IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i4p1327-d319487.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Determining the Challenges Encountered by Chinese Expatriates in Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Noman

    (School of Journalism and mass communication, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Muhammad Safdar Sial

    (Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan)

  • Talles Vianna Brugni

    (Accounting Department, FUCAPE Business School, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 1358, Boa Vista, Vitória–ES 29075-505, Brazil)

  • Jinsoo Hwang

    (The College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Gwanjin-Gu, Seoul 143-747, Korea)

  • Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto

    (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Thai Hong Thuy Khanh

    (Faculty of Finance and Accounting, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam)

Abstract

The workforce of growing globalization has led to a large number of expatriate employees working overseas for short term employment. An expatriate assignment is strongly correlated with a variety of difficulties that affect expatriates’ adjustment abroad. Therefore, the aim of this article is: (1) to determine the challenges encountered by Chinese expatriates in Pakistan and (2) to determine the role of cross-cultural training for a successful international assignment. The paper adopts a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews; the interviews were conducted with 22 males and eight females, forming a total of 30 Chinese employees with the average age of 34.5 years, working in different Chinese organizations in Pakistan in 2018. The findings of this study revealed that the most significant challenges faced by Chinese expatriates in Pakistan were cultural differences and language barriers in both work and non-work factors, whereas, those Chinese expatriates who were trained through formal and informal learning techniques could facilitate their cross-cultural adjustment.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Noman & Muhammad Safdar Sial & Talles Vianna Brugni & Jinsoo Hwang & Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto & Thai Hong Thuy Khanh, 2020. "Determining the Challenges Encountered by Chinese Expatriates in Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:4:p:1327-:d:319487
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/4/1327/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/4/1327/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. J Stewart Black, 1988. "Work Role Transitions: A Study of American Expatriate Managers in Japan," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(2), pages 277-294, June.
    2. Caligiuri, Paula & Bonache, Jaime, 2016. "Evolving and enduring challenges in global mobility," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 127-141.
    3. Myers, Barbara & Pringle, Judith K., 2005. "Self-initiated foreign experience as accelerated development: Influences of gender," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 421-431, November.
    4. Helene Tenzer & Markus Pudelko & Anne-Wil Harzing, 2014. "The impact of language barriers on trust formation in multinational teams," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(5), pages 508-535, June.
    5. Shahzad Ghafoor & Uzair Farooq Khan, 2011. "Facilitating Expatriates Cross Cultural Adjustment (A Case study of Expatriates from Pakistani Organization on Foreign," Journal of Asian Scientific Research, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 1(4), pages 176-193, August.
    6. Nealia S Bruning & Karan Sonpar & Xiaoyun Wang, 2012. "Host-country national networks and expatriate effectiveness: A mixed-methods study," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(4), pages 444-450, May.
    7. Peter J Buckley & L Jeremy Clegg & Hinrich Voss & Adam R Cross & Xin Liu & Ping Zheng, 2018. "A retrospective and agenda for future research on Chinese outward foreign direct investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 4-23, January.
    8. Margaret A Shaffer & David A Harrison & K Matthew Gilley, 1999. "Dimensions, Determinants, and Differences in the Expatriate Adjustment Process," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(3), pages 557-581, September.
    9. Shahzad Ghafoor & Uzair Farooq Khan, 2011. "Facilitating Expatriates Cross Cultural Adjustment (A Case study of Expatriates from Pakistani Organization on Foreign," Journal of Asian Scientific Research, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 1(4), pages 176-193.
    10. Julian Birkinshaw & Mary Yoko Brannen & Rosalie L Tung, 2011. "From a distance and generalizable to up close and grounded: Reclaiming a place for qualitative methods in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 573-581, June.
    11. Oddou, Gary R. & Mendenhall, Mark E., 1991. "Succession planning for the 21st century: How well are we grooming our future business leaders?," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 26-34.
