The double-edged sword of acculturation: Navigating work-family conflict among immigrants
File version
Version of Record (VoR)
Author(s)
Yao, Christian
Roche, Maree
Wang, Minghui
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
Size
File type(s)
Location
Abstract
Work–family conflict (WFC) research has largely overlooked the unique experiences of ethnic minorities, particularly immigrant employees navigating dual cultural contexts. Addressing this limitation, our study investigates how acculturation influences WFC among Chinese immigrants in New Zealand. Using interviews with 29 participants, we found that Chinese immigrants employ a domain-specific acculturation strategy: adopting a separation approach in the family domain to preserve their native culture while pursuing an integration approach in the work domain by blending home and host cultures. This dual strategy has contrasting effects on WFC—mitigating it through enhanced social support at work, while simultaneously exacerbating it through increased role demands. Our findings extend theoretical frameworks in WFC and acculturation, offering nuanced insights for scholars and practitioners into managing migrant workers’ WFC.
Journal Title
International Journal of Intercultural Relations
Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume
105
Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject
Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
Development studies
Cultural studies
Persistent link to this record
Citation
Shang, S; Yao, C; Roche, M; Wang, M, The double-edged sword of acculturation: Navigating work-family conflict among immigrants, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2025, 105, pp. 102154