Why do female expatriates "fit-in" better than males?: An analysis of self-transcendence and socio-cultural adjustment

Cross Cultural Management

Volumn 18, Issue 2, 2011, Pages 144-164

  Cole, Nina ^a   McNulty, Yvonne ^b  

^a RYERSON UNIVERSITY   (Canada)

^b JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY   (Singapore)

Author keywords

Expatriates; Gender; Individual psychology; Women

Indexed keywords

EID: 79955694339     PISSN: 13527606     EISSN: 17586089     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1108/13527601111125996     Document Type: Article

References (82)

1. Adler, N. (1984), "Women do not want international careers and other myths about international management", Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 66-79.
2. Adler, N. (2002), "Global managers: No longer men alone", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 743-60.
3. Adler, N.J. (1979), "Women as androgynous managers: A conceptualization of the potential for American women in international management", International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol. 3, pp. 407-36.
4. Altman, Y. and Shortland, S. (2008), "Women and international assignments: Taking stock - A 25-year review", Human Resource Management, Vol. 47 No. 2, pp. 199-216.
5. Beechler, S. and Woodward, I. (2009), "The global 'war for talent'", Journal of International Management, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 273-85.
6. Bhaskar-Shrinivas, P., Harrison, D.A., Shaffer, M.A. and Luk, D.M. (2005), "Input-based and time-based models of international adjustment: Meta-analytic evidence and theoretical extensions", Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 48, pp. 257-81. (Pubitemid 40747069)
7. Black, J. (1988), "Work role transitions: A study of American expatriate managers in Japan", Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 277-94.
8. Black, J.S. and Stephens, G.K. (1989), "The influence of the spouse on American expatriate adjustment and intent to stay in Pacific Rim overseas assignments", Journal of Management, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 529-44.
9. Brookfield Global Relocation Services (2009), Global Relocation Trends: 2009 Survey Report, Brookfield Global Relocation Services, Woodridge, IL.
10. Brookfield Global Relocation Services (2010), Global Relocation Trends: 2010 Survey Report, Brookfield Global Relocation Services, Woodridge, IL.
11. Calas, M. and Smircich, L. (1993), "Dangerous liaisons: The 'Feminine-in-Management' meets globalization", Business Horizons, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 1-81.
12. Caligiuri, P. (2000), "Selecting expatriates for personality characteristics: A moderating effect of personality on the relationship between host national contact and cross-cultural adjustment", Management International Review, Vol. 40 No. 1, pp. 61-80.
13. Caligiuri, P.M. and Tung, R.L. (1999), "Comparing the success of male and female expatriates from a US-based multinational company", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 10 No. 5, pp. 763-82.
14. Caligiuri, P.M., Joshi, A. and Lazaova, M. (1999), "Factors influencing the adjustment of women on global assignments", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 163-79.
15. Catalyst and The Conference Board (2002), Women in Leadership: A European Business Imperative, Catalyst and The Conference Board, New York, NY.
16. Chiu, Y.-P., Wu, M., Zhuang, W.-L. and Hsu, Y.-Y. (2009), "Influences on expatriate social networks in China", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 790-809.
17. Cox, R., Jeremijenko, A. and Doig, K. (2007), "Expatriate health and welfare: The hidden costs of getting it wrong", paper presented at the SPE Asia Pacific Health, Safety, and Security Environment Conference and Exhibition, Bangkok.
18. Desvaux, G., Devillard-Hoellinger, S. and Baumgarten, P. (2007), Women Matter: Gender Diversity, a Corporate Performance Driver, McKinsey & Co., Paris.
19. Fischlmayr, I.C. (2002), "Female self-perception as a barrier to international careers?", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 773-83.
20. Fischlmayr, I.C. andKollinger, I. (2010), "Work-life balance - A neglected issue amongAustrian female expatriates", International Journal of Human ResourceManagement, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 455-87.
21. Fisher, H. (1999), The First Sex: The Natural Talents of Women and How They are Changing the World, Random House, New York, NY.
22. Forster, N. (1999), "Another 'glass ceiling'? The experiences of women professionals and managers on international assignments", Women on International Assignments, Vol. 6, pp. 79-90. (Pubitemid 29276304)
23. GMAC, NFTC and SHRM Global Forum (2004), Ten Years of Global Relocation Trends: 1993-2004, GMAC, Oakbrook, IL.
24. Guthrie, J.P., Ash, R.A. and Stevens, C.D. (2003), "Are women 'better' than men? Personality differencesand expatriate selection", Journal ofManagerialPsychology,Vol. 18No. 3, pp. 229-43.
25. Hardill, I. (1998), "Genderperspectives onBritishexpatriatework",Geoforum,Vol. 29No. 3, pp. 257-68. (Pubitemid 29085910)
26. Harvey, M., Buckley, M.R., Novicevic, M.M. and Wiese, D. (1999), "Mentoring dual-career expatriates: A sense-making and sense-giving social support process", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 10 No. 5, pp. 808-27.
