Investigating The Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of Talwanese Working In Shanghai

With the development of globalization, more attention has been given to the study of intercultural communication, especially in the cross-cultural adaptation. A great amount of research has been done in this area between people from different countries. However, cross-cultural adaptations taking place in similar cultures have not aroused as much attention as they deserve.In recent years, the economy of mainland China has been getting dramatically bigger and bigger. While in comparison, Taiwan's market is much smaller and there is much less growing space for business development. Seeing the big potential market and numerous business opportunities, more and more Taiwanese are coming to mainland to invest, start business or look for jobs since the end of the last century. Shanghai, the economic center of mainland China, of course attracts the most Taiwanese during recent years. Although Taiwan and mainland China have the same cultural roots, due to their different developing history over the last century, cultural differences between the two exist beyond doubt. However, the cross-cultural adaptation of these Taiwanese in Shanghai has never been systematically studied yet.Drawing on the works in cross-cultural adaptation, this thesis, through in-depth interviews with 14 Taiwanese working in Shanghai, attempts to answer these five research questions: (1) What is the general situation of the adaptation of Taiwanese working in Shanghai, both socioculturally and psychologically? What are their adaptation strategies (assimilation, integration, separation or marginalization)?; (2) What are the factors that hinder their adaptation process?; (3) What is their work situation? Does any difficulty exist in their workplace adaptation?; (4) How does their Taiwanese identity affect their career development in Shanghai?; (5) What suggestions can be given to the Taiwanese who are coming to work in Shanghai to help them better adapt?By looking into the various aspects of their life in Shanghai, their sociocultural and psychological adaptations were analyzed. Multiple difficulties both in social and work adaptation have been identified and useful suggestions for future Taiwanese working in Shanghai were collected. Through this study, the author hopes to help the target group better adapt to the city Shanghai. This study, also as an exploratory effort on this issue, tries to arouse more people's attention and care to the living status of the target group and hopefully elicit more research in this area.