Internet use and expatriate adjustment

Abstract

Expatriate research has indicated that expatriate adjustment is a complex problem given that factors such as the influence of the spouse, cultural training/understanding, fluency in the host language and personality or emotional readiness of the expatriate are key. Considering these challenges in a culturally diverse environment such as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) provides a setting for an interesting study. The on-going PhD study concerning how expatriates use the Internet to adapt to KSA has proposed a theoretical model derived by following Glaser's Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM). This paper will report on a specific aspect of this proposed model namely the substantive category "degree of isolation" that references the expatriates the most. In line with the principles of the GTM extant literature were surveyed when the proposed theory reached maturity. This paper describes how the theory of Sense of Community (SOC) was chosen and applied to explain how expatriates, living in compounds in KSA, make sense of the degree of isolation experienced as it addressed the multifaceted nature of isolation as defined by this study.

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