Cross-Cultural Adjustment as a Mediator between Training and Job Performance: Evidence from Chinese Construction Expatriates in Malaysia

Abdalla, A., Li, X., & Yang, F. (2024). Expatriate construction professionals’ performance in international construction projects: the role of cross-cultural adjustment and job burnout. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 150(3), 04024005.
Andreason, A. W. (2003). Expatriate adjustment to foreign assignments. International Journal of Commerce and Management, 13(1), 42–60. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb047459
Arokiasamy, J. M., & Kim Soyeon. (2020). When does emotional intelligence function better in enhancing expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment? A study of Japanese PCNs in Malaysia. Journal of Global Mobility, 8(1), 67–84. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-05-2019-0027
Bartlett, J. E., Kotrlik, J. W., & Higgins, C. C. (2001). Organizational Research: Determining Organizational Research: Determining Appropriate Sample Size in Survey Research Appropriate Sample Size in Survey Research. In Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal (Vol. 19, Issue 1).
Bernardin, H. J. (1984). An Analysis of Black-White Differences in Job Performance. Academy of Management Proceedings, 1984, 265–268.
Bhaskar-Shrinivas, P., Harrison, D. A., Shaffer, M. A., & Luk, D. M. (2005). Input-based and time-based models of international adjustment: Meta-analytic evidence and theoretical extensions. Academy of Management Journal, 48(2), 257–281.
Bhatti, M. A., Battour, M. M., & Ismail, A. R. (2013). Expatriates adjustment and job performance: An examination of individual and organizational factors. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 62(7), 694–717. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-12-2012-0132
Black, J. S., & Mendenhall, M. (1990). Cross-cultural training effectiveness: A review and a theoretical framework for future research. Academy of Management Review, 15(1), 113–136.
Black, J. S., & Stephens, G. K. (1989). The Influence of the Spouse on American Expatriate Adjustment and Intent to Stay in Pacific Rim Overseas Assignments. Journal of Management, 15(4), 529–544. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920638901500403
Borman, W. C., & Motowidlo, S. J. (1997). Task performance and contextual performance: The meaning for personnel selection research. Human Performance, 10(2), 99–109. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327043hup1002_3
Brislin, R. W. (1979). Orientation programs for cross-cultural preparation. Perspectives on Cross-Cultural Psychology, 287–304.
Caligiuri, P. M. (1997). Assessing expatriate success: Beyond just “being there.” New Approaches to Employee Management, 4, 117–140.
Caligiuri, P., & Tarique, I. (2016). Cultural agility and international assignees’ effectiveness in cross-cultural interactions. International Journal of Training and Development, 20(4), 280–289. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijtd.12085
Campbell, J. P., Mchenry, J. J., & Wise, L. L. (1990). MODELING JOB PERFORMANCE IN A POPULATION OF JOBS. In PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY.
Cao, L., Hirschi, A., & Deller, J. (2014). Perceived organizational support and intention to stay in host countries among self-initiated expatriates: The role of career satisfaction and networks. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(14), 2013–2032.
Che Rose, R., Subramaniam Sri, R., Uli, J., & Kumar, N. (2012). Expatriate Performance in International Assignments: The Role of Cultural Intelligence as Dynamic Intercultural Competency. International Journal of Business and Society, 13(1), 19–32.
Chenyang, L. (2022). Meta-analysis of the impact of cross-cultural training on adjustment, cultural intelligence, and job performance. Career Development International, 27(2), 185–200. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-09-2020-0247
Chu, C.-M., Lan, Y.-H., & Ye, K.-D. (2018). The Relationships among Cross-Cultural Training, Expatriate Skills, and Expatriate Adjustment: An Empirical Study of Taiwan Enterprises in Mainland China. Zhongyuan Enterprise Management Review, 16(2), 47–74.
Dai, C.-P., & Ke, F. (2022). Educational applications of artificial intelligence in simulation-based learning: A systematic mapping review. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100087. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100087
Earley, P. C. (1987). Intercultural training for managers: A comparison of documentary and interpersonal methods. Academy of Management Journal, 30(4), 685–698.
