Expatriate adjustment from the inside out: an autoethnographic account

Abstract

This paper identifies some of the dynamics of expatriate adjustment using an autoethnographic account of situations experienced by the first author during her first year of work at a financial services company in Hong Kong. Success in this cross-cultural assignment is dependent on the expatriate's ability to adjust to and master the new culture. Our theoretical analysis of the autoethnographic account suggests that culture shock may be a discontinuous process. Further, the analysis suggests that cultural acceptance can play a critical role in expatriate adjustment.

Keywords:

• autoethnography
• cross-cultural adjustment
• culture shock
• expatriates
• Hong Kong

Notes

1. Gweillo roughly translates as ‘foreign devil’.

2. Guanxi refers to building mutual commitment and loyalty through an escalating exchange of favours (Chen and Chen 2004).

3. St Patrick's Day is a day of religious observance, which individuals of Irish heritage often celebrate by drinking beer with green food colouring (the national colour of Ireland).