31 Aug 2016

Cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates: Exploring factors influencing adjustment of expatriates in Nigeria






Little research has been published on expatriation in sub-Saharan Africa. This new article on Nigeria is due to be published soon in International Journal of Cross Cultural Management by the author John Okpara. John is Chair, Department of Management and Marketing at the Bloomsbury University, Pennsylvania, USA. In his own words:




A great deal of research on expatriate adjustment has been conducted in the last two decades. However, these studies have been predominately conducted in the West, with very little of this research having been conducted in Africa in general, or in Nigeria in particular, despite knowledge of the overwhelming adjustment challenges the continent poses to expatriates. The purpose of this study is to examine factors influencing expatriates’ adjustment in Nigeria. A survey method was used to gather data from expatriates who work in different organizations in Nigeria. The results of this study show that age, gender, previous experience, cross-cultural training, socialization, and job satisfaction were predictors of expatriates’ adjustment in Nigeria. This research is important because it may assist human resource professionals in planning and implementing an appropriate cross-cultural training program for employees relocating to Nigeria. It may help to bridge the gap in the literature on this topic with regards to Nigeria, Africa, and other emerging nations. It could also contribute to a better understanding of the reasons for expatriation and how these reasons may impact on expatriate work adjustment.
This is an important article for those interested in expatriation in emerging economies, in sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria, one of the fastest growing economies on the continent. Please contact John Okpara for more information.

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