The Relationship between Expatriates’ Personality Traits and Their Adjustment to International Assignments
Resource
International Journal of Human Resource Management 16 (9): 1656-1670
Journal
International Journal of Human Resource Management
Journal Volume
16
Journal Issue
9
Pages
1656-1670
Date Issued
2005-09
Date
2005-09
Author(s)
Abstract
This study investigates the relationship between personality traits of expatriates and their adjustment to international assignments. We focused in particular on the Big Five personality traits: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience. We sampled eighty-three US expatriates in Taiwan and found statistically significant relationships between expatriate adjustment and three personality traits in theoretically reasonable directions. Specifically, our results showed that a US expatriate's general living adjustment in Taiwan is positively related to his or her degree of extroversion and openness to experience. We found that extroversion and agreeableness are both positively related to interaction adjustment (i.e. relationships with local people). Furthermore, a US expatriate's work adjustment is positively related to his or her openness to experience. Unlike prior research on expatriate adjustment, we have examined multiple traits rooted in personality theory, and we have derived hypotheses that are specific to a Chinese context.
SDGs
Type
journal article