Relationship between the Personality and Gender and the Adjustment to a Foreign Culture: Comparative Research between Expatriates and Business Trip Travelers

Abstract

The research examines how personality characteristics and gender influence adjustment to a foreign culture among workers participating in one of two international assignment types: expatriation and frequent business trips. The research presents first evidence of relationships between personality and adjustment among business travelers, joins previous findings of relationships between personality characteristics and adjustment to a foreign culture among expatriates, and enables comparison between the two assignment types. The research contributes new findings on differences between the sexes in global employment: men adjust better than women to a foreign culture in the two assignment types, in two of four dimensions examined.The research examines how personality characteristics and gender influence adjustment to a foreign culture among workers participating in one of two international assignment types: expatriation and frequent business trips. The research presents first evidence of relationships between personality and adjustment among business travelers, joins previous findings of relationships between personality characteristics and adjustment to a foreign culture among expatriates, and enables comparison between the two assignment types. The research contributes new findings on differences between the sexes in global employment: contrary to our hypothesis, men adjust better than women to a foreign culture in the two assignment types, in two of four dimensions examined.