27. Harvey, M., McIntyre, N., Heames, J. and Moeller, M. (2009), "Mentoring global female managers in the global marketplace: Traditional, reverse, and reciprocal mentoring", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 20 No. 6, pp. 1344-61.
28. Haslberger, A. (2010), "Gender differences in expatriate adjustment", European Journal of International Management, Vol. 4 Nos 1/2, pp. 163-83.
29. Haslberger, A. and Brewster, C. (2008), "The expatriate family: An international perspective", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 23 No. 3, pp. 324-46.
30. Helgeson, S. (1990), The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership, Doubleday, New York, NY.
31. Hippler, T. (2006), "Another scandal in Bohemia? A look back on how we measure expatriate adjustment", in Morley, M.J., Heraty, N. and Collings, D.G. (Eds), New Directions in Expatriate Research, Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills, pp. 64-93.
32. House, R.J., Hanges, P.J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P.W. and Gupta, V. (2004), Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62 Societies, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA.
33. Hutchings, K., French, E. and Hatcher, T. (2008), "Lament of the ignored expatriate: An examination of organisational and social network support for female expatriates in China", Equal Opportunities International, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 372-91.
34. Insch, G.S., McIntyre, N. and Napier, N.K. (2008), "The expatriate glass ceiling: The second layer of glass", Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 23, pp. 19-28.
35. Janssens, M., Cappellen, T. and Zanoni, P. (2006), "Successful female expatriates as agents: Positioning oneself through gender, hierarchy, and culture", Journal of World Business, Vol. 41, pp. 133-48. (Pubitemid 43632412)
36. Kollinger, I. (2005), "Women and expatriate work opportunities in Austrian organizations", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 16 No. 7, pp. 1243-60. (Pubitemid 41269449)
37. Kraimer, M.L.,Wayne, S.J. and Jaworski, R.A. (2001), "Sources of support and expatriate performance: The mediating role of expatriate adjustment", Personnel Psychology, Vol. 54, pp. 71-99. (Pubitemid 33588562)
38. Lazarova, M. and Cerdin, J. (2007), "Revisiting repatriation concerns: Organizational support versus career and contextual influences", Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 38 No. 3, pp. 404-29.
39. Linehan, M. (2002), "Senior female international managers: Empirical evidence from Western Europe", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 802-14.
40. Linehan, M. and Scullion, H. (2004), "Towards an understanding of the female expatriate experience in Europe", Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 14, pp. 433-48. (Pubitemid 40105786)
41. Lowe, K.B., Downes, M. and Kroeck, K.G. (1999), "The impact of gender and location on the willingness to accept overseas assignments", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 223-34.
42. McKeen, C.A. and Bu, N. (2005), "Gender roles: An examination of the hopes and expectations of the next generation of managers in Canada and China", Sex Roles, Vol. 52, pp. 533-46. (Pubitemid 40669766)
43. Mayrhofer, W. and Scullion, H. (2002), "Female expatriates in international business: Empirical evidence from the German clothing industry", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 815-36.
44. Mendenhall, M. and Oddou, G. (1985), "The dimensions of expatriate acculturation", Academy of Management Review, Vol. 10, pp. 39-47.
45. Napier, N.K. and Taylor, S. (2002), "Experiences of women professionals abroad: Comparisons across Japan, China and Turkey", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 837-51.
46. Paik, Y. and Vance, C. (2002), "Evidence of back-home selection bias against US female expatriates", Women in Management Review, Vol. 17 No. 2, pp. 68-79.
47. Payne, S. and Huff, A. (2005), "A longitudinal examination of the influence of mentoring on organizational commitment and turnover", Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 158-68. (Pubitemid 40366672)
48. Peltokorpi, V. (2008), "Cross-cultural adjustment of expatriates in Japan", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 19 No. 9, pp. 1588-606.
49. Permits Foundation (2009), Employment, Work Permits, and International Mobility, Permits Foundation, The Hague.
50. Puck, J.F., Holtbrugge, D. and Rausch, E.-M. (2008), "Antecedents and consequences of expatriate adjustment", in Holtbrugge, D. (Ed.), Cultural Adjustment of Expatriates, Hampp, Mering.
51. PWC (2008), Managing Tomorrow's People: Millennials at Work - Perspectives from a New Generation, PricewaterhouseCoopers, London.
52. Roccas, S. (2003), "Identification and status revisited: The moderating role of self-enhancement and self-transcendence values", Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 29, pp. 726-36. (Pubitemid 36704368)
53. Sagiv, L. and Schwartz, S.H. (2000), "Value priorities and subjective well-being: Direct relations and congruity effects", European Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 30, pp. 177-98.
54. Sagiv, L. and Schwartz, S.H. (2007), "Cultural values in organisations: Insights for Europe", European Journal of International Management, Vol. 1 No. 3, pp. 176-90.
