the impact of individual characteristics on adjustment, this study explores the interplay among relationship quality (trust and shared vision), autonomous work motivation, socialization experience and adjustment.Design/methodology/approachBased on the developed theoretical framework, hypotheses are proposed and tested using data collected by surveying 274 SIEs in China.FindingsRelationship quality with host country nationals (HCNs) was positively associated with adjustment, and autonomous work motivation fully mediated this relationship. Socialization experience moderated the association between relationship quality and autonomous work motivation. Specifically, SIEs' socialization experience strengthened the associations of trust and shared vision with autonomous work motivation. However, socialization experiences failed to moderate the mediated effects of trust and shared vision on adjustment via autonomous work motivation.Originality/valueThis study answers repeated calls for more research on SIEs' adjustment and SIEs working in non-Western countries, especially China. The findings underscore the importance of studying SIE-HCN work relationships and the theoretical value of autonomous work motivation as an underlying mechanism by which the quality of an SIE's relationship with an HCN colleague influences adjustment.

A new route towards more harmonious intergroup relationships in England? Majority members’ proximal-acculturation

Although the ways that immigrants relate to UK culture has been a hot topic since the EU-referendum, little attention has been given to how majority group members such as Host Country Nationals (HCNs) relate to immigrants’ culture. Thus, we explored English HCNs’ globalisation-based proximal-acculturation – the extent to which they prefer to adopt aspects of immigrants’ cultures and/or maintain their national culture. Using two-step cluster analysis, a pilot study (N = 63) revealed a separated, integrated, and undifferentiated cluster, with separated HCNs perceiving cultural diversity more as a threat and less as an enrichment. Using latent profile analysis in a second study (N = 220) also revealed a three strategy-solution, identifying assimilated, integrated and separated profiles. Again we examined how these strategies differed across perceptions of cultural threat and enrichment as well as other psychosocial characteristics: identifying with fellow English citizens, recognizing cultural differences whilst not being culturally embedded (constructive marginalization), and various forms of intergroup contact. Separated HCNs identified more with fellow English citizens, endorsed less constructive marginalization, perceived less cultural enrichment yet more cultural threat than HCNs following some of the other strategies. These results stress that the onus of cultural adoption lies with both groups – minorities and majority members – with English HCNs showing distinct proximal-acculturation strategies. Lastly, when exploring a variable-centred approach, proximal-acculturation orientations (cultural maintenance/adoption) mediated the relationship between cultural threat, cultural enrichment, and intergroup contact on positive feelings towards immigrants. Thus, the ways that HCNs acculturate may provide a new route towards harmonious intergroup relations.

Combining lifelines to thrive: a stage-based need fulfilment network of international assignees

PurposeThe paper tries to understand the needs of the international assignees across the different stages of expatriation and how different developers in the professional and non-professional sphere render support and advice through these stages.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the authors have interviewed 20 expatriates of various nationalities and tried to understand the various needs of the expatriates across the three initial stages of an assignment.FindingsThe paper finds that four important mentors in an expatriation assignment play multiple need-based mentoring functions at various assignment stages: host country nationals (HCNs), parent country nationals, fellow expatriates and family.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper contributes to the literature on the need-based support rendered to expatriates during an international assignment. The paper, however, does not incorporate the perceptions of other vital stakeholders in the network and their intentions to contribute to the developmental network.Practical implicationsThis paper lays down important practical implications for expatriates and the human resource management (HRM) professionals. This paper urges the practitioners to take a nuanced approach for developing expatriates than a generalized mentoring programme.Originality/valueThis study highlights the changing needs of the international assignees across the stages of an international assignment and demonstrates the important intra-organizational and extra-organizational developers such as family members in the fulfilment of these needs.

Expatriate justice and host country nationals' work outcomes: Does host country nationals' language proficiency matter?

Abstract In this paper, we apply uncertainty management theory (UMT) to hypothesize that host country national (HCN) employees in foreign subsidiaries use the information of expatriates' procedural and distributive justice in their performance evaluations to reduce uncertainty about whether they trust these expatriates, which subsequently influence HCNs' job satisfaction and turnover intention. We also integrate UMT with research on language in MNCs to hypothesize that the level of HCN's English proficiency creates the context in which the aforementioned relationships are stronger when HCNs' English proficiency is high. Data collected from 501 HCNs in foreign subsidiaries in Japan provided support for these hypotheses. This study contributes to research on international management by focusing on HCNs' fairness perceptions, uncertainty, and English language proficiency in performance evaluations conducted by expatriates in foreign subsidiaries.

The Role of Extraversion and Openness on Host Country Nationals' Task Performance and Contextual Performance at Work.

