The Effectiveness of Expatriate Coping Strategies The Moderating Role of Cultural Distance, Position Level, and Time on the International Assignment

• Published in: Journal of applied psychology Vol. 90; no. 4; pp. 603 - 615
• Main Authors: Stahl, Günter K, Caligiuri, Paula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-07-2005
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Coping; Coping Behavior; Cross Cultural Differences; Cross-cultural analysis; Cultural adjustment; Cultural differences; Culture; Employment; Expatriates; Female; Foreign Workers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Human resource management; Humans; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational transfers; Organizational Structure; Overseas employment; Personality. Affectivity; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Regression analysis; Self-management; Social Adjustment; Social Distance; Social Environment; Social interaction; Stress; Studies; Time; Time Factors; Top Level Managers; Travel; U.S.A; United States > US; Japan; Germany; international assignments; cross-cultural adjustment; expatriate coping; expatriation; coping; Social environment; Human; Cultural environment; Social adjustment; Strategy; Coping; Stress
• ISSN: 0021-9010; 1939-1854
• DOI: 10.1037/0021-9010.90.4.603

On the basis of the stress and coping literature, the authors examined the diverse coping strategies used by expatriate managers in response to the problems encountered while on international assignments. It was hypothesized that although problem-focused coping strategies may be more effective than are emotion-focused coping strategies in affecting cross-cultural adjustment and intention to remain on the international assignment, the relationship is moderated by contextual factors such as hierarchical level in the organization, time on the assignment, and cultural distance. Coded semistructured interview responses from 116 German expatriates on assignment in either Japan or the United States were analyzed with moderated regression analyses. The results suggest that the effectiveness of problem-focused coping strategies in predicting cross-cultural adjustment is moderated by cultural distance and position level but not by time on the assignment. The use of problem-focused coping strategies was not related to expatriates' intention to remain on the assignment.