Crossing Cultures: A Qualitative Study of Expatriate Experiences with ...

Crossing Cultures: A Qualitative Study of Expatriate Experiences with Mentors during International Assignments

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY

Diana C. Cooper

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Advisor: Rosemarie Park, Ed.D.

May 2011

? Diana C. Cooper, 2011

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Acknowledgements

Learning and knowledge generation does not take place in a vacuum. My interactions with professors, doctoral peers and professional colleagues over the years laid the foundation for my academic, personal and intellectual growth leading up to and throughout my doctoral program culminating in this dissertation.

There are many people, near and far, who have freely shared their knowledge and wisdom contributing to this doctoral study. First among them is my advisor, Rosemarie Park, Ed. D. who has kindly supported my passion for studying the expatriate experience while challenging my ideas, interpretations and conclusions to produce meaningful academic work. I am grateful for the engaging conversations and professional guidance that she has afforded me. Dr. Gerald Fry and Dr. Jean King introduced me to qualitative research, and Cynthia Peden-McAlpine, Ph.D., RN, guided the depth of my understanding of the methodology used in this study. I will cherish memories of many rich discussions shared at Bordertown with Dr. Fry and at Kafe 421 with Dr. Park. Our meetings propelled my doctoral work to completion without feeling a hint of drudgery but with continual enthusiasm for the field of human resource development and crosscultural investigations.

I am grateful to each of my committee members for contributing in no small way to the quality of my education. Dr. Alexandre Ardichvili and Dr. R. Michael Paige served on my committee, providing encouragement and insightful comments during my coursework, preliminary examinations, and proposal review process. Their expertise in cross-cultural leadership fueled my interests in my research area. Dr. James Brown served as my committee chair. Dr. Judith Lambrecht, my original advisor, supported and guided me through the hoops of the doctoral program up to my proposal review. She was my mentor for my preliminary examinations, quantitative scholarship, and classroom instruction. I appreciate the guidance she offered in her role as Director of Undergraduates Studies while I instructed Business and Marketing Education undergraduate students. Professor Ross Azevedo, has been a sounding board and mentor as well. Professor Jean King, Director of Graduate Studies, was my first professor at the University, offering her continual support and perspective.

My earliest mentors are scholars from my MBA program at University of California, Irvine, who have supported me professionally for many years. Some were classmates who started their doctoral coursework with me in my Master's program in the mid 1980s. All of them have advanced the development and study of organizational development in an international context and took the time to consult with me on my doctoral progress while sharing their insights on international OD: Jone Pearce, Ph.D., Lyman Porter, Ph.D., P. Christopher Early, Ph.D., Judy B. Rosener, Ph.D., Gregory Stephens, Ph.D.,

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and Steven Sommer, Ph.D. I am grateful for their encouragement. In particular, I am thankful to Port and Steve for their email advice on the rigor of the qualitative study and devising incisive, integrative research questions for my thesis.

My peers in the doctoral program provided me with a sisterhood of support and intellectual stimulation. I count myself as a lucky one to have landed among a group of like-minded women in terms of scholarly pursuit, with a breadth of talents, the gift of compassion and a shared sense of humor, as we forged ahead through our respective courses of study: Sanghamitra Chaudhuri, Josie Fritsch, Meg F. Sisk, Catherine Heither, Jued Pruetipibultham, Ph.D., Karen Johnson, Mary Laeger-Hagermeister, Ph.D., Sarah Rand, and Jennifer Schultz, Ph.D.

I am indebted to the thirteen expatriates who participated in the study and the company contacts who purposefully forwarded my research proposal to all potential participants. The kindness the participants afforded me, in sharing their time and candid reflections of their experiences on international assignment, provided the rich data that is the substance of this study. Moira Kenny meticulously transcribed many of their stories, helping me maintain the momentum of this research to completion.

Finally, my deepest appreciation goes to my family and friends who made this journey possible. Christopher and Hailey Miller, my children, who have taught me the joy and challenge of learning through the eyes of another, and kept the home fires burning while I was at the University. Thank you, John and Mirna Knight for keeping me centered and encouraged, and James Alvey, for always being there and providing necessary diversions over the long haul of research and writing; Julie Bertoli, Clare and Mike Foley, Jungmi Ahn Jin, Tom Dahlin, and Carol Vanlue for believing in me and balancing my academic work with friendship, laughter and correspondence.

I feel privileged and fortunate to have had the academic and emotional support to see me through my doctoral work. It has been a transformational experience to find and pursue my research passion 30 years after my first overseas experience.

iii For Hailey and Christopher

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