Cross-cultural training and cultural adjustment: Proposing an optimal CCT program.

Abstract

Abstract Title: Cross-cultural training and cultural adjustment: Proposing an optimal CCT program. Author: Chrysiida Psarri Supervisor: Joseph Trotta Abstract: The increasing development of international business has had a direct impact on global mobility, making the relocation and cross-cultural adjustment of immigrants, migrants and expatriates, an urgent matter. Crossing national borders can be a stressful process and unsuccessful adjustment to the new cultural environment and workplace may result in failure both for the individual and the host organization. Factors such as culture shock, language incompetence, ambiguity or lack of network and organizational support to name a few, pose significant challenges to the individuals’ adjustment. A way to lessen the risk for ineffective adjustment has been cross-cultural training programs, which, if designed and applied appropriately, can facilitate one’s cultural adjustment in a new country. This paper investigates immigrants’, migrants’, and expatriates’ experiences with regard to the challenges they faced in the new country, the factors that facilitated their adjustment and the aspects they consider significant for support during the relocation process. Considering the results and previous literature a model for an optimal cross-cultural training program is suggested that aims at covering all the aspects of relocation and seeks to improve and facilitate one’s cross-cultural adjustment.