Factors Influencing Indian Information Technology Professionals Working on Assignment in Malaysia: The Mediating Role of Corss-Cultural Adjustment

• Main Author: Dona Rachel, Abraham
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2022
• Online Access: http://ur.aeu.edu.my/1016/1/Dona%20Rachel%20Abraham%20-%20Final%20Thesis.pdf; http://ur.aeu.edu.my/1016/2/Dona%20Rachel%20Abraham%20-%20Final%20Thesis-1-24.pdf; http://ur.aeu.edu.my/1016/; https://online.fliphtml5.com/sppgg/wrob/?1668398739540

In the field of international human resource management studies, cross-cultural adjustment and success of expatriates, has become important factors in the current competitiveness of Information Technology sector. This research examines the factors influencing expatriate success and the mediating role of cross-cultural adjustment among Indian IT expatriates working in Malaysia. This study was based on the model of Intercultural Adjustment by Parker and McEvoy (1993) and an empirical success and cross-cultural adjustment model for Indian IT Expatriates (SAME) who work in Malaysia on International Assignment was developed. The framework was successfully implemented with the aim to examine the influence of spouse support, HR practices such as Selection criteria, needs and effectiveness of pre-departure training and personality traits on the success of Indian IT professionals stationed in Malaysia and also study the mediating role of cross-cultural adjustment on these variables. This study focuses on certain individual, organizational and contextual factors that can affect expatriate adjustment and success because in a new environment an individual faces uncertainty, unfamiliarity and predictability issues in an international assignment. In terms of scope and originality, this study is the first attempt to integrate spouse support, selection criteria, pre-departure training and personality traits on expatriate success and mediating influence of cross-cultural adjustment. This study contributes to the understanding of the importance of expatriate success and the role of cross-cultural adjustment in new environments. A quantitative research was conducted based on a total of 293 Indian IT expatriates working on international assignment in Malaysia. The validation of the model developed for this study was done by adapting structured questionnaire and using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that spouse support and pre-departure training had no significant effect on expatriate success. However, cross-cultural adjustment fully mediated the relationships between spouse support and expatriate success and between pre-departure training and expatriate success. Selection criteria, personality traits and cross-cultural adjustment have direct effects on expatriate success and cross-cultural adjustment partially mediates the relationship between selection criteria and expatriate success. Cross-cultural adjustment partially mediates the relationship between personality traits and expatriate success. This research also provides some theoretical and practical implications with respect to expatriate management practices for managers and for technical and non-technical experts wishing to gain insights on several factors on expatriation process. This study also has important implications for Indian and Malaysian companies hiring expatriates on international assignment. The findings of this study will help future researchers, human resources managers, organizations employing expatriates who are associated with selection, training and professional development of expatriates for foreign assignment.