Personal adjustment, motivation for retention, environmental similarity and quality preference toward satisfaction among expatriate academics

Abstract

Many problems that expatriates face, motivate them to leave rather than remain. Adjustment is also a problem for expatriates. Socio-cultural adjustment is time consuming and expatriates possibility may fail (Adler, 2002).If the environmental similarities are fewer, expatriates need a lot of personal adjustment and may cause the failure of adjustment; but if the environmental similarities are more, expatriates may only need a little personal adjustment or may even not need at all, just like living in home country. The set of quality attributes to be measured according to different expatriate academics' viewpoint increases the complexity of the process how to measure and to analyze the factors and how it meets with expatriate academics’ expectations. The objectives of this research are to access the level of motivation, adjustment and environmental similarities among expatriate academics in a Malaysian university; to determine the relationship among motivation, adjustment and environmental similarities and satisfaction among expatriate academics in a Malaysian university; to analyze the influence of demography on satisfaction among expatriate academics in a Malaysian university; and to measure expatriate academics’ preferences of quality in a Malaysian university. Limitation of this study is just focusing on one university of Malaysia. Survey questionnaire and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) questionnaire have been used to collect the data. Expatriate academics are mostly motivated to remain by teaching context which has three items: rapport with departmental leadership, teaching opportunities, and nation building (ability to affect change). Fourteen items as motivation to remain which selected by 50% of the respondents are research opportunities, cost of living, reputation of the university, research funding, reputation of department, research/ lab facilities, international experience, professional development opportunities, geographic location of Malaysia, rapport with departmental leadership, teaching opportunities, nation building (ability to affect change), scholarly environment, and students. Research opportunities and cost of living identify as the most important factors of motivation. Majority of expatriate academics are able to adjust in host country. Expatriate academics are better in specific job responsibilities and supervisory responsibilities. “Everyday customs that must be followed” and “general living conditions (housing, etc.)” are similar from their home country. The sub-variables of motivation for turnover that have moderately negative with satisfaction are “organization culture”, “scholar environment”, and “region and global perspective”. However, it shows no relationship between the adjustment and satisfaction of expatriate academics in a Malaysia university. The result shows that there is a positive relationship between environmental similarities and satisfaction. The equation of the multiple regressions is as follows: Satisfaction = 3.968 -0.356 (cost of living, students and geopolitical consideration) + 0.297 (general living costs and transportation system used in Malaysia). Only the Nationality is significant differences with satisfaction of expatriate academics in UTM. The highest weight of preference of quality among all sub-criteria is “professional experience” of academic staff. The second highest sub-criterion weight in AHP analysis is “educational material” in curriculum structure, followed by rapid administration service and abroad program opportunities in career perspective.