Factors affecting expatriate adjustment and performance : a study of international managers working in Singapore.

• Main Authors: Liyana Muhammad Fauzi., Tan, Teck Hiang., Leong, Kah Yan.
• Other Authors: A Ahad M Osman-Gani
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Business::Management::Personnel management
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15271
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With the increase demand of the complex business environment, there is an increase in international business deals, and hence an increase in expatriates working away from their home country. This brings about the focus on the challenges that expatriates may face when working in their host country, and the importance of developing a global mindset. Using empirical methods, this study was conducted by gathering data related to factors affecting expatriates’ performance and adjustment from 104 expatriates. This study highlights the importance of cross-cultural training, which was found to have significant positive effect on expatriates’ adjustment, and was later found to be partially mediated by expatriates’ self-efficacy. Other factors affecting expatriates’ adjustment and performance have also been studied, showing that expatriates’ personality has significant positive effect on their social network support, which was found to have significant positive effects on expatriates’ cultural intelligence, and their adjustment. Personality was also found to have significant positive effects on expatriates’ cultural intelligence and their adjustment in host country. Further analysis had shown that cultural intelligence has significant positive effect on expatriates’ performance in overseas assignment in Singapore. The results show that pre-departure cross-cultural training is necessary to prepare expatriates for their adjustment in host country, and expatriates’ personality and social network support can affect their adjustment and their cultural intelligence, which in turn affects their performance in the host country. Hence, suggesting future research to look into the mediators between cultural intelligence and expatriates’ performance and adjustment within the context of Singapore.