Cross-cultural adaptation and changes in leisure participation patterns of expatriates in China
Abstract
While China is one of the most popular destinations for expatriates, it is also a place in which many struggle to succeed. Expatriates—a critical component of the complex business environment that is developing in China and East Asia as a result of rising direct foreign investment—are challenged in multiple life domains by their overseas' experiences. Much research has been conducted on the working lives and adaptations of expatriates to their new environments, but their leisure activities have largely been ignored. This study explores leisure behaviors of expatriates in China and the effect of these behaviors on their level of cross-cultural adaptation. The present study investigated the leisure behavior changes of expatriates who moved to China and how such changes related to their overall life adjustment in the new country by examining their cross-cultural adaptation level. The current research included two stages: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative study examined the leisure behavior changes in daily and vacation settings of 205 respondents and how those changes corresponded to different levels of cross-cultural adaptation. The results demonstrated that general patterns of leisure participation changed after expatriates started living and working in China. They also suggested that higher levels of cross-cultural adaptation were present in expatriates who started new leisure activities in both daily and vacation settings, especially if those expatriates had higher host language capacity. The qualitative study explored motives of and barriers to the leisure experience of 19 expatriates living in China through personal interviews. The constraints they reported include lack of resources and facilities, as well as language barriers. In the vacation setting, changes in leisure activities participation were discussed under the following thems: frequency, destination choices, activities, and destination facilities. This research sheds light on the changes that expatriates experience in leisure life, both in daily and vacation settings and assists expatriates with better expatriation experiences. It serves as a useful starting point for future investigation about leisure studies of expatriates and provides rich information for industry practitioners and employers to better assist expatriates with life adjustment in the new environment. Limitations and recommendations for future research were also included.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Lehto, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Asian Studies|Social research|Cultural Resources Management
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