    12. Gabriela Glassock & Anthony Fee, 2015. "The decision-making processes of self-initiated expatriates: a consumer behaviour approach," Journal of Global Mobility, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 3(1), pages 4-24, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, Yipeng & Meyer, Klaus E., 2020. "Boundary spanners, HRM practices, and reverse knowledge transfer: The case of Chinese cross-border acquisitions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(2).
    2. Caligiuri, Paula & Bonache, Jaime, 2016. "Evolving and enduring challenges in global mobility," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 127-141.
    3. Guo, Ying & Rammal, Hussain Gulzar & Pereira, Vijay, 2021. "Am I ‘In or Out’? A social identity approach to studying expatriates’ social networks and adjustment in a host country context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 558-566.
    4. Horak, Sven & Yang, Inju, 2016. "Affective networks, informal ties, and the limits of expatriate effectiveness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1030-1042.
    5. Vesa Peltokorpi & Markus Pudelko, 2021. "When more is not better: A curvilinear relationship between foreign language proficiency and social categorization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(1), pages 78-104, February.
    6. Kraus, Sina A. & Blake, Benjamin D. & Festing, Marion & Shaffer, Margaret A., 2023. "Global employees and exogenous shocks: considering positive psychological capital as a personal resource in international human resource management," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(3).
    7. Ramsey, Jase R., 2005. "The role of other orientation on the relationship between institutional distance and expatriate adjustment," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 377-396, September.
    8. Dimitrova, Mihaela & Chia, Sherwin Ignatius & Shaffer, Margaret A. & Tay-Lee, Cheryl, 2020. "Forgotten travelers: Adjustment and career implications of international business travel for expatriates," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(1).
    9. Kim, Kwanghyun & Slocum Jr., John W., 2008. "Individual differences and expatriate assignment effectiveness: The case of U.S.-based Korean expatriates," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 109-126, January.
    10. Knoerich, Jan & Vitting, Simon, 2021. "The distinct contribution of investment promotion agencies’ branch offices in bringing Chinese multinationals to Europe," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(3).
    11. Ren, Hong & Yunlu, Dilek G. & Shaffer, Margaret & Fodchuk, Katherine M., 2015. "Expatriate success and thriving: The influence of job deprivation and emotional stability," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 69-78.
    12. Md. Sayed Uddin & Rosazman Hussin & Badariah Ab Rahman, 2020. "Socio-Cultural Adjustment and Job Performance Among Expatriates: A Critical Overview," International Journal of Human Resource Studies, Macrothink Institute, vol. 10(1), pages 146157-1461, December.
    13. Wang, Qiu & Clegg, Jeremy & Gajewska-De Mattos, Hanna & Buckley, Peter, 2020. "The role of emotions in intercultural business communication: Language standardization in the context of international knowledge transfer," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(6).
    14. Jinxi Michelle Li, 2011. "Analysis of Work and Cultural Adjustment of Korean-Chinese and Han-Chinese Workers in Korea under Framework of ERG Theory," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 79-113, June.
    15. Eunbi Kim, 2023. "Top management staffing and subsidiary performance under home-country uncertainty," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(4), pages 1513-1543, September.
    16. Zhang, Xiaotao & Liu, Yipeng & Tarba, Shlomo Y. & Giudice, Manlio Del, 2020. "The micro-foundations of strategic ambidexterity: Chinese cross-border M&As, Mid-View thinking and integration management," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6).
    17. Maertz Jr., Carl P. & Hassan, Ahmad & Magnusson, Peter, 2009. "When learning is not enough: A process model of expatriate adjustment as cultural cognitive dissonance reduction," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 66-78, January.
    18. Peltokorpi, Vesa & Zhang, Ling Eleanor, 2022. "Host country culture and language identification, and their workplace manifestations: A study on corporate expatriates in China and Japan," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3).
    19. Ravasi, Claudio & Salamin, Xavier & Davoine, Eric, 2013. "The challenge of dual career expatriate management in a specific host national environment: An exploratory study of expatriate and spouse adjustment in Switzerland based MNCs," FSES Working Papers 447, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Freiburg/Fribourg Switzerland.
    20. Zhang, Ling Eleanor & Zhao, Shasha & Kern, Philipp & Edwards, Tony & Zhang, Zhi-Xue, 2023. "The pursuit of indigenous innovation amid the Tech Cold War: The case of a Chinese high-tech firm," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(6).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:4:p:1327-:d:319487. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.