How do Chinese Workers’ Acculturation Strategies Influence Their Working Life in Korea? Comparison between Korean-Chinese and Han-Chinese Groups

Abstract

Over 2.36 million foreigners are staying in South Korea and South Korea has already entered a multicultural society. Among these foreigners in the country, Chinese residents (including Han-Chinese and Korean-Chinese) numbered the highest and it accounted for 45.2% of the total number of foreigners. Previous studies mainly focussed on influential factors for acculturation and neglected the mutual influence of acculturation and work related variables. In particular, studies for the effects of acculturation strategies on job-related outcomes are rare (Lu, Samaratunge, and Hartel, 2012). This study tries to fill this gap of study and aims to clarify the different quality of work life among South Korea’s Chinese workers with distinctive acculturation strategies. Based on Berry’s (1980; 1989) Acculturation Model, their acculturation strategies were classified by K-means cluster analysis which derived four types of acculturation strategies – Integration, Assimilation, Segregation and Marginalization. The work variables that consist of work adjustment, job satisfaction and work conditions were assumed to be distinctive among the four acculturation strategies. The sample of our respondents was 330 Chinese workers (200 Korean-Chinese and 133 Han-Chinese). ANOVA test confirmed significant differences among the four acculturation strategies in work adjustment, job satisfaction and work conditions as well as in Korean listening skills and educational level. In particular, those with integration or assimilation strategies exhibited the better quality of work life (higher job satisfaction and work adjustment as well as better work conditions) than ones with segregation or marginalization strategy. Moreover, the workers with integration strategy tend to have the best work life (highest level in job satisfaction and work adjustment as well as the best work conditions) among those with the four strategies. Theoretical and practical implications for organizational or welfare practice were discussed.