The Acculturation of ‘Expatriates’ in Singapore – An Exploratory Study

Abstract

It’s not easy to start a new life in a foreign country, but by all accounts, Singapore is meant to be one of the best places to try. Singapore is the financial hub of South-East Asia, has one of the busiest ports in the world, boasts an average per capita GDP higher than most other developed countries, and is establishing itself as a truly global city. Singapore is a magnet for expatriates from all over the globe and has one of the highest net migration rates in the world. When combining its multicultural population with the fact that the lingua franca is English, it could be said that Singapore is the ideal location for an expatriate to settle into and experience the multitude of different cultures represented by the city-state. In reality, Singapore is the ideal location to experience a ‘home away from home’, with a significant amount of foreigners choosing to completely separate themselves from the local population and live life as close as possible to how they would at home, simply because it is possible in Singapore. While historically this choice may not have been an issue in the culturally pluralist nation of Singapore, there is evidence that public opinion among Singaporeans regarding foreigners in Singapore is becoming more negative. The social and political reaction to this turn of opinion will have consequences for expatriates and the organisations that hire them. This research adopts a qualitative approach through ethnography to explore how various kinds of expatriates, foreign workers, and their families choose to acculturate in Singapore. Twenty-three expatriates currently living in Singapore participated in this research, and open- ended questioning was utilised in each interview. All of the participants had been living in Singapore for at least two years to ensure that they had sufficient time to attempt to adapt to the foreign location. This research examines each participant’s reflections on their acculturation process within this specific context. Berry’s (1997) acculturation framework was used as the basis of this research, with other theoretical models and perspectives supplementing the framework to contribute a more rounded review of applicable background theory. The themes gathered from the study were analysed with the acculturation framework to provide the conclusions for this research. Singapore was also studied in-depth so as to fully understand the specificities of this context in relation to the acculturation process. This research is largely not generalisable beyond the context of Singapore. However, the findings concerning the acculturation process as a whole as it relates to expatriates can be useful to any individual looking to relocate overseas. In addition, the implications for organisations that wish to either send an employee on an international assignment, or to hire a self-initiated expatriate overseas, particularly in Singapore, are also worthy of attention.