Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the process of Chinese expatriates’ adjustment in Pakistan through integrating the U-curve model and social identity theory. It has also highlighted the importance of engaging in strong social ties and their contribution in expatriates’ adjustment.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from 30 Chinese expatriates working as directors, deputy directors, senior managers, managers and assistant managers in Chinese organizations in Pakistan. After verbatim transcription of all the interviews, data were analyzed using the NVivo software.
Findings
The findings of this paper indicate that expatriates’ identities somewhat changed in terms of their behaviors and work habits, while fewer changes were observed in their belief and value system. These changes were related to expatriates’ perceptions of host country groups, attraction to these groups and similarity in beliefs, which resulted in the development of interdependent beliefs and depersonalization. However, a few Chinese expatriates predominantly interacted among themselves at work, and their reduced socialization with Pakistanis lessened their chances of change.
Research limitations/implications
The results of the study suggest that expatriates’ adjustment is a multi-stage process and social identity change is one of the powerful mechanisms through which they adjust in the host country’s environment; hence host organizations should facilitate expatriates in strengthening their bond with local people.
Originality/value
This paper has proposed a model that explains the mechanism of Chinese expatriates’ adjustment in Pakistan through improved interactions between expatriates’ and host country nationals, resulting in minor social identity changes, leading to further positive relationship building, and then major social identity changes.
While the literature develops an adequate understanding of various socio-cultural and psychological factors that contribute to expatriates’ adjustment, limited work exists regarding interdependencies between these two dimensions of adjustment, particularly in the Asian context. Using the theoretical lens of the anxiety uncertainty management (AUM) model, this research examined the various socio-cultural and psychological factors that affect expatriates’ adjustment, and the integration of these factors during adjustment. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of 55 Chinese top management expatriates working in Pakistan, and were analyzed using thematic analysis in NVivo. Based on the findings, an AUM model of expatriates’ adjustment is proposed, which illustrates how top management expatriates may go through a four-stage process of adjustment. The various socio-cultural and psychological factors, some identified from the literature and others through fieldwork, that play a role in expatriates’ adjustment at each stage, and the integration of these factors, is discussed.
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