PurposeThis study answer calls for research on host country nationals (HCNs) by examining factors that may influence HCN task performance and contextual performance during work with their self-initiated expatriate (SIE) colleagues.Participants and MethodsData on personality traits (extraversion, openness), socialization self-efficacy, and frequency of interaction, task, and contextual performance were collected by surveying 373 Chinese HCNs. The first author recruited the HCNs through SIEs working and living in China. SIEs who participated in this project provided the email addresses of HCNs with whom they worked.ResultsThe frequency of interactions fully mediated the relationship between (a) extraversion with task and contextual performance and (b) openness with task and contextual performance. Only socialization self-efficacy moderated the mediating effects of extraversion on task performance via the frequency of interaction; it also moderated the mediating effects of openness on contextual performance via the frequency of interactions, but not in the hypothesized direction.ConclusionThis study investigated the neglected stakeholder in the expatriation process, namely, HCNs, and what factors may impact HCNs’ performance during work and collaboration with their SIE colleagues.

Public sentiment is everything: Host-country public sentiment toward home country and acquisition ownership during institutional transition

Under strict scrutiny of public governance primed by international relation tensions, geopolitics, and the rise of social movements and public activism in the globalized economy, public sentiment is exerting increasing pressure on multinational corporations (MNCs). Utilizing the context of inward acquisition, a sensitive cross-border action that often triggers sentiment of host-country nationals, we theorize from the public sentiment perspective and the public thermostat analogy that foreign acquirers will adjust their ownership levels in target firms according to how they perceive to be acceptable and legitimate as expressed by host-country nationals’ public sentiment toward their home country. Using a sample of 410 acquisition deals from 22 foreign countries/economies into China during 2010–2017 and a sentiment analysis of 100,902 blog posts, we find that a host country’s public sentiment toward the acquiring firm’s home country is positively related to acquisition ownership levels, and has a mutualistic symbiotic interaction with the host region’s marketization level. Our study contributes to the study of informal institutions by proposing public sentiment as a new form of informal institution that is normative-cognitive whilst affective, and can be mobilized and communicated broadly and timely via a public sphere to confer social, political, and cognitive legitimacy to MNCs.

Indian Nurses in the United Kingdom: A Two‐Phase Study of the Expatriate‐Host Country National Relationship

It is well established that expatriates need support from host country nationals (HCNs) to successfully adjust in their new location, and subsequently perform well in their jobs. Drawing on a sample of 149 Indian nurses in the United Kingdom, this two‐phase study illustrates how expatriate‐HCN interactions unfold over time (two years). To do this, we draw upon social identity theory and show that effective expatriate‐HCN relationship building (i.e., perceived categorization and perceived values similarity) lead to HCN support and, subsequently, expatriate adjustment. Results confirmed that perceptions of categorization and value similarity significantly impacted HCN willingness to offer support. We also find that expatriate age, education level, and time spent in the host country significantly impact adjustment. We discuss theoretical and practical implications and offer suggestions for future research.

Expatriate demographic characteristics and host country national support: an empirical investigation in Central/South America

PurposeThe support of host country nationals (HCNs) is critical for expatriate adjustment and performance. Drawing from social identity theory and self-categorization theory, this study investigates the antecedents of HCNs' support toward expatriates in Central/South America, focusing on cultural similarities and expatriate race.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted a quasi-experimental study to understand the antecedents that promote the willingness of HCNs to offer required support to expatriates. Data were gathered from 117 Latin American participants, who were asked to respond to questions about their perceptions of expatriates from the USA and their willingness to offer support to those expatriates.FindingsOverall, our findings suggest that HCNs are likely to provide support to expatriates when they perceive the expatriates as similar in terms of culture and race. Specifically, African Americans received more positive attitudes and support than White Americans in South/Central America. The effect of cultural similarity on HCN willingness to support expatriates was mediated by perceived trustworthiness.Originality/valueThe present study extends the research on HCN support to expatriates, to Central/South America, an important region that has been under-studied in the expatriate–HCN context. Another novel feature of our study is that we investigate the role of expatriate race and cultural similarity and illuminate the underlying mechanism of the relationship between expatriate race and HCN support.

CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE AND WORK ENGAGEMENT OF EXPATRIATES: MODERATING ROLE OF SUPPORTING PRACTICES

Cultural intelligence (CQ) has gained significant role in research on expatriates. However, few studies include aspects as work engagement and supporting practices in cross-cultural management research. The growing number of multinationals and international assignments lead both expatriates and host country nationals to experience complex cultural, racial, and religious diversity that pose greater challenges to human resource managers. This study aims to examine the relationship between CQ of HCNs and their impact on expatriates’ work engagement, with the presence of supporting practices as a moderating factor. The results indicate that high level of HCNs’ CQ is related to an increase in employee involvement. Furthermore, it is found that two facets of ESP, financial and career ESP, had a negatively moderating effect on the positive relationship between two variables.

