Vol.14,No.1 | [Article] Optimal Variations of Organizational Culture in Arab Markets: Comparative Analysis of Tunisia and Saudi Arabia

This paper aims to perform a comparative analysis of the moderating effect of organizational culture on the adjustment level of Korean expatriates in two different Arab countries. To approach international issues on business activities, one should follow certain guidelines to find the best solution. This research examines an organizational culture as the moderator of the adjustment determinants of expatriates through the JK model to investigate the comparative, cross-cultural adjustments of Korean with multinational samples in Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. Also, the expatriate adjustment model assesses the dimensionality of adjustment and tests the adjustment determinants proposed in the model comprehensively. This research is based on models such as the inherent differences in personal characteristics within individual cultural value positioning, individual ideology, and the evaluative criteria of each organization, which are built on Islamic culture and tradition within Arab countries. In the assessment, this study confirms a diversity of the adjustment process by considering the moderating effect of organizational culture on the adjustment level of Korean expatriates in both two countries. The process of analysis shows how behaviors in cross-cultural adjustment are evaluated, as suggested by existing surveys and methodology. As a result, this study finds out a optimal position of Korean managers of multinational companies and individual business expatriates to develop a different adaptation option of the managerial strategies in Arab markets.