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Ethnic Minority Migrant Chinese in New Zealand

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Ethnic Minority Migrant Chinese in New Zealand Ethnic minority migrant Chinese in New Zealand: A study into their acculturation and workplace interpersonal conflict experiences Nancy McIntyre A thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) 2008 Business School: Management Primary Supervisor: Dr. Edwina Pio TABLE OF CONTENTS ATTESTATION OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the qualifications of any other degree or diploma of a university or other institution of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement is made in the acknowledgements. ___________________________ Nancy McIntyre Master of Philosophy Candidate Student ID No.: 0007834 April 2008 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge with sincere gratitude the advice, assistance and guidance from my supervisors Dr. Edwina Pio and Dr. Judith Pringle through this course of higher learning. My thanks and appreciation to all 25 interview participants who gave most generously of their time, and for their willingness to share their acculturation experiences, without which this research project would not have been possible. I also wish to extend my appreciation to a special colleague, Dr. Claire Liu, for her generosity in offering me another “pair of eyes” as well as her intellectual comments. I thank Margaret Linzell-Jones for her help in proof-reading this work. DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my husband Roderick McIntyre, my late adoptive mum Madam Yap Kin Lan, and my late father-in-law Dr. William Henry Rankin McIntyre whose personal integrity and uncompromising ethical stance is a beacon of light as well as a living legacy for me. ETHICS APPROVAL Ethics approval from AUT University Ethics Committee (AUTEC) was granted on 09 August 2006, for a period of two years commencing 01 March 2006. The Ethics Application Reference number was 06/120. ii ABSTRACT This study makes an important academic contribution by adding a new dimension to the existing scholarly literature on the acculturative processes of immigrants through its findings from an investigation into ethnic minority migrant Chinese Chinese’s acculturation experiences in relation to workplace interpersonal conflict in New Zealand. The literature reviewed illustrates the complexities of the acculturation process for immigrants and is of prime importance and relevance to this study. The literature provides an informed academic foundation that aligns with the subject matter under study. The focus of this study is on the acculturation process experienced by ethnic minority migrant Chinese in New Zealand as they strive to adapt to various aspects of their new surroundings. The study inquires into whether the length of acculturation has an influence on ethnic minority migrant Chinese’s handling of workplace interpersonal conflict in the New Zealand. The researcher’s interest in conducting this study arises from her own personal acculturation and workplace interpersonal conflict experiences as an ethnic minority migrant Chinese. A phenomenological interpretive research methodology was adopted for this study. One-on-one indepth interviews of 25 ethnic minority migrant Chinese from China (Mainland), Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam provided primary data on the individual migrant’s experience and perspective on acculturation and workplace interpersonal conflict in New Zealand. The findings from the 25 ethnic minority migrant Chinese interviewed reveal the complexities and difficulties in the acculturation process, as they attempt to adapt to various aspects of their new environment. The adaptive strategies used almost certainly mean that the immigrants will have to make changes in their thinking, attitude, speech, and social conduct. There is a particular emphasis on the study of intercultural dynamics at play in the face of iii workplace interpersonal conflict between immigrants and members of the host society. The acculturation process is made more difficult for migrants who have negative workplace encounters in their intercultural interactions resulting in misunderstandings and conflict. The findings also reveal the migrants’ response mechanisms, particularly in learning to be more assertive. This study found that the cultural orientations of the ethnic migrant Chinese are such that for many, this concept (assertiveness) has to be learned since it runs counter to their educational, cultural tradition, and familial upbringing. The principles of Confucianism are deeply rooted, such as respect for authority and an emphasis on ‘giving-face’ to others and preserving social harmony. From this study’s findings, there is empirical evidence that Confucian principles are deeply entrenched in the ethnic minority migrant Chinese’ psyche irrespective of which country of origin they come from. In addition, the findings show that the acculturation experiences are unique to the individual migrant, depending on the person’s previous exposure to a foreign environment, language proficiency and personality. This study shows that the acculturation process experienced by these migrants was a period of personal growth and development, acquiring self-confidence, self- rationalisation, changes, and adjustments. Also, the findings reveal that while the length of residence in the host country is a significant factor for these migrants, other factors are significant as well, such as acquiring a certain level of language proficiency and increasing self-confidence. iv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction Immigration patterns have physically moved segments of the world population. Contacts with new, alien, unfamiliar or even mysterious cultures are becoming a normal part of everyday life (Porter & Samovar, 1994). The changing demographics across nations gave rise to a multicultural workforce throughout various parts of the world resulting in a growing number of ethnic minorities in different countries (Pio, 2005a), including migrant-receiving countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand. On a world scale, a 2006 study estimated that there were 191 million international migrants, with Europe hosting the largest number at 64 million (van Oudenhoven, Ward, & Masgoret, 2006). The increase in global mobility meant that there is a large and increasing global pool of potential migrants for migrant-receiving nations such as New Zealand. A range of factors are likely to determine the attractiveness of New Zealand as a destination point for skilled migrants. These include New Zealand’s economic prosperity, global stability, security and settlement outcomes and experiences for migrants (Badkar, Callister & Krishnan, 2006). The worldwide migrant statistics point to a significant need for multicultural sensitivity and understanding (Pio, 2005b), especially for migrant-receiving countries like New Zealand. The focus of this study is on the acculturation process experienced by ethnic minority migrant Chinese in New Zealand as they strive to adapt to various aspects of their new surroundings. The adaptive strategies used almost certainly mean that the immigrants will have to make changes to their thinking, attitude, speech, and social conduct. There is a particular emphasis on the study of intercultural dynamics at play in the face of workplace interpersonal conflict between immigrants and members of the host society. 1 This study makes an important academic contribution by adding a new dimension to the existing scholarly literature on the acculturative processes of immigrants. This is achieved by exploring and developing sensitive insights into how ethnic minority migrant Chinese people, during their acculturation process, respond to and deal with interpersonal conflict in the workplace in New Zealand. The study investigates whether the ethnic minority migrant Chinese’s cultural orientation and perspectives have any role in it. The insights gained from this study will be beneficial on several fronts. First, it will inform, promote and encourage appreciation and understanding of another race and culture – the ethnic minority migrant Chinese. In New Zealand and indeed other nations, in the advent of globalisation and all that it entails, this appreciation and understanding will be most advantageous to educationalists, employees, management personnel and management practitioners, and the wider community. Arguably, it will enhance overall organisational learning, benefiting organisation practitioners when dealing with a diverse workforce. This is because interpersonal conflict is a fundamental component of organisational life that requires managers and supervisors to consider how best to respond (Moberg, 2001). Past research has viewed interpersonal conflict as a dynamic process which occurs between individuals and/or groups who are engaged in interdependent relationships, a phenomenon that is more likely to occur when a variety of background, situational factors and personal conditions exist (Barki & Hartwick, 2004). Conflict occurs in organisations affecting a host of individual and organisational processes and outcomes. The organisational importance of conflict and its impact is evidenced by more than 70 years of research generating a wide spectrum of knowledge. However, no research has been found that specifically inquired into ethnic minority migrant Chinese’s acculturation
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