Being a stranger in a strange land: The relationship between person-organization fit on the work-related and broad cultural value dimensions and outcomes related to expatriates' success

High failure rates of expatriates continue to pose a challenge for both individuals and organizations looking to succeed in today's global economy. This research applies a person-organization fit framework to understand the factors that contribute to a successful expatriate experience. Congruence between expatriates and their host country organizations on both work-related and broad cultural value dimensions is proposed to interact with the type of national culture characteristic of expatriates' home countries to influence expatriates' perceived overall fit with their host country organizations. The type of home country culture is thought to influence the importance of value dimensions with respect to person-organization fit. Congruence on important value dimensions is expected to be more strongly related to perceived overall fit than congruence on less important dimensions. Perceived overall fit, in turn, is expected to influence outcomes related to expatriate success, including cross-cultural adjustment, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Data was collected from 165 expatriates currently working in U.S. organizations. Work-related values were assessed on five dimensions (innovation, attention to detail, team orientation, outcome orientation and supportiveness) based on the Organizational Culture Profile (O'Reilly, Chatman & Caldwell, 1991). Broad cultural value dimensions were assessed on four dimensions (self-enhancement, openness to change, self-transcendence and conservation) based on Schwartz' Scale of Basic Values (Schwartz, 1992). Expatriates' home country cultures were classified into two types of cultural clusters based on the findings from past cross-cultural research. The results suggested that person-organization value congruence on four of the five workrelated value dimensions (innovation, attention to detail, team orientation and supportiveness) interacted with expatriates' home country cultural cluster to influence perceived overall fit. Perceived overall fit, in turn, mediated the effect of the interaction between congruence on two work-related value dimensions (innovation, attention to detail) and home country cultural cluster on expatriates' outcomes (i.e., job satisfaction, turnover intentions). In addition, congruence on some value dimensions (supportiveness, self-enhancement, conservation) was directly related to expatriates' job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Perceived overall fit was positively related to job satisfaction and negatively to turnover intentions. Limitations, directions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.