The aim of the present research study was to examine the cross-cultural adaptation experiences of overseas Chinese students studying on an International Foundation Course (hereafter IFC) at Luton University, in an attempt to: 1) gain a better understanding of the sociocultural adjustment difficulties and psychological adjustment problems experienced by the Chinese students and their perceived importance in adapting to sociocultural events in the new environment; 2) to examine factors that are related to the students' sociocultural adjustment, psychological adjustment and academic performance; 3) to explore the strategies used by the students for handling obstacles; 4) to integrate research perspectives from different fields (e.g. cultural adaptation, international education), and to re-assess current theoretical models in the light of this. To gain new insights into the dynamic and multi-dimensional nature of cross-cultural adaptation, this two-phase, sequential mixed method study was designed firstly to obtain quantitative results from a sample of the IFe Chinese students and then to follow up a few of the students and their teachers to explore those results in greater depth. In the first phase, a total of 126 of the students participated in the cross-cultural adaptation survey. In the second phase, twenty of the respondents of the earlier survey and seven of the IFC teachers were invited for a semi-structured in-depth interview. Results of the survey indicated that the IFC respondents regarded themselves as having "slight to moderate difficulty" in coping with the new culture, more specifically, interactions with people of other nationalities were perceived as more difficult than the academic demands, which in turn were seen as more difficult than daily life demands. With regard to psychological adjustment, most of the IFC students did not have clinical depression symptoms. Psychological adjustment was found to affect academic performance (measured by GPA). An examination of the students' GPA showed that more than half of the students had a GPA in the 'bare pass' category and half of the respondents had negative perceptions of the university, many of whom regarded the university to be worse than they expected. Results of the in-depth interviews from the students and teachers corroborated and added some further insights to the findings of the survey. After discussing the empirical findings in relation to the relevant theories and research studies, a number of recommendations are offered respectively for international students, for staff working with international students and for university authorities.

Background: Today the world is getting more globalized, which has led to multinational companies sending out expatriates on foreign assignments. Mostly expatriates’ responsibilities are to transfer knowledge from the headquarters to the subsidiary and to improve the communication between the headquarters and the subsidiary. Expatriate assignments have a high failure rate and are costly. Nordic companies are sending out a growing number of expatriates today. Furthermore, Swedish people are argued to be comfortable acting in a global context. Problem: When the expatriate moves to a new country, it is crucial for him or her to adjust in order for the expatriate assignment to become successful. Good expatriate adjustment is likely to lead to completing the assignment as well as performing well during the assignment. Existing research in the field states that there is need for more research about expatriate adjustment. Furthermore, few researches have been conducted about Swedish expatriates, and research conducted about expatriates from other nations might not apply to Swedish expatriates. Purpose: Considering the increased globalization and the growing number of expatriates, along with the research gap and the complex adjustment process, the purpose of this thesis is to examine which factors influence the adjustment process of Swedish expatriates going to East Asia Pacific. Method: Exploratory research was used to explore the factors influencing the adjustment process of Swedish expatriates who went to East Asia Pacific. With an abductive approach deeper knowledge about the adjustment process was gained. Empirical data was collected through a qualitative research consisting of eight in-depth interviews, which was analyzed by making use of qualitative content analysis method. Conclusion: The major conclusion of this research is that factors influencing Swedish expatriates’ work, general, and interaction adjustment in East Asia Pacific are cross-cultural training, language ability, adjustment of the spouse, and role clarity.

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Among all the international students enrolled in the U.S. colleges or universities, Chinese international students, including those who come from Taiwan, mainland China, and Hong Kong, accounted for 16.7%, which is a fairly high percentage (Institute of International Education, 2004). They may encounter very unique acculturative stress because of different cultural norms and academic expectations between Chinese and American cultures. Ward and her colleagues (1990) claimed that cross-cultural adjustment can be best examined from two fundamental dimensions: psychological and sociocultural adjustment. These two dimensions are conceptually distinct but empirically related. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the influences of acculturation strategies (Berry, 1980), self-views in relation to others (Markus & Kitayama, 1991; Kagitcibasi, 1996 & 2005), perceived cultural distance (Babiker et al., 1980), and English self-confidence (Clement & Baker, 2001) on different dimensions of Chinese international students’ cross-cultural adjustment. Research questions and hypotheses were focused on how each factor affects the cross-cultural adjustment, and how these factors interact with each other as they generate impacts on adjustment. 177 international students of Chinese heritage from Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong participated in the study. They were asked to fill out self-report questionnaires about their demographic information, acculturation strategies, self-construals, perceived cultural distance, English self-confidence, and psychological and sociocultural adjustment in the U.S. Results indicated that length of residence in the U.S., participation in the host society (one dimension of acculturation strategies), direct communication, autonomy (sub-dimensions of independent self-construal), and English self-confidence were positively correlated with psychological adjustment. On the other hand, length of residence, marital status, direct communication (a sub-dimension of independent self-construal), perceived cultural distance, and English self-confidence were positively associated with sociocultural adjustment. In addition, a few mediating effects were revealed: (a) Independent self-construal mediated the relation between participation in the U.S. society and sociocultural adjustment; (b) English self-confidence mediated the relation between participation in the host society and cross-cultural adjustment; (c) English self-confidence mediated the relation between independent self-construal and sociocultural adjustment. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed. / text

