The Process of Cross-cultural Adaptation:An Analysis of Outsourced

xssc@overseaen.comISSN 1009- -5039htp://ww.overseaen.comOverseas English海外英语Tel:+86- -551- -65690811 65690812The Process of Cross-cultural Adaptation:An A nalysis of Outsourced吴莹(中国矿业大学徐海学院外语系,江苏徐州221008)Abstract: This paper employs Kim' s (2001) ‘ Process of Cross- cultural Adaptation theory’ to analyze the film- -Outsourced,and growth are three crucial phrases in the process of cross- cultural adaptation, which are correlated to each other and perform ina cyclic and continual way of‘draw - -back -to- -leap’. In this paper, each phrase is analyzed via employing theories and ilustratingover, implications will be explored by the paper and suggestions will be offered to the sojourners for their better adaptation in thehost country. In addition, the paper presents the diferences between American culture and Indian culture, which are to some ex-tent, the obstacles afecting successful cross-cultural adaptation.Key words: culture shock; culture conflict; cross cultural adaptation中图分类号:G0文献标识码:A文章编号: 1009- -5039(2014)21-0275- -041 Introductionto success and how the sojourners' adaptation models are and whatan be done to help these sojourners to surmount cultural obsta-1.1 Overview of the filmOutsourced is a comedy talking about intercultural conflictNo one is possibly to escape from the cultural differences-and romance. The hero, Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton), is a Seat-uncertainty and unfamiliarity do occur no matter what the hosttle call center manager. He is sent to India to train the low- paidcountry is and who the person is. The term‘adaptation' bears spe-employees for his company and will never come back to Americaal significance, referring to the complex process during whichuntil the call time is reduced to six minutes. Al first, Todd isstrangers acquire the abilities to fit in the host culture (Gudykunstshocked by the Indian culture, fels uncomfortable about every-& Kim, 1988).thing and sticks to his American way in daily life and in the work-1.3 Structure of the paperplace. But through his diligent and enthusiastic India staffs, espe-The aim of this paper is to investigate the cross- cultural adap-cially Puro (Asif Basra), who is a careful and energetic India guytation process by analyzing an American call center manager Toddand Asha (Ayesha Dharker), an independent, beautiful and perspi-Anderson ' s experience of working in India in the film Outsourced.alizes that he has a lot to learn- not only the difference between In-Kim' s (2001) 'stress- adaptation-growth' model has been adopted .dian culture and American culture, but also himself. He soon dis-in this paper to ilustratlel how Todd overcomes the cultural stressescovers that being outsourced is not a disaster anymore; it is the bestand differences to reduce the call time to six minutes, and finallyrealizes self-promotion.thing in his life.2 Literature Review1.2 Background informationThe lerm 'ousourced' is the phenomena of companies which 2.1 The importance of cross cultural adaptationtake jobs in the United States but transport entire divisions to coun-Researchers explore eross- cultural adaptation and highlighttries like India, where they can pay a fraction of the payroll andthe importance of it due to the fact that with the development of glo-overhead to get the same job done. Along with the trend, managersbalization, a large number of sojourners: international students,like Todd are appointed to train the foreign companies to operate inbusiness personnel, diplomats, military personnel as well as the in-the native way and under this circumstance cross- cultural commu-nication occurs.ation that requires a certain degree of cross- cultural adaptationBesides, a growing number of sojourners who live in other(Gudykunst & Kim, 2003). Appropriate cross- cultural adaptationcountries to learn a new language, gain professional sill, or in-can lead to success; what is more, a feeling of success fosters thecrease competitive edge have received numerous researchers’at-tentions (Gullekon & Vancouver, 2009). Researchers have ana-Kim (1988) addresses that sojoumers who cross culturallyzed the common challenges the sojourmers have come across, theboundaries should be aware of the change in the host culture andunfamiliarity of the host country which limits sojourners’abilitiestry their best to exigt in tho neonvirnmont rather than to return中国煤化工MHCNMHG收稿日期:2014-07-20修回日期:2014-08-21本栏目责任编辑:冯蕾V愿虱275Overseas English海外英语2014年11月home. Besides, cross- cultural adaptation offers opportunities for Kim (2001). Better functional fitness results in the ability to com-new learning and growth, and adapting to a new and unfamiliar cul- municate in accordance with the host cultural norms, which en-ture is not only survival but also a life- changing journey for the so- ables the strangers to participate more in the local activities andjourners.have a better communication with the nationals without stereotyp-2.2 Kim's (2001) 'stress -adaptation- .growth' modelng. The functional fitness together with the host communicationcompetence determines the psychology health of an individual,On account of the muliple facets and dimensions, cross- cul-which is likely to be damaged by the culture shock. If the strangerstural adaptation has been studied from many angles and measuredfail to overcome the frustration caused by culture shock, they mightin terms of various aspects and categories (Kim, 1988). .never gain psychology health. Furthermore, successful adaptationThe model we employed to analyze the adaptation process ofcould never be achieved. W hen individuals no longer strictlyTodd is the‘stress- adaptation- growth' model proposed by Kimbound to their native cultures and immerse themselves in the host(2001). In Kim' s model, she conceptualizes cross- cultural adapta-surroundings, their identities become richer in content and moretion as“the dynamic process by which individuals, upon relocatingcomplex in structure. They own the