Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

3-2016

Abstract

Integrating the literature on trust building and cultural intelligence, the purpose of this paper is to understand how expatriate managers build trust with their host country nationals (HCNs) in China. Qualitative data collected via extensive interviews with 12 expatriate managers and 34 HCNs from seven multinational companies in Shanghai. The authors find that expatriate managers and HCN managers build trust via competence/ability at the onset. The trust relationship becomes stronger over time with the development of affect-based trust via cultural intelligence of the expatriate managers. Implications for theory and practice following the results are discussed. This study used the cultural intelligence perspective to understand the trust building process. In addition this study interviewed both sides to the trust dyad; the expatriate manager and the HCN manager. Hence, it provides perspectives from both sides of the trust building process, one of the first studies to do so.

Keywords

Chinese host country nationals, Cultural intelligence, Expatriates, Trust

Discipline

Asian Studies | Organizational Behavior and Theory

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Journal of Global Mobility

Volume

4

Issue

1

First Page

44

Last Page

67

ISSN

2049-8799

Identifier

10.1108/JGM-06-2015-0021

Publisher

Emerald

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-06-2015-0021

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