Government policies. Taiwan government policies promote the retention of foreign talent. Creating supportive working laws that enable foreign students to assimilate into
Taiwan working society is crucial. Currently Taiwan has a policy that allows international students who graduate from a Taiwan university program an Alien Residency Card (ARC) extension for up to six months, allowing them to search for a job. However, the policy should be amended to at least a year to allow fair time for foreign talent to seek employment in Taiwan’s competitive market. In addition, companies play a role in the actual assimilation of the foreign talent, and the government can offer incentives to organizations who hire recent university graduates who are internationals.
Government aids. Currently Taiwan has a lot of financial aid through various scholarships and development fund with developing countries to attract foreign talent.
However cultural exposure is important for local Taiwanese as well. The government should also dedicate financial aid and promote enrollment of Taiwanese students in international programs that expose the students to different cultural experiences.
Universities. Universities in Taiwan that offer international programs are very vital to the quality of experience of the internationals. The universities culture and environment must promote cultural learning and development of international students. Firstly, schools can have on campus clubs that assimilate international students’ interaction with local Taiwanese students. Furthermore, provide activities that submerge the student in local culture and language. Secondly, universities can develop a relationship with companies that can utilize foreign talent and promote on-campus recruitment. Additionally, program policies can be amended to include mandatory internship experience. By allowing the student to experience being a part of a local company, they can have a better idea of what skills they should improve upon or what kind of career they can expect to achieve in Taiwan. Thirdly, universities can offer courses that are cultural specific; either for local students to learn about other cultures, or for international students to learn about local culture. Learning about the host countries customs, norms, and traditions can assist in reducing the perceived distance of international students, thereby allowing them to adjust quicker and enhance their quality of life.
Companies
Improving administrative skills and attitudes. In understanding the impact, the individual perception of environment has on adjustment, HR can focus on re-shaping the
perception of the stressful working environment, by promoting acceptance of individual differences and working alongside them towards a productive learning environment, the employees can have an outlet to express themselves and learn from each other. Human Resource managers can identify which employees express low of high openness and structuring training tailored to the enhancement of specific need. Beyond tailoring training, the overall structure and design of traditional training can be revamped, whereby the focus is on developing cultural intelligence and fostering an international mindset.
Recruitment of foreign talent. This research can help companies recruiting expatriates to restructure the cultural competence criteria for firing foreign talent. Expanding the criteria when hunting for new talent can be improved upon. Adding personality type questionnaires and asking living abroad experiences can give the employer more information for job-environment fit. Expanding the idea of foreign talent to include international students that are well adapted, recruitment can be conducted more effectively through campus fairs.
International Students
Students should pursue study abroad programs and immerse themselves in a different culture thereby gaining different perspective. High cultural intelligence skills can set apart a resume from the rest of the pile. When applying for international programs, make sure that the program offers a good environment for cultural learning. It is important to not only have cross-cultural experiences, but a quality experience. Research has shown that mere exposure can create learning, but learning that is aptly applied and results in cross-cultural adjustment, comes from the quality of experience. These include factors such as language proficiency, peer and family support, length of study in the foreign country, and quality of life. Despite physical distance between the home and host country, the perception of how institutional different you are can be overcome through exploring and learning.
Limitations
Several limitations of the study design are described as follows. The measurement instrument was distributed in the English language and was therefore limited to the population of international students who speak/understand English. This excludes most, but not all (as we did have some responses from Chinese speaking countries), non- English
speaking international students. The population was also limited to current study abroad students and did not include internationals students who have completed programs in Taiwan.
The study was delimited to a specific personality type – openness to experience based on review of literature, this personality type best fit the proposed framework. Other studies could include the other four personality types of the big five-personality spectrum. While this study focused on openness to experience personality type.
The variables were measured with close-ended Likert-type scales, adding open-ended questions could have offered more insight behind the reason for the way they choose responses.
There were some limitations from how data were collected of this study. Firstly, the data was collected using convenient sampling. In addition, the response rate varied from each institution, with a concentration of responses being from northern Taiwan, which could affect the result generalizability to cultural adjustment in the wider Taiwan.
Secondly, all the variables within the study were measured using self-report questionnaires, and although common method biases were examined, it cannot be completely eliminated. In the case of self-rating adjustment levels, respondents might report a higher adjustment level than they experience. Additionally, because of convenient sampling, we do not know why some people choose to respond and why some did not. The people who chose to respond to the questionnaires could represent a population in itself. Perhaps they express a certain personality type.