Do stays abroad increase intercultural and general competences, affecting employability?

With a globalized and growing world market, companies and educational institutions are getting more and more ambitious to re-orient their work patterns to the international level. Universities reacted to the demands of the globalized economy for flexibility and adaptability by the internationalization of their study programs. Research question: Do stays abroad and therefore intercultural experiences of students actually promote occupational competences and personal development? Design: In order to investigate this relationship, an online survey was employed, and a sample of N = 367 students, who had spent at least one semester abroad before, was recruited. The questions were aimed at measuring characteristics of the participants’ stays abroad, as well as occupational engagement, resilience, intercultural competence personality characteristics related to job performance. Results: The findings suggest that experience abroad can partly enhance employability by serving as an additional job qualification. The results reveal that people who have experienced a stay abroad show higher work and study commitment and are more ambitious regarding their work. Furthermore, people with experience abroad show higher levels of resilience. They are more active concerning problem solving and have higher abilities to maintain emotional distance to work. Additionally, people show the more cultural intelligence the longer they stay abroad. Regarding the manifestation of cultural intelligence, the contact quality with the host country nationals played a significant role. It was evinced that higher contact quality is associated with higher values of cultural intelligence. Regarding occupational performance capacity, the results highlight that participants with a stay abroad are more dominant in an occupational context, i.e., they are more oriented towards superiority above others. Value: The present study contributes to the understanding of relevant personal skills and characteristics in intercultural contexts and of how personality might affect the process of becoming more competent. By demonstrating that stays abroad can increase certain work-related competences for students this study indicates that companies and educational institutions should spend more recourses on fostering experiences abroad of students and workers, in order to stay in tune with the requirements of globalization.

Staff localization strategy and host country nationals’ turnover intention

Based on signaling theory, this study demonstrates the use of a multilevel framework to examine the effects of two alternative staff localization strategies (embedding and excavating localization) on the turnover intention of host country nationals (HCNs) as well as the mediating roles of perceived career opportunity (PCO) and cynicism. We collected multisource data from 476 HCNs working for 19 foreign firms in China. Data were analyzed using the multilevel structural equation model (MSEM). We find that the embedding localization strategy has a stronger effect on HCNs’ turnover intention as compared to the excavating localization strategy. While both PCO and cynicism significantly mediate the relationships between embedding localization and turnover intention, only PCO mediates the relationship between excavating localization and turnover intention. The implications of our study are discussed with regard to the key findings.

Underemployment of skilled self-initiated expatriates – a skill mismatch or categorisation?

ABSTRACT Despite excellent education and a rich working experience in their home countries, skilled expatriates struggle to find employment that matches their qualifications. This article goes beyond the dominant stress and emotions’ perspective on underemployment and presents the challenges of skilled migrant labour through the lens of the Common In-group Identity Model. It draws from the voices of expatriates and host-country nationals, and employs interviews and personal narratives to study the role of inter-group bias in social and occupational adaptation of skilled expatriates with focus on their underemployment. Its contribution lies in that expatriate employment challenges are examined not from a psychological but from a societal perspective. Thus, it increases our understanding of the factors that lead to underemployment among skilled workers. It also offers solutions to how the problem of underemployment can be overcome through recategorisation, as well as, points to differences in expatriate adaptation among self-initiated expatriates and international assignees.

Does Global Talent Management Help to Retain Host-Country Nationals?

In this study, we examined how the perceived global talent management by host-country nationals affect their turnover intention. Based on survey data from 653 employees having worked for 24 foreign subsidiaries in Korea, we empirically tested the effect of global talent management on host-country national retention. Global talent management itself does not seem to be conducive in retaining host- country nationals. Our test results show that host-country nationals’ perceived global talent management is not directly related to their turnover intention. Instead, host-country nationals’ organizational identification fully mediates the relationships between their perceived global talent management and turnover intention. In addition, we show that the benefit of global talent management on organizational identification and retention is magnified when global talent management practices are implemented with greater internal consistency. Our findings contribute to the existing literature of managing local staff retention by emphasizing the importance of identity issue. Multinational enterprises need to advance the host- country national organizational identification which would in turn mediate between global talent management and their turnover intention. The conclusion and related issues are discussed at the end of the paper.

