Significations Of Family Social Structure And Friendship Relationships In Affecting Expatriate Experience: From The Lens Of Malaysia Public University Expatriate Community

Irma Wani Othman and Wan Hurani Osman and Anna Lynn Abu Bakar (2022) Significations Of Family Social Structure And Friendship Relationships In Affecting Expatriate Experience: From The Lens Of Malaysia Public University Expatriate Community. International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counselling (IJEPC), 7. pp. 731-749. ISSN 0128-164X

[img] Text
ABSTRACT.pdf

Download (56kB)
[img] Text
FULLTEXT.pdf
Restricted to Registered users only

Download (396kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

This paper provides an understanding of the social structure, which is seen as a phenomenology that refers to one's thinking about the interpretation and meaning of life experience based on the presence of individuals in economic position, political scenario, statehood, and education system in a country that is not his country of origin. Thus, the interpretation among these independent expatriates is debated by taking into account the role of social structures such as family institutions and the environment of friendship in relation to the significance of expatriate experiences in the host country. In other words, the discussion presented in this paper is to achieve the objective of the study in unravelling the expatriate's interpretation of the expatriate decision, whether it is closely related to the experience of his family members during the expatriate service in the host country. The research was conducted by utilising qualitative methods of in-depth interviews with 30 expatriate academics selected from four Malaysian public universities. The appropriate respondent criteria include the following characteristics, namely (a) has resided for at least a year in Malaysia using a valid employee visa, (b) has been offered a position as academic staff and has renewed his service contract, (c) is an expatriate with his own initiative in expatriating and (d) works full time and is not classified as an exchange staff between universities or those on sabbatical leave. The study results show that the interpretation of family members on the meaning of expatriation experience gives justification for expatriate to remain in the host country. While moral support from friendship provides a positive indication of expatriate’s performance in the context of work throughout performing international duties. Further supporting social networks relationship with the local community is also one of the determinants of expatriate success in adapting to the host country environment.

Item Type: Article
Keyword: Family Institution , Friendship , Social structure , Academic expatriate , Malaysian public universities
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HM Sociology (General) > HM(1)-1281 Sociology > HM706 Social structure
H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman > HQ1-2044 The Family. Marriage. Women > HQ503-1064 The family. Marriage. Home
Department: CENTRE > Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language Learning
Depositing User: DG MASNIAH AHMAD -
Date Deposited: 10 Nov 2022 08:41
Last Modified: 10 Nov 2022 22:11
URI: https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/34763

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item