55. Schwartz, H. and Huismans, S. (1995), "Value priorities and religiosity in four Western religions", Social Psychology Quarterly, June, p. 91.
56. Schwartz, S.H. (1992), "Universals in the context and structure of values: Theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries", in Zanna, M.P. (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, pp. 1-165.
57. Schwartz, S.H. (1994), "Are there universal aspects in the structure and contents of human values?", Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 50 No. 4, pp. 19-45.
58. Schwartz, S.H. and Rubel, T. (2005), "Sex differences in value priorities: Cross-cultural and multimethod studies", Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 89 No. 6, pp. 1010-28. (Pubitemid 43083770)
59. Scullion, H. (1995), "International human resource management", in Storey, J. (Ed.), Human Resource Management: A Critical Text, Routledge, London, pp. 352-82.
60. Selmer, J. (2001), "Psychological barriers to adjustment and how they affect coping strategies: Western business expatriates in China", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 151-65. (Pubitemid 33677278)
61. Selmer, J. and Lauring, J. (2009), "The cultural similarity and adjustment of expatriate academics", International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Vol. 33, pp. 429-36.
62. Selmer, J. and Leung, A.S.M. (2002), "Career management issues of female business expatriates", Career Development International, Vol. 7 No. 6, pp. 348-58.
63. Selmer, J. and Leung, A.S.M. (2003a), "Are corporate career development activities less available to female than to male expatriates?", Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 43, pp. 125-36. (Pubitemid 38097389)
64. Selmer, J. and Leung,A.S.M. (2003b), "Expatriate career intentions ofwomen on foreign assignments and their adjustment", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 244-58.
65. Selmer, J. and Leung, A.S.M. (2003c), "International adjustment of female vs male business expatriates", International Journal ofHumanResourceManagement,Vol. 14No. 7, pp. 1117-31. (Pubitemid 37492126)
66. Selmer, J. and Leung, A.S.M. (2003d), "Personal characteristics of female vs male business expatriates", International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 195-212.
67. Shaffer, M., Harrison, D. and Gilley, K. (1999), "Dimensions, determinants, and differences in the expatriate adjustment process", Journal of International Business Studies, Vol. 30 No. 3, pp. 557-81.
68. Shortland, S. (2009), "Gender diversity in expatriation: Evaluating theoretical perspectives", Gender in Management: An International Journal, Vol. 2 No. 5, pp. 365-86.
69. Sinangil, H.K. and Ones, D.S. (2003), "Gender differences in expatriate job performance", Applied Psychology: An International Review, Vol. 52 No. 3, pp. 461-75. (Pubitemid 36795296)
70. Smerd, J. (2007), "More women, young workers on the move", Workforce Management, August 20, pp. 9-10.
71. Stone, R. (1991), "Expatriate selection and failure", HumanResource Planning,Vol. 14No. 1, pp. 9-18.
72. Stroh, L.K., Varma, A. and Valy-Durbin, S.J. (2000), "Why are women left at home: Are they unwilling to go on international assignments?", Journal of World Business, Vol. 35 No. 3, pp. 241-55.
73. Suder, G. (2004), Terrorism and the International Business Environment: The Security-business Nexus, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham.
74. Suutari, V. and Brewster, C. (2003), "Repatriation: Empirical evidence from a longitudinal study of careers and expectations among Finnish expatriates", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 14 No. 7, pp. 1132-51. (Pubitemid 37492127)
75. Taylor, S., Napier, N.K. and Mayrhofer, W. (2002), "Women in global business: Introduction", International Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 739-42.
76. Thomas, D. and Lazarova, M. (2006), "Expatriate adjustment and performance: A critical review", in Stahl, G. and Björkman, I. (Eds), Handbook of Research in International Human Resource Management, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, pp. 247-64.
77. Tung, R. (1997), "Canadian expatriates in Asia-Pacific: An analysis of their attitude toward and experience in international assignment", paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, St Louis.
78. Tung, R.L. (2004), "Female expatriates: The model global manager?", Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 243-53. (Pubitemid 39195948)
79. Vance, C.M., Paik, Y. and White, J.A. (2006), "Tracking bias against the selection of female expatriates: Implications and opportunities for business education", Thunderbird International Business Review, Vol. 48 No. 6, pp. 823-42. (Pubitemid 44811270)
80. Van Vianen, A.E.M., de Pater, I.E., Kristof-Brown, A.L. and Johnson, E.C. (2004), "Fitting in: Surface and deep-level cultural differences and expatriate adjustment", Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 47 No. 5, pp. 697-709. (Pubitemid 39499250)
81. Varma, A., Toh, S.M. and Budhwar, P. (2006), "A new perspective on the female expatriate experience: The role of host country national categorization", Journal of World Business, Vol. 41, pp. 112-20. (Pubitemid 44307848)
82. Westwood, R. and Leung, A.S.M. (1994), "The female expatriate manager experience: Coping with gender and culture", International Studies of Management & Organization, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 64-85.