Abstract
A preliminary review of the literature on cultural or expatriate adjustment with regard to
the spouses of diplomatic personnel, such as the military attaché, clearly indicated a
gap in the existing knowledge scholars have of the adjustment experiences of spouses
of expatriate managers. The aim of this study was exploring and describing one South
African expatriate’s wife’s authentic experiences of expatriate adjustment to India.
A modernist qualitative methodology with symbolic interactionism as theoretical
framework and interpretivist constructivism as research paradigm was employed. The
case study was used as qualitative research strategy and the life history was used as
the qualitative research technique. Purposeful sampling was employed. Plummer’s
(2001) critical humanism was included to reflect the flavour of the diversity of
frameworks available to life history researchers. Data were obtained from solicited and
unsolicited sources. This yielded a life history with rich descriptive data that were
systematically analysed with the grounded theory technique proposed by Strauss and
Corbin (1990, 1998). A conceptual framework was compiled and used to substantiate
the finding by means of a literature review, the identification of the core category, and
finally the development of a substantive theory called: a transitional theory of spousal
expatriate adjustment. Guidelines proposed in the literature were followed to ensure
the authenticity, trustworthiness and credibility of the study.
The findings provided some understanding of how wives of military attaché’s experience
the process of expatriate adjustment. Recommendations were made to improve current
practice. The study also made a methodological contribution to the local study of
Industrial and Organisational Psychology and in particular International Human
Resources Management. Recommendations are made for future research.
Prof. Willem Schurink