TY - JOUR

T1 - Mutual adjustment processes in international teams

T2 - lessons for the study of expatriation

AU - Zimmermann, Angelika

AU - Sparrow, Paul

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - Researchers have commonly regarded expatriate adjustment as a unidirectional process of one individual adjusting to a foreign environment. In contrast, we conceptualize the expatriate's adjustment to social interactions as part of a process of mutual adjustment within an international team. Eleven teams of four combinations of nationalities—German—English, German—Indian, German—Japanese, and German—Austrian—were examined in two German companies in a one-year longitudinal study. In-depth interviews and team observations were conducted with 116 participants. We developed a model that captures the mechanisms of mutual adjustment at the level of cognitive processes, attitudes, and behaviors of team members. We also explain how these internal adjustment components are influenced by a number of external context factors. These factors are seen to create power relationships between the members of the different nationalities in the team. This has a major influence on the direction of adjustment. Implications for models of adjustment and forms of capital accrued by global leaders are discussed.

AB - Researchers have commonly regarded expatriate adjustment as a unidirectional process of one individual adjusting to a foreign environment. In contrast, we conceptualize the expatriate's adjustment to social interactions as part of a process of mutual adjustment within an international team. Eleven teams of four combinations of nationalities—German—English, German—Indian, German—Japanese, and German—Austrian—were examined in two German companies in a one-year longitudinal study. In-depth interviews and team observations were conducted with 116 participants. We developed a model that captures the mechanisms of mutual adjustment at the level of cognitive processes, attitudes, and behaviors of team members. We also explain how these internal adjustment components are influenced by a number of external context factors. These factors are seen to create power relationships between the members of the different nationalities in the team. This has a major influence on the direction of adjustment. Implications for models of adjustment and forms of capital accrued by global leaders are discussed.

U2 - 10.2753/IMO0020-8825370303

DO - 10.2753/IMO0020-8825370303

M3 - Journal article

VL - 37

SP - 65

EP - 88

JO - International Studies of Management and Organization

JF - International Studies of Management and Organization

SN - 0020-8825

IS - 3

ER -