The Role of Values in the Intercultural Adaptation of Canadian Expatriates in Vietnam: An Integrative Approach

Abstract

This study takes an integrative approach to intercultural adaptation by looking at the role of values (i.e. social norms) in the acculturation of Canadian expatriates living in Vietnam. By viewing intercultural adaptation as a process by which expats and host-members “establish (or re-establish) and maintain relatively stable, reciprocal, and functional relationships” (Kim, 2001, p. 3) with their environment, this study focuses on moments of apparent ambiguity, misunderstanding or malaise experienced by expats in their host-community. This emphasis will enable us to better understand how expatriates make sense of their values and social norms during these instances. This research not only sheds light on the ways in which expats make sense of their values, but also how their narratives and stories participate in creating, constituting, and cultivating certain figures during their intercultural adaptation process. The data gathered reveals that the ways in which expats make sense of their values during moments of malaise with their host-community varies quite meaningfully depending on various situational, institutional and personal factors at play during each interaction, as well as what matters most to expats during those moments. Thus, these findings assist in showcasing that misunderstandings experienced in the host-community are complex, as expats consider many factors in order to make sense of, respond to, and adapt to each individual situation.