When do host country nationals help expatriates? The roles of identification with the multinational enterprise and career development support by the subsidiary

Abstract In this study, we examine the roles of the host country nationals (HCNs)' identification with the MNE and perceptions of subsidiary's career development support as key factors in explaining the HCNs' decisions to provide help to expatriates. Using data collected in four countries (Australia, China, India, and Singapore), we show that HCNs' identification with the MNE and subsidiary's career development support are positively related to their extra-role helping behavior toward the expatriates. Further, the positive relationship between MNE identification and extra-role helping behavior becomes stronger when HCNs perceive that their career development is well supported by the subsidiary. We also provide post-hoc analyses to explore the potential differences of the four host countries in these relations.

Psychological contract breach and organizational cynicism and commitment among self-initiated expatriates vs. host country nationals in the Chinese and Malaysian transnational education sector

In today’s global economy, self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) and host country nationals (HCNs) both represent critical human resources for organizations operating globally. Yet, because these two groups of employees have been studied separately, little is known about how SIEs’ and HCNs’ perceptions of, and attitudes towards the organization compare and diverge (vs. converge) in terms of implications for human resource management. This study aims to contribute to fill this gap by examining psychological contract breach, organizational cynicism, and organizational commitment components (i.e., affective, normative, and continuance) among a sample of 156 SIEs and HCNs working in the Chinese and Malaysian transnational education sector. Using a one-year time-lagged study, we found that compared to HCNs, SIEs experienced more organizational cynicism and less affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Moreover, the breach-organizational cynicism relationship was stronger (i.e., more positive) among SIEs than HCNs. The indirect relationships between breach and affective and continuance commitment, as mediated by organizational cynicism, were also stronger (i.e., more negative) among SIEs than HCNs. Implications for human resource management are discussed under the lens of Conservation of Resources theory.

Expatriates as catalysts: what and how Vietnamese locals learn from self-initiated expatriates

PurposeIn an era when expatriates are increasingly used as strategic conduits for developing capabilities in local business units, we identify what and how host-country nationals in a developing economy learn from self-initiated expatriates whose assignments focus on organizational capacity development objectives.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews with 23 Vietnamese host-country nationals rendered a sample of 138 learning episodes for qualitative content analysis. Respondents were employed in Vietnamese government and non-government organizations and worked closely with multiple self-initiated expatriates in a variety of professional contexts.FindingsHost-country nationals develop a broad array of primarily “soft” capabilities. This learning is typically informal and vicarious in nature. While learning tends to arise incidentally through day-to-day activities, host-country nationals facilitate this by structuring their formal and informal interactions with expatriates to maximize their learning potential.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the study's exploratory design and specific context limit the transferability of our results, analysis of a sample of specific learning episodes allowed us to map “hotspots” of particular activities and contexts in which certain learning outcomes transpired.Practical implicationsOur results put into sharp focus the overlooked roles of expatriates as models (to be observed), mentors (to be consulted) and collaborators (to be partnered with) who can catalyse valued learning opportunities for local colleagues.Originality/valueWe provide a comprehensive account of the nature and extent of informal learning that host-country nationals accumulate during interactions with expatriates, and so contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the experiences of host-country nationals in international business.

Opting out for Getting in: Existential Mobility in European Graduates’ Migration to Asia

This article examines young Europeans’ emigration from Europe. Qualitative interviews with mostly white Europeans in Singapore and Tokyo reveal how these young migrants’ motility, or “potential to move”, enables them to migrate through largely overlooked channels. Fear of immobility in Europe triggers these highly-educated Europeans’ existential and physical mobility to Asia where they compete with host-country nationals and non-white migrants for jobs. Categorization into three types of access to employment unpacks the complexity behind graduates’ mobility trajectories out of the European labor market and demonstrates their rising precariousness in post-Lehman shock Europe and their changing bargaining power in the world.

Birds of a Feather Fare Less Well Together: Modeling Predictors of International Student Adaptation

Sociocultural adaptation to the host country is an important corollary to the psychological well-being of international students. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to test a model of sociocultural adaptation and psychological wellbeing. International students in Ankara, Turkey (N = 161, mean age = 22.35) completed online surveys. Consistent with our hypotheses, interpersonal connections with host nationals predicted greater sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.250, p = 0.001) and interpersonal connections with co-nationals resulted in poorer psychological adjustment (β = −0.171, p = 0.025). Host-country language proficiency led to better sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.262, p < 0.001), and perceptions of greater cultural distance had a negative impact on both psychological (β = 0.314, p < 0.001) and sociocultural adaptation (β = 0.328, p < 0.001). Thus, students who were able to engage in relations with host-country nationals fared better. Our results provide insight for sending and receiving institutions regarding the preparation (e.g., exploring cognitive frames for immersion, language skills, reviewing coping strategies) and supportive services (e.g., connection with host country nationals) that will facilitate the adjustment of international students.