Journey to the international arena: A study of the experiences of Chinese expatriates in two Chinese high technology telecommunication MNCs

Du, Muhao 2023. Journey to the international arena: A study of the experiences of Chinese expatriates in two Chinese high technology telecommunication MNCs. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

There is increasing interest in Chinese expatriation management, which cannot be assumed to be the same as that for ‘western’ counterparts in MNCs in developed economies (DMNCs). As Chinese MNCs expand and take a prominent position in the global economy, still relatively little is known about how they manage their employees globally and how those employees respond, beyond the reputation of Chinese expatriates for hard work, hardship tolerance and compliance. To address this gap, scholars have called for more micro-studies of actual expatriate experience. Accordingly, this long-term, qualitative case study adopts a social relations theoretical framework to investigate detailed accounts of the individual experiences of a group of expatriates employed in two leading Chinese high technology telecommunication MNCs. A cohort of twenty-seven research participants were recruited, without recourse to their employing firm. In data collected over a period of two years or more, this study confirms that roles of Chinese expatriates in the high technology sector are different from norms in DMNCs. There is a concentration on operational roles, with limited interaction with host country contexts. The segmentation of operational, dual and senior managerial functions generally occur during (and as part of) the flow of firm-bounded expatriation and repatriation. Expatriates experience intensity of work, years of separation on overseas assignments and sometimes harsh and unfamiliar host-country environments. Their response is influenced by multiple intersecting factors and bounded by their negative perceptions of their labour mobility power. The dissertation’s empirical contribution lies in presenting independent worker testimony. It also offers two theoretical contributions. First, it suggests that the nature and role of the expatriate needs to be re-evaluated to address their changing roles and functions as part of a global workforce. Second, it advocates a more grounded and holistic evaluation of the roots of stereotypical ‘Chinese compliance’ and hardship tolerance.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords: Chinese Expatriates, Expatriation, Chinese Multinational Corporations (MNCs), Chinese HRM, Telecommunication Sector, Hardship Tolerance
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	31 August 2023
Last Modified:	01 Sep 2023 15:40
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/162047

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