Cultural adaptation is the long-term process of adjusting to and finally feeling comfortable in a new environment (Kim, 2001, 2005). How one adapts depends to some extent on the host environment—whether it is welcoming or hostile. There are three communication approaches to studying cultural adaptation, and they vary in the degree to which
they emphasize individual or contextual/environmental influences in the adaptation process. A dialectical perspective incorporates both the individual and the contextual. The social science approach emphasizes the role of personal characteristics of the migrant; the interpretive focuses on the experience of the migrant in the adaptation context; and the critical explores the role of larger contexts that influence cultural adaptation: social institutions and history, politics, and economic structures.
Social Science Approach
The social science approach focuses on the individual in the adaptation process, individual characteristics and background of the migrant, and the individual outcomes of adaptation. It includes three models: the anxiety and uncertainty management (AUM) model, the transition model, and the integrative model.
Individual Influences on Adaptation Many individual characteristics—including age, gender, preparation level, and expectations—can influence how well migrants adapt (Ward, 2001). But there is contradictory evidence concerning the effects of age and adaptation. On the one hand, younger people may have an easier time adapting
because they are less fixed in their ideas, beliefs, and identities. Because they adapt
more completely, though, they may have more trouble when they return home. On the other hand, older people may have more trouble adapting because they are less flexible.
However, for that very reason, they may not change as much and so have less trouble when they move back home (Kim, 2001). Level of preparation for the experience may influence how migrants adapt,
and this may be related to expectations. Many U.S. sojourners experience more culture shock in England than in other European countries because they expect little difference between life there and life here in the United States (Shurer, 2016).
In contrast, sojourners traveling to cultures that are very different expect to experience culture shock. Anxiety and Uncertainty Management Model Communication theorist
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The existence of minorities and immigrant groups in today's workplace creates new challenges in managing cultural diversity and adoption in the modem organization. Because these immigrant groups have diverse cultural backgrounds, religions, languages, and levels of education, it is more challenging to handle cultural diversity than personal dissimilarities. Ethnic and religious beliefs are deeply rooted in minority employees. Thus, they bring their nationality to the workplace when they join certain organizations. This requires managers to adopt effective transcultural management approaches to overcome the challenges of managing cultural diversity (Alkhazraji,1997).
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