Hair, J. F., Matthews, L. M., Matthews, R. L., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). PLS-SEM or CB-SEM: updated guidelines on which method to use “PLS-SEM or CB-SEM: updated guidelines on which method to use.” In Organizational Research Methods, MIS Quarterly, and International Journal (Vol. 1, Issue 2).
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. In European Business Review (Vol. 31, Issue 1, pp. 2–24). Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203
Haldorai, K., Kim Woo Gon, Seo Won Seok, & Cai Xiaomei. (2021). Learning orientation and self-initiated expatriates’ work performance: a moderated-mediation model. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94, 102861. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102861
Halim, H., Abu Bakar, H., & Mohamad, B. (2019). Expatriation in Malaysia: Predictors of Cross-Cultural Adjustment among Hotel Expatriates. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 8(1), 664–675. http://excelingtech.co.uk/
Hassan, Z., & Diallo, M. (2013). Cross-Cultural Adjustments and Expatriate’s Job Performance in Malaysia. Available at SSRN 2349432.
Kawai, N., & Strange, R. (2014). Perceived organizational support and expatriate performance: Understanding a mediated model. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 25(17), 2438–2462. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2014.884615
Kim, Y. Y., & Kim, Y. S. (2004). The role of host environment in cross-cultural adaptation: A comparison of American expatriates in South Korea and their Korean counterparts in the United States. Asian Communication Research, 1(1), 5–25.
Koopmans, L., Bernaards, C. M., Hildebrandt, V. H., Schaufeli, W. B., De Vet Henrica, C. W., & Van Der Beek, A. J. (2011). Conceptual frameworks of individual work performance: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 53(8), 856–866. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0b013e318226a763
Landis, D., Bennett, J., & Bennett, M. (2003). Handbook of intercultural training. Sage Publications.
Lo, F.-Y., & Nguyen, T. H. A. (2023). Cross-cultural adjustment and training on international expatriates’ performance. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 188. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122294
Lysgaand, S. (1955). Adjustment in a foreign society: Norwegian Fulbright grantees visiting the United States. International Social Science Bulletin, 7, 45–51.
Mendenhall, M., & Oddou, G. (1986). Acculturation Profiles of Expatriate Managers: Implications for Cross-Cultural Training Programs. Columbia Journal of World Business, 21(4), 73–79.
Naeem, K., Jawad, A., Rehman, S. U., & Muhammad, Z. (2020). Role of Cross Cultural Training on Expatriates overall Adjustment in China and Malaysia. European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 9(4), 828–848. http://www.european-science.com
National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, & State Administration of Foreign Exchange. (2022). 2021 Statistical Bulletin of China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment.
Nunes, I. M., Felix, B., & Prates, L. A. (2017). Cultural intelligence, cross-cultural adaptation and expatriate performance: a study with expatriates living in Brazil. Revista de Administração (São Paulo), 52(3), 219–232. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rausp.2017.05.010
Okpara, J. O., & Kabongo, J. D. (2017). The effect of cross-cultural training on expatriates’ adjustment Evidence from an emerging African economy. Journal of Management Development, 36(9), 1114–1124. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-09-2016-0166
Osman-Gani, Aa. M., & Rockstuhl, T. (2009). Cross-cultural training, expatriate self-efficacy, and adjustments to overseas assignments: An empirical investigation of managers in Asia. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 33(4), 277–290. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2009.02.003 Get rights and content
Puck, J. F., Kittler, M. G., & Wright, C. (2008). Does it really work? Re-assessing the impact of pre-departure cross-cultural training on expatriate adjustment. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19(12), 2182–2197. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190802479413
Qin, C., & Baruch, Y. (2010). The impact of cross-cultural training for expatriates in a Chinese firm. Career Development International, 15(3), 296–318. https://doi.org/10.1108/13620431011053758
Rodsai, T., Stoffers, J., & Talim, M. B. (2017). Cross-Cultural Adjustment: A Case Of Thai Expatriates In Indonesia. 33(6).
