How does colonial history matter for expatriate adjustment? The case of Brazilians in Portugal

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Aguzzoli, Roberta; Sliwa, Martyna; Lengler, Jorge; Brewster, Chris; Quatrin, Denise Rossato
• 署名单位: Durham University; University of Reading; Getulio Vargas Foundation
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-024-00754-y
• 发表日期: 2024
• 关键词: Expatriate adjustment; History in international business; narratives; national identity; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; Representations of colonial history

摘要

The literature on expatriation typically assumes that cultural and institutional familiarity facilitates expatriate adjustment. This assumption underplays the role of the historical context, especially the influence of painful colonial pasts that often lie beneath such familiarity. In addition, seeking to capture expatriate adjustment as a single measure, such literature does not engage with the differences in the extent to which expatriates achieve cognitive, behavioral, and affective adjustment. Using a qualitative study addressing the work experiences of Brazilians living in Portugal, we argue that to fully understand expatriate adjustment, we must pay attention to the historical colonial relationship between the expatriate's home and host country. Specifically, we discuss the importance of social representations of history for how expatriates narrate, interpret, and act in response to their experiences. Our research makes two theoretical contributions. First, we explain how historical colonial relationships affect expatriate adjustment and how this leads to adjustment only being partial. Second, we develop a nuanced understanding of expatriate adjustment by drawing attention to its three interdependent dimensions (cognitive, behavioral, and affective), showing that an expatriate may be well adjusted in one dimension but less adjusted in another. We call for organizations to engage more, and more critically, with history. Expatriate adjustment, which refers to how individuals adapt to living and working abroad, is vital for their job performance and satisfaction. Many studies, however, neglect the historical context between an expatriate's home and host countries, such as colonial ties (historical connections where one country colonized another), which can affect adjustment. This research examines how these historical relations influence expatriate experiences, focusing on Brazilian expatriates (people living outside their native country) living in Portugal. The study finds that despite the cultural similarities, historical colonial ties can complicate adjustment.The study involved interviews with 42 Brazilian expatriates living in Portugal, conducted between 2019 and 2021. Researchers used an interpretivist approach (a method focusing on understanding people's experiences and perspectives), examining how expatriates narrate their experiences and the influence of colonial history. Two main narratives emerged: the 'Brasilidade' narrative, emphasizing national pride and sovereignty (the authority of a state to govern itself), and the 'marginalized Brazilian' narrative, highlighting perceived inferiority and prejudice from the Portuguese. These narratives help explain why expatriates struggle to fully adjust, despite understanding the local culture and language. The research underscores the importance of considering historical context in expatriate adjustment studies, as it can significantly affect individuals' experiences and interactions in the host country.Findings indicate that Brazilian expatriates in Portugal often experience only partial adjustment to their new environment. While they may learn to navigate the local environment and develop cognitive (related to mental processes) and behavioral skills, they often struggle with affective adjustment (emotional adaptation), feeling marginalized and unwelcome. The study concludes that historical colonial relations can negatively influence expatriate adjustment, as these past ties shape how individuals perceive and respond to their experiences. This research enhances our understanding of expatriate adjustment by highlighting the importance of historical context and its impact on the cognitive, behavioral, and affective dimensions of adjustment. The study suggests that organizations should consider these historical factors when supporting expatriates, fostering a more inclusive environment. Future research could explore similar dynamics in other post-colonial contexts, providing further insights into the complex interplay between history and expatriate adjustment.This text was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then reviewed by the author(s) to ensure accuracy. La litt & eacute;rature de l'expatriation part g & eacute;n & eacute;ralement du principe que la familiarit & eacute; institutionnelle et culturelle facilite l'ajustement de l'expatri & eacute;. Ce postulat sous-estime le r & ocirc;le du contexte historique, en particulier l'influence d'un pass & eacute; colonial douloureux qui se cache souvent sous cette familiarit & eacute;. En outre, en cherchant & agrave; appr & eacute;hender l'ajustement des expatri & eacute;s comme une mesure unique, cette litt & eacute;rature ne tient pas compte des diff & eacute;rences dans la mesure o & ugrave; les expatri & eacute;s parviennent & agrave; s'ajuster sur les plans comportemental, cognitif et affectif. & Agrave; l'aide d'une recherche qualitative portant sur les exp & eacute;riences professionnelles des Br & eacute;siliens au Portugal, nous argumentons que pour comprendre pleinement l'ajustement des expatri & eacute;s, nous devons pr & ecirc;ter attention & agrave; la relation coloniale historique entre le pays d'origine et le pays d'accueil de l'expatri & eacute;. Plus pr & eacute;cis & eacute;ment, nous discutons de l'importance des repr & eacute;sentations sociales de l'histoire dans la mani & egrave;re dont les expatri & eacute;s racontent, interpr & egrave;tent et agissent en r & eacute;ponse & agrave; leurs exp & eacute;riences. Notre recherche apporte deux contributions th & eacute;oriques. Premi & egrave;rement, nous expliquons comment les relations coloniales historiques influencent l'ajustement des expatri & eacute;s et comment cela conduit & agrave; ce que l'ajustement ne soit que partiel. Deuxi & egrave;mement, nous d & eacute;veloppons une compr & eacute;hension nuanc & eacute;e de l'ajustement des expatri & eacute;s en attirant l'attention sur ses trois dimensions interd & eacute;pendantes (cognitive, comportementale et affective) ; nous montrons qu'un expatri & eacute; peut & ecirc;tre bien ajust & eacute; dans une dimension mais moins adapt & eacute; dans une autre. Nous appelons les organisations & agrave; s'engager davantage, et de mani & egrave;re plus critique, dans l'histoire. La literatura sobre expatriados generalmente asume que la familiaridad cultural e institucional facilita la adaptaci & oacute;n de los expatriados. Esta suposici & oacute;n subestima el papel del contexto hist & oacute;rico, especialmente la influencia de los dolorosos pasados coloniales que a menudo subyacen a dicha familiaridad. Adem & aacute;s, al buscar capturar la adaptaci & oacute;n de expatriados como una medida & uacute;nica, esta literatura no aborda las diferencias en el grado en que los expatriados logran una adaptaci & oacute;n cognitiva, conductual y afectiva. Utilizando un estudio cualitativo, que aborda las experiencias laborales de brasile & ntilde;os en Portugal, argumentamos que, para comprender plenamente la adaptaci & oacute;n del expatriado, debemos prestar atenci & oacute;n a la relaci & oacute;n colonial hist & oacute;rica entre el pa & iacute;s de origen y el pa & iacute;s anfitri & oacute;n del expatriado. Espec & iacute;ficamente, discutimos la importancia de las representaciones sociales de la historia para la forma en que los expatriados narran, interpretan y act & uacute;an en respuesta a sus experiencias. Nuestra investigaci & oacute;n hace dos contribuciones te & oacute;ricas. Primero, explicamos c & oacute;mo las relaciones coloniales hist & oacute;ricas afectan la adaptaci & oacute;n de los expatriados y c & oacute;mo esto lleva a que la adaptaci & oacute;n sea solo parcial. Segundo, desarrollamos una comprensi & oacute;n matizada de la adaptaci & oacute;n de los expatriados al llamar la atenci & oacute;n sobre sus tres dimensiones interdependientes (cognitiva, conductual y afectiva), mostrando que un expatriado puede estar bien adaptado en una dimensi & oacute;n, pero menos adaptado en otra. Hacemos un llamado a las organizaciones para que se involucren m & aacute;s, y de manera m & aacute;s cr & iacute;tica, con la historia. A literatura sobre expatria & ccedil;& atilde;o comumente sup & otilde;e que a familiaridade cultural e institucional facilita o ajuste do expatriado. Essa suposi & ccedil;& atilde;o subestima o papel do contexto hist & oacute;rico, especialmente a influ & ecirc;ncia de passados coloniais dolorosos que muitas vezes est & atilde;o por tr & aacute;s dessa familiaridade. Al & eacute;m disso, ao buscar capturar o ajuste do expatriado como uma medida & uacute;nica, essa literatura n & atilde;o se envolve com as diferen & ccedil;as na medida em que os expatriados alcan & ccedil;am ajuste cognitivo, comportamental e afetivo. Por meio de um estudo qualitativo, abordando experi & ecirc;ncias de trabalho de brasileiros em Portugal, argumentamos que, para compreender plenamente a adapta & ccedil;& atilde;o do expatriado, devemos atentar para a rela & ccedil;& atilde;o colonial hist & oacute;rica entre o pa & iacute;s de origem e o pa & iacute;s anfitri & atilde;o do expatriado. Especificamente, discutimos a import & acirc;ncia de representa & ccedil;& otilde;es sociais da hist & oacute;ria para a forma como expatriados narram, interpretam e agem em resposta a suas experi & ecirc;ncias. Nossa pesquisa faz duas contribui & ccedil;& otilde;es te & oacute;ricas. Primeiramente, explicamos como as rela & ccedil;& otilde;es coloniais hist & oacute;ricas afetam o ajuste do expatriado e como isso leva a um ajuste apenas parcial. Em segundo lugar, desenvolvemos uma compreens & atilde;o diferenciada do ajuste do expatriado, chamando aten & ccedil;& atilde;o para suas tr & ecirc;s interdependentes dimens & otilde;es (cognitiva, comportamental e afetiva), mostrando que um expatriado pode estar bem ajustado em uma dimens & atilde;o, mas menos ajustado em outra. Recomendamos que organiza & ccedil;& otilde;es se envolvam mais e de forma mais cr & iacute;tica com a hist & oacute;ria. (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic) ((sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)) , (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).