EXPATRIATES` SPOUSES IN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS

Abstract

An investigation into the factors affecting the adaptation of spouses of Taiwan expatriates allowed for their modes of adaptation to be classified into `adjustment`, `reaction` and `withdrawal`. Albeit a sample of 15 spouses were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire, the research findings indicate that if an expatriate`s spouse is characterized as having high cultural flexibility, high social orientation, a high degree of willingness to communicate, a high conflict resolution orientation, low ethnocentricity and a high orientation towards knowledge, the overseas adaptation tends to be of the `adjustment ` mode. Research propositions based on case findings and relevant literature are derived here for future more in-depth study. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]