Expatriates’ adjustment to the host-country culture is a dynamic and gradual process. This process can be facilitated by cross-cultural training. The relationship between cross-cultural training and crosscultural adjustment has been explored to a great extent in the literature, however scholars have mainly put focus on how this relationship unfolds in the context of MNCs offering CCT in-house. Consequently, this leaves an interesting uninvestigated gap in terms of how fully integrated relocation service companies work with cross-cultural services and how their work can facilitate cross-cultural adjustment. This qualitative case-study therefore aims to examine the relationship between crosscultural training provided by a relocation service company and the expatriate adjustment process. An extensive review on existing theories concerning cross-cultural adjustment, cross-cultural training and cross-cultural learning are presented. After this, the case study examines how Nordic Relocation Group (NRG), a relocation service company in Sweden, operates in terms of providing cross-cultural services. The findings indicate that the relocation service company’s services are divided into different phases, whereby the timing and content of services offered varies as the expatriates’ international assignment develops over time. This form of tailoring the cross-cultural training and the content of their services supports the notion of sequential training, which within IHRM literature, is proposed as optimal in order to facilitate the expatriate’s adjustment process. Moreover, the results further indicate that the way in which NRG works with cross-cultural services, in terms of strategy, sequential order, and specific CCT activities offered, promotes effective cross-cultural learning. Consequently, the CCT strategies offered by the relocation service company can be viewed as being aligned with best practice.

To understand the reasons for the increase in recent years of the Bosnian population in Bowling Green, Kentucky and their adaptation problems as refugees in their host country, this study focused upon the Bosnian community in Bowling Green and addressed what the role of their challenges is in the shaping of refugees’ new life in their host country. Extensive literature review helped to emerge that for an understanding of the situation of the refugees, their interaction in the host country is more meaningful topic for research. This study employed qualitative research methods, drawing from existing empirical studies addressing resettlement in the context of the informants’ wartime experiences. Initially, the researcher approached patrons at Bosnian restaurants and worshipers at local mosques to find Bosnian people. Snowball sampling used to identify Bosnian refugees living in the Bowling Green community. Twenty-five in-depth interviews were conducted for needs assessment and issue identification. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed in an attempt to understand the difficulties of adaptation among Bosnian refugees living in Bowling Green. A qualitative case study approach was chosen because it was the most effective way to gain knowledge of refugees’ experiences and perceptions in the context of the societies in which they resettled. Findings revealed that interviewed group struggled with mostly language and employment challenges to integration. Social support was provided through organizations that included Americans aided integration and the families resettled before as they provided significant support is directing resettlement. Banki’s (2004) and Jacobsen’s (2001) indicators of refugee integration were used to in order to determine to the extent to which this sample of Bosnian refugees are integrated into their host county.

The adaptation to a new country is a complex and stressful process that is compounded when changes in status and identity have to be made. This exploratory study examined the adaptation of international company transferee spouses when they decide to follow the transferee on overseas assignments. Research to date indicates that the spouses’ dissatisfaction with life abroad is the leading cause of transferees breaking contract and prematurely returning home. The causes of this dissatisfaction are still not clear and this study sought greater clarification, particularly examining the experiences of male as well as female trailing spouses. The study, thus, takes gender as a main variable to consider. It explores how gendered expectations inherent in the structures of society inflect and inform the decisions, attitudes, and behaviors that affect the adaptations of trailing spouses living in a foreign habitus. The study is based on eight months of ethnographic research in two culturally different locations, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Brussels, Belgium. Forty-two American international company transferee spouses were recruited (seven males and thirty-five females). The data analysis revolved around five main themes: (1) the comparison of male with female trailing spouses’ experiences, (2) the effect of location on spouses’ adaptation, (3) the communities that spouses integrate into, (4) variations in personal work and family histories, and (5) conditions of exit. The analysis engaged multiple theories regarding gender, sociological adaptation, and psychological adaptation. Results indicate that both socio-cultural and psychological factors affect adaptation and that gender matters very significantly, particularly along two axes: (1) gendered structures in our society create different reasons why males and females become trailing spouses, (2) the gendered social constructions of role expectations make the experience of being a trailing husband different from being a trailing wife. In addition spouses’ status as parents (or not) and their “readiness for change” were found to be important predictors of positive spousal adaptation. In contrast, significant ties with families in the home country and strong professional identity with career projections were important predictors of negative spousal adaptation.

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