Undergraduate Research Proposal

A Study on Work-life balance on expatriates in Malaysia

Introduction and Background The research proposal I am preparing is going to be addressing the challenges faced by expatriates while working outside their home countries. The aim of the research is to view how these challenges are overcome and give way to job satisfaction and how the expatriates adjust themselves in unfamiliar surroundings.

Globalisation of business and economic transactions has led international assignment to be a regular practice for many employees (Bonache, 2005). Expatriates are a companys resources of accomplishing management, coordination, and information processing inside the corporation system and have revealed that multinational firms depend more on expatriates when there is a greater necessity for control (enforcing and protecting company interests) and management. In short, when global companies need to maintain their identity, they rely on expatriates (Edstrom 1977, Gupta 1991, cited in Tan & Mahoney, 2006). Other reason for the use of expatriates is that a larger cultural difference between the parent company and the overseas business guides to an apparent need for control and communication, and for this reason results in a greater dependence on expatriates (Harzing, 2001 cited in Tan & Mahoney 2003). Lee and Croker (2006) conclude that expatriates execute a vital role to their organisation such as managing, coordinating and sending information in between multinational and international businesses. It is also believed that expatriates ease the link of companies with other operations in nearby countries, improve the companys international knowledge and promote a clear understanding of international business (Boyacigiller, 1990 cited in Selmer & Leung, 2002).

With globalization affecting the world of business, the needs of expatriates has increased more and more. When companies expand abroad or participate in international arrangement, they need the help of people who already know the core activities of the corporation that they can deploy abroad to manage the subsidiaries. But often, this action neglects the implications of being in unfamiliar surroundings where expatriates have to face several challenges that are not only related to work but also to personal life particularly in Asian countries which consist of many diverse nations and cultures each with its own traits. For example a manager job

Undergraduate Research Proposal

satisfaction in a foreign country could be affected by the thoughts of having a family behind and facing cultural dissimilarities or having to even adjust his whole family that he brought to a new environment. Thus the satisfaction of the expatriates could be affected by these kinds of factors.

Therefore knowing the reasons that enable expatriates to balance their work and life role in Malaysia perhaps will help an organization experience a good job performance from the expatriate and also the parent company to teach the expatriates about many things prior to sending them on international assignment.

Research Objectives The aim of the research is to illustrate how the problems faced by expatriates abroad are surmounted. Therefore, the research will try to answer the following questions: What is the relationship between adjustment and satisfaction? What are the reasons behind expatriates success? How expatriates adjust their work role to that of their personal life?

Research Methodology The perfect methodology should be employed in order to answer the objective of the research paper.

The table bellow explains the difference between qualitative and quantitative method of research: Quantitative -Inquiry from the outside Qualitative -Inquiry from the inside

-Underpinned by a completely different set of -An attempt to take account of differences epistemological foundations from those in between people qualitative research -Are simply different ways to the same end? -Aimed at flexibility and lack of structure, in order to allow theory and concepts to proceed

-Involves the following of various state of the in tandem scientific research data -The results are said to be, through meaningful -The results are said to be hard generalisable theoretical generalisation, Deep, rich and

Undergraduate Research Proposal

-Inductive-where propositions may develop not only from practice, or literature review but also from ideas themselves -An approach to the study of the social word, which seek to describe and analyse the culture and behaviour of humans and their groups from the point of view of those being studied Source: Amaratunga, Baldry, Sarshar & Newton (2002)

To be able to collect the best information to answer my objectives, it is first important to collect secondary data which is information that has been gathered for some purpose other than the current research; it can be information that the organisation has or information that has been published and is accessible through electronic source coming from outside the organisation (Wilson, 2006, p 36). This information will be valuable to my research because it will allow me to first see the relationships existing between work-life balance, and based on the information I will develop my questions accordingly. The second method I will be using is the collection of primary data defined as data collected by a program of observation, qualitative or quantitative research either separately or in combination to meet the specific objectives of a research project (Wilson, 2006, p 413). This technique will solely be based on my own findings. I will use the quantitative method of research which is defined as the use of a structured approach with a sample of the population to produce quantifiable insights into behaviour, motivation and attitudes (Wilson, 2006, p 37). To evaluate the work-life balance of expatriates in Malaysia, I will design questions that will be distributed to some particular companies employees such as HSBC, PETRONAS, and academic schools to name a few. These employees would be my population of interest which is known as the total group of people that the researcher wishes to examine, study or obtain information from (Wilson, 2006, p 197). The questionnaires will be based on my literature review since the literature review illustrated that there are many reasons expatriates become unsatisfied at work and also the reasons that make them succeed in international assignment. These are industries

Undergraduate Research Proposal

that employ many expatriates. So getting the answers from this sample group would be highly helpful for my final year project. Therefore the need of the research will be highly accurate. The questionnaires will be addressing the motives of expatriates and job satisfaction. I intend to distribute the questionnaires and come back the next day to get them back. This will give the respondents sufficient time to go through them because they are busy with work. After receiving the data from the questionnaires, I intend to use the SPSS software to analyse the responses. These responses would be interpreted using the software and thus would help me to further justify the findings of this research.

