An experiential approach to cross-cultural adaptation: A study of Japanese expatriates' learning styles, learning skills, and job satisfaction in the United States

The purpose of this study is to examine how Japanese expatriates are adapted to their cross-cultural environment in the U.S. To pursue this, I first made a conceptual framework based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory that allows us to differentiate between one culture and another. Eight testable hypotheses were developed and examined under the cross-cultural assumption that Japanese learning styles are contrasted with American learning styles within the two distinctive learning dimensions encompassed by Kolb's model. Those hypotheses provided four different aspects to be investigated for cross-cultural adaptation: (1) a change of learning styles over time, (2) a change of learning skills over time, (3) the effect of learning styles on matches or mismatches between learning skills and their demands, and (4) the effect of learning styles on job satisfaction. Research samples in the study consisted of 267 Japanese expatiates who work in Japanese multinational corporations in the U.S.; As hypothesized, Japanese learning styles were moved from the reflective mode to the active mode over time, and their learning skills in behavioral areas were also developed over time. The active mode also enhanced the expatriates' adaptation to behavioral job contexts. As another indicator of adaptation, furthermore, the job satisfaction of Japanese expatriates depended upon the learning style transition toward active experimentation. All of these findings suggest that the active and reflective dimension plays a crucial role in cross-cultural adaptation. Adapting to such an environment requires people to acquire an undeveloped mode of learning in that dimension.; Contrary to prediction concerning the other learning dimension of the concrete experience over time. Consistent with this movement, the level of skill development in the three interpersonal skills were also increased over time. The job satisfaction of Japanese expatriates was dependent on their learning style change toward the concrete mode. These findings suggest that the concrete mode may be generally required for people to be successful at cross-cultural adaptation.; Finally, implications for an extension of the Experiential Learning Theory as well as the areas of cross-cultural and expatriate management studies will be explored extensively.