Acclimatisation

Becoming accustomed to the new situation, environment, temperature and/or altitude in China.

Accompanying (or Trailing) Spouse

A person who has given up his/her home/career in order to accompany his/her spouse to China in support of the wife/husband’s career.  For the purposes of this study, the term “spouse” will apply to a married partner or a person who was living with his/her partner prior to their relocation to China.

Acculturation:

The process of assimilating the new ideas associated with China into your own existing cognitive structure; the adoption of the Chinese culture, i.e. the behaviour patterns, knowledge and values shared by Chinese society; the modification of your own behaviour and activities as a result of contact with the Chinese culture.

Analytical Purposes

The results obtained from the survey will be collated and studied as a whole to determine the nature and relationship between them, and identify common features and trends.

Assignment

The position or post of duty to which a person has been assigned.

Buddy

A close friend or ally.

Challenge

A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking.

Consent

Agreement.

Critical success factor

A fact or issue without which success in unlikely.

Cross-cultural training

Training which helps individuals compare or deal with two or more different cultures, in this case the Chinese culture with the expatriate’s own native culture.

Cultural adjustment

Adjusting to/becoming familiar with a culture which is different to one’s own.

‘Culture shock’

The frustration and confusion that result from being bombarded by too many new and uninterpretable cues.

Demographics

Statistics characterising human populations (or segments of human populations broken down by age or sex or income etc.)

Distance Learning

Study through an educational source, the location of which is not easily reachable from your residential location, often undertaken over the Internet, by post, or through a local institute or representative.

Domestic harmony

Happiness and/or well-being at home.

Expatriation

Migration from one’s native country in order to settle in foreign country.

Expatriate

A person who is living in a country, which is not their native country.

Hindsight

Looking back, i.e. something you know now, that you did not know before

HR

Human Resources (department or personnel)

Home-Builder

Someone who sets-up and maintains the family home.

Host Employer

The employer who sponsors an expatriate assignment, i.e. the company who has supported the application for the Chinese work permit.

Host Country

The country in which an expatriate is living, in this case China.

‘Hot Spot’

A location of particular activity or interest.

Integration

The bringing of people of different racial or ethnic groups into unrestricted and equal association, as in society or an organization.

Job performance

The level of ability or standard to which a work task is carried out.

Key role

A major and important part to play.

MBA

Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Mentoring programme

A coaching and development programme.

Native language

The language of one’s home country; sometimes referred to as the ‘mother tongue’.

Non-Chinese Speaker

A person who cannot speak the Chinese language well enough to communicate with Chinese speakers.

Orientation

An adjustment or adaptation to a new environment, situation, custom, or set of ideas.

Introductory instruction for newcomers concerning the unfamiliar situation in China.

Pre-departure

The time period immediately before leaving your home to come to China.

Post arrival

The time period immediately after your arrival in China.

Professional relocation services

Relocation and orientation services offered by an individual or company who has extensive, relative knowledge and experience and who charges a professional fee for that service.

Recruiting agencies

Professionals who help match people to jobs.

Relocate

To move home or job from one place to another.

Relocation Package

The combined remuneration and benefits awarded to an employee who moves his/her job from one location to another.

Spouse

A married partner.  For the purposes of this study, the term “Spouse” will also apply to an individual who was living with his/her partner prior to their relocation to China.

Stakeholders

All people and/or organisations who have an interest.  In this case, expatriates and their spouses and families, employers, clients, local government(s) and communities, international trade commissions, chambers of commerce etc.

‘Trailing (Or Accompanying) Spouse’

A person who has given up his/her home/career in order to accompany his/her spouse to China in support of the wife/husband’s career.  For the purposes of this study, the term “spouse” will also apply to a married partner or a person who was living with his/her partner prior to their relocation to China.

Trends

Common issues and their level/extent of commonality.

Withdraw consent

To take away agreement; to decide not to continue.