Selecting Expatriates for Personality Characteristics: A Moderating Effect of Personality on the Relationship Between Host National Contact and Cross-cultural Adjustment

This study examines the process by which interactions with host nationals help facilitate expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment. The hypotheses are based on two related theories, (1) the contact hypothesis and (2) social learning theory. Personality characteristics (openness and sociability) are hypothesized to moderate the relationship between contact with host nationals and cross-cultural adjustment. The hypotheses are tested on a sample of expatriates from a US-based information technology company.