Timescale

Months/ Sep Activities Introduction and Background Literature Review Questionnaires Design Distribution of Questionnaires Collection of Data Data Analysis Writing Report

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

This is very important in terms of achieving the final year project on time. I believe it will take me two months to come up with my introduction to the project and writing the background. Writing the literature review requires lots of reading. So it is vital to schedule about three months to complete the reading and writing. Within those months, I am positive that I will be able to access the Anglia Ruskin University digital library databases to get some journal articles and the FTMS college library (Books) for the collection of secondary

Undergraduate Research Proposal

research. The first two months of the time scale will be combined with writing the background and introduction as well as the literature review. The third month for the literature review will also be used to design my questionnaires. I will dedicate two months for the distribution of questionnaires to expatriates. I will also allocate the same two months as the distribution of questionnaires for the collection of primary data. Within the two months periods, I will be able to get the approval from the companies representatives then I will proceed to the gathering process. I will plan another two months for data analyses where the last month of this activity will be combined with the remaining months that will be allocated to editing the report and finishing writing it. Then I will get ready for the report presentation. Resources To be able to collect the secondary research, I will have to access the best databases for academic studies.

The best source I have available for me with no restrictions is the Anglia Ruskin University library. The university digital library has many databases that are helpful in finding information related to my proposal. However, this database only allows me to get journal articles. The other source I will also use is the FTMS College library which has many books connected to my project. The obstacle I will face in collecting this information I believe is the finding of documents exactly related to my topics. Many studies I suppose have been done on my topic for other purposes. So I will face the challenges of sorting out information and make sure that the ones I get are exactly related to my topic.

The way I am going to collect the primary data through the questions is by going to companies that employ expatriates around Kuala Lumpur such as HSBC, PETRONAS and academic schools. As I mentioned earlier these companies employ many expatriates. But before I go to these companies, I would have to get a letter of permission from FTMS College (Research Letter or Authorisation Letter). This letter will allow me to go and hand out my questions to companies expatriates. Also, prior to distributing the questions, I will have to talk to a representative of each company and explain to them the reasons I am conducting the research

Undergraduate Research Proposal

and the benefit both I and companies will gain from the research. Only then with their consent of course I will be able to distribute the questions. The possible difficulties I will face in distributing my questions will be: the representative of each company will have to first look at my questions and probably make sure that they do not hinder the image of their company. For instance questions that could make their employees regard the company as unfavourable. One other problem is that the concept of Hallo Effect might arise: instead of paying attention to the questions one by one, the respondents might get on the whole feelings of liking or disliking them and as result answer incorrectly or perhaps not answer.

Ethical Consideration When conducting the research, I will have to pay attention to the ethical issues that surround my research project.

When obtaining information from the Anglia Ruskin University databases and the FTMS College library, I will have to make sure that I acknowledge the sources of the information on my research and give credit to authors who have made my research so much convenient.

Prior to the collection of primary data, I will have to get the approval of companies first to ensure that the questions are fit to the respondents. I will have to show them my questions and make sure that they do not harm the respondents and the companies reputation. Upon approval of the respective companies, I will also make sure that I get the consent of respondents. Once I obtain the approval, I will collect the information conveniently. Also, when I get the answers from the respondents, I will have to make sure that I keep it confidentially so the answers would not come back and hurt them.

Reference list

Undergraduate Research Proposal

Amaratunga, D, Baldry, D, Sarshar, M & Newton, R. (2002). Quantitative and qualitative research in the built environment: application of mixed research approach. Work Study. 51(1), pp 17-31 Bonache, J. (2005). Job satisfaction among expatriates, repatriates and domestic employees: The perceived impact of international assignments on work-related variables. Personnel Review. 34(1), pp 110-124 Lee, L & Croker, R. (2006). A contingency model to promote the effectiveness of expatriate training. Industrial Management & Data System. 106(8), pp 1187-1205 Selmer, J & Leung, A. (2002). Career management issues of female business expatriates. Career Development International. 7(6), pp 348-358 Tan, D & Mahoney, J. (2006). Why a Multinational firm Chooses Expatriates: Integrating Resource-Based, Agency and Transaction Cost Perspectives. Journal of Management Studies. 43 (3) Tan, D & Mahoney, J. (2003). Explaining The Utilisation Of Managerial Expatriates From The perspectives Of Resource-Based, Agency, And Transaction-Costs Theories. Advances in International Management.15, pp 179-205