Selmer, J. (2005). Cross-cultural training and expatriate adjustment in China: Western joint venture managers. Personnel Review, 34(1), 68–84. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480510571888
Setti, I., Sommovigo, V., & Argentero, P. (2022). Enhancing expatriates’ assignments success: the relationships between cultural intelligence, cross-cultural adaptation and performance. Current Psychology, 41(7), 4291–4311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00931-w
Sinangil, H. K., & Ones, D. S. (2003). Gender differences in expatriate job performance. Applied Psychology, 52(3), 461–475. https://doi.org/10.1111/1464-0597.00144
Sit, A., Mak, A. S., & Neill, J. T. (2017). Does cross-cultural training in tertiary education enhance cross-cultural adjustment? A systematic review. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 57, 1–18.
Subramaniam Sri, R., Chin Wei, C., & Che Rose, R. (2011). The Effects of Cultural Intelligence on Cross-Cultural Adjustment and Job Performance amongst Expatriates in Malaysia. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(9), 59. www.ijbssnet.com
Taherdoost, H. (2016). Sampling Methods in Research Methodology; How to Choose a Sampling Tech-nique for Research. International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM), 5. https://hal.science/hal-02546796
Tahir, R. (2022). Cross-cultural training: a study of European expatriates in New Zealand. European Journal of Training and Development, 46(9), 894–919. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-01-2021-0013
Tahir, R., & Ertek, G. (2018). Cross-cultural training: a crucial approach to improve the success of expatriate assignment in the United Arab Emirates. Middle East J. Management, 5(1), 50–74. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1504/MEJM.2018.088735
Takatsuka, M., & Yimcharoen, P. (2021). The Impact of Perceived Organizational Support and Cross-Cultural Adjustment on Job Burnout and Job Satisfaction: A Case of Japanese Expatriates, Thailand. 6th International Conference on Business and Industrial Research, ICBIR 2021 - Proceedings, 53–58. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICBIR52339.2021.9465872
Takeuchi, R. (2010). A critical review of expatriate adjustment research through a multiple stakeholder view: Progress, emerging trends, and prospects. In Journal of Management (Vol. 36, Issue 4, pp. 1040–1064). https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206309349308
Taylor, F. W. (1911). Principles and Methods of Scientific Management. Journal of Accountancy, 12(3), 3.
Tung, R. L. (1981). Selection and training of personnel for overseas assignments. Columbia Journal of World Business, 16(1), 68–78.
Wang, G., & Kiti, K. (2023). Self-Sacrificial Leadership, Social Support, and Expatriates’ Organizational Commitment Amid Crises: The Mediating Role of Cross-Cultural Adjustment. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4498384
Wang, Y., & Tran, E. (2012). Effects of cross-cultural and language training on expatriates’ adjustment and job performance in Vietnam. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 50(3), 327–350. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7941.2012.00028.x
Ward, C. (2001). The A, B, Cs of acculturation. The Handbook of Culture and Psychology, 411–445.
Waxin, M.-F., & Panaccio, A. (2005). Cross-cultural training to facilitate expatriate adjustment: It works! In Personnel Review (Vol. 34, Issue 1, pp. 51–67). Emerald Group Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480510571879
Wu, S., Fan, D., & Dabasia, A. J. (2023). Expatriate adjustment and subsidiary performance: a motivation-hygiene perspective. International Journal of Manpower, 44(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-04-2020-0154
Ying, D., Mohd Anuar, M. A., & Zulkifly, N. A. (2025). Three Dimensions of Cultural Intelligence and Expatriates Performance: Evidence from the Construction Industry. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(3). https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i3/24903
Zakariya, N. H., Othman, A. K., & Abdullah, Z. (2018). THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXPATRIATE ADJUSTMENT AND EXPATRIATE JOB PERFORMANCE AT MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS IN MALAYSIA. 51–58.

Xiangxiang, Y., & Sabar, R. (2025). Cross-Cultural Adjustment as a Mediator between Training and Job Performance: Evidence from Chinese Construction Expatriates in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(5), 392-404.

Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode