Does Cultural Training Help Expats Succeed?
A new study has identified the factors contributing most to expatriate employees’ cross-cultural adjustment.
Jonas R. Kunst and Kinga BierwiaczonekJune 01, 2026Reading Time: 1 min
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Summary:
A massive meta-analytical study covering more than half a million workers who were employed outside their home country examined the ...
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Every year, multinational corporations invest billions in global mobility programs. The standard playbook includes training in the customs, values, and communication styles of the host country. However, our meta-analysis of research on migrants, including relocated workers, suggests that cultural knowledge plays a minimal role in expats’ successful adjustment.
In a study recently published in Nature Communications, we and our colleagues conducted the largest-ever...
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