Interaction adjustment

single anticipatory factor mentioned was host language fluency and the single individual factor was country-of-origin. Non-work factors were absent from the references of all interviewees.

These findings indicate anticipatory, individual and non-work factors were not much represented or even absent from the discourse of participants, while work and organizational factors were richly cited. Furthermore, most interviewees claimed a fairly easy and positive work adjustment, which was unrelated with individuals' demographic characteristics.

affecting people, it isn't so easy (…) the context I was in, the job I was doing…no, .. that didn’t help (interact with locals)."

5.4.3.3 Organizational factors perceived to influence interaction adjustment This hierarchical category included two factors related with the influence of host co- workers support and the absence of friends at work, as illustrated below. Nevertheless, none co-occurred with individuals’ self-assessment of interaction adjustment.

Host co-workers support:

"I was really helped by some colleagues there in the factory, Brazilians, who were a great help. They took us out. They took the initiative and invited us, and then it became a habit. It helped with our adaptation. It was very difficult to live there alone, isolated. It’s good to have a group of Portuguese people, all together, but it’s good to have a group of Brazilian colleagues to help us adapt to the city and life…"

No friends at work:

"Where I worked I was on my own. The workspace was by definition… they were all French, and it wasn’t a favorable environment to make friends."

5.4.3.4 Non-work factors perceived to influence interaction adjustment

This was the most quoted hierarchical category (20 people, 50 references), which included two broad categories: host socializing actions (such as actions people undertake to interact with locals) and host support outside the work environment (such as perceived support from locals, local friends and local expatriates). The following are some illustrative statements.

Host socializing actions:

"In terms of adaptation to people, well, it was a small place… you just need to go out to two or three places, at night, or accept… which I always did: whenever I received an invitation I always accepted. So... to socialize."

"The fact that we are away from home helps a lot and make us more open… because here everyone has their own life, but there we’re more open to inviting people for dinner at our house or out.”

Host support outside work:

"I had a local hairdresser. She didn’t speak any language I knew. Whenever I went there my colleague was the one phoning for me to make an appointment and explain what I wanted."

"Dr X (another Portuguese expatriate) even came with me to buy bed-clothes – which must have been a strange sight: two men choosing sheets and pillows. But he did this extraordinarily well, and often on his own initiative…(...). It was also in his own interest as he really wanted to go back at that time."

The present study did find these two categories co-occurred with interviewees’

assessment of their interaction adjustment, as illustrated on the following table.

Interaction Adjustment Never really adjusted No Interaction Difficulties

"What happens with the Chinese who are there and live there is that they don’t know how to support you, what to do when… they just don’t know. They just know a few little things that they do and nothing much else."

"The city itself is much smaller than Budapest, but it’s a very welcoming place, very nice, a university town with lots of life, and it’s near Switzerland as well as France and has lots of Italians – in fact it’s a very international city, very open and used to having people from many countries. This makes things much easier."

Host Support outside work Host Socializing

"We tried to get to know some Chinese people, to get on with them, but it’s impossible – the Chinese are very reserved and don’t let us get close."

"Contact with local people just developed naturally over time and began with knowing people in the factory in the various sections I was involved with, and also outside in Curitiba .. I got to know someone, or through my wife, and that person led to new acquaintances, like a sort of network.(...)".

Table 2 - Co-occurrences between self-assessments of interaction adjustment and non-work factors.

As indicated in Table 2, non-work factors influenced interaction adjustment twofold:

negatively when locals were unable to provide support outside the work environment or when they declined social interactions with expatriates; positively, when locals were receptive to building networks with expatriates and generally helpful and supportive outside work. Overall, there was no co-occurrence between these categories and individual demographic characteristics.

5.4.3.5 No interaction adjustment difficulties

In contrast with work adjustment, only six people (9 references) felt no interaction difficulties, while ten (15 references) admitted they were not integrated at destination. The

following statements describe these opposing views, which co-occurred with demographic variables, as older and married expatriates referred to the fact of often having had more interaction difficulties than younger colleagues (under 36 years old) and single repatriates.

"In terms of work, the relationship was excellent. (…) With people from a local plant, I can say that it was with the people there that most links were made. Even recently, three or four people were here, and the reception was such that… people were really surprised because (...) it was more than just work. The people were here and we went out to have dinner and... There is always… a special relationship, which I find exemplary."

"I never managed to integrate totally. It’s like this….this is what happens when you mix with Czechs. They try, for example, at a restaurant…. those on my left or right or in front try to speak English. The rest on the sides, speak Czech... (...) But one feels set apart.

Always. Whenever one tries to mix with people there you never feel like one of them."

5.4.3.6 Key findings for interaction adjustment

In summary, results from the content analysis showed individuals’ descriptions of interaction adjustment and the reasons that influence it were grouped into four categories (by decreasing order of reference): non-work factors, organizational factors, anticipatory factors and finally work factors. Apparently, interaction adjustment was not much influenced by individual factors, as these factors were not mentioned. The most relevant categories, co- occurring with individuals’ assessment of interaction adjustment, were host socializing actions and host support outside work. In addition, interaction adjustment seemed to be more difficult than work adjustment, as only six interviewees mentioned not having had interaction difficulties, compared to sixteen people who mentioned the same regarding work difficulties. In relation to demographic differences, there was evidence of co-occurrence between the assessment of interaction adjustment and individuals’ age, marital status and assignment type. Younger respondents (below 36 years old), repatriates and singles reported fewer interaction difficulties than older and married expatriates did.