intercultural identities whichto new, unfamiliar, or changed cultural env ironments, establish (orlink them to more than one cultural group.reestablish) and maintain relatively stable, reciprocal, and function-3 Todd 's Adaptation Processal relationships with those environments '，which involving threesteps- stress, adaptation, growth. .3.1 StressWhen an individual encounters the dilemma of whether he orStress occurs when sojourners cross- cultural boundaries be-she should retain the native culture and keep the original identitycause of unfamiliarity， uncertainty, anxiety and exoticism. Aor build up new ways to fit in the host culture, stresses occurs. Un-Sodowsky and Maestas (2000) suggest that stress is elicited by dras-certainty, confusion and anxiety are all emotional expressions oftically new life events and cause sojourners to potential dangerous.stress. This stress phase is extremely grievous in the initial stage ofIn the film Ousourced, Todd came from American culture which iscross- cultural adaptation and is more exhausting if the sojournertotally diferent from Indian culture. Stresses Todd has encounteredrefuses to make a change. Because of the homeostatic nature of hu-in Indian are discussed below.man beings, when under stress, strangers incline to backward to3.1.1 Stresses Todd encounteredtheir home culture and form habits which are regarded as defensiveresponses. Adaptation happens when the strangers are aware of theStress is the most serious during the initial phases of cross-differences of the host cultures and struggle against the predica- cultural adaptation (Kim, 2001). This stress and struggle can bement to indulge in the developing the new cultural knowledge andfound in Todd's short-term reside in India. At the beginning, whenbehaviors. After this step, strangers manage to incorporate the newTodd first time came to India for work, he was shocked by the cha-environment into their intermal structure and increase the overallos of Bombay: the Indians forced him to take their taxis, and thenfitness- -the subtle growth emerges subsequently.he was compelled to take the“special taxi". As he arrived at theThe essential part of the strangers' cross culural experience railway station, he had to jump on the train. After he was picked中has been emphasized by stress, adaptation and growth which estab- by Puro, he preferred to live in a hotel but was sent to a local fami-lish the 'three- pronged stress- adaptation- growth dynamic of psy-ly for accommodation instead.chic movement’. These three elements are correlated to each otherBesides, for daily life, he still felt pressure and was reluctantand will never occur alone. Kim futher contends that this model to adapt the Indian ways of life: the picture of heterosexuality wasperforms in a eyelic and continual‘ draw- back-to- leap' to show hung on the wall of his room; he was begged by a child and histhe relationship between these three steps (see Figure 1).hone was robbed; He suffered from diarrhea and went to toiletAdaptationwith his“unclean" left hand but found that no toilet roll in the toi-For the working environment, he definitely persisted in theAmerican style. He couldn't bear the cows in the ofice, the abso-lutely low fficiency of the call time and the accostable talk whentalking with the customers. All these scenarios in Outsourced werea disaster for him and made him feel stressed in India so he wantedGrowth Oxer Timeto return his comfortable home America.3.1.2 Causes of stressesAll the unfamiliar phenomena in a host country can causeStressstress, especially when the home culture is highly different fromthe host culture such as Indian culture vs. American culture. Ac-Figure 1 The Stress-Adaptation-Growth Dynamic: AProcess Model (Kim, 1988, p.56)Each time strangers retreat from a stressful experience, adap-munication processes (1 )cultural and racial background, (2)person-tive energy will facilitate the development of positive changes andality attributes,中国煤化工:hange, this core-sponds with Gudlive predisposition:make them progress.YHCNMH(Functional fitness, psychological health and intercultural iden-and norms of the host culture can cause stress. In the analysis oftity are the three facets of interational transformation advanced byOutsourced, we mainly focus on three crucial factors that cause276 C学米愿涧Z本栏目责任编辑:冯蕾Overseas English海外英语2014年11月stress which are deeply rooted in the film. They are the perceptionof language, culure background, and Todd's unpreparedness tothe host culture practices. These interpersonal networks furthershow the strangers what can be done and how to behave in the a-change.proval way.3.2 AdaptationTodd had sccessfully constructed new social networks withlocal Indian people, which helping him a lot in the process of adap-involving the conscious as well as the unconscious changes in thetaion- -easing his loneliness, stress and difculty he encountered.individual. Positive changes of perception, atitude, behavior, lin-Considering the intimate relationship built by Todd and Asha, theguistie proficieney, identity etc. would all contribute to the adapta-leading actress in the movie, Todd benefited a lot from her. Ashation of strangers. The ollowing part analyzes what kinds olchangesquestioned Todd during his training classes and told him he need-have been made by Todd to adjust to the Indian culture or whated to know more about India. She became his teacher and madestrategies he has applied to fit in the host country.him have a better understanding of the host country and accompa-3.2.1 Host cultural competencenied him.Fist of all, Todd' s knowledge about India became richer,center's management trainee. Puro' s friendliness and warm-heart-which directly increased his competence to live and wllingness to .ed moved Todd and their bond with each other bloomed into realstay in India.Every culture embraces a unique set of technical, social, andfriendship, which enabled Todd to communicate better with thehome- -stay family and the work colleagues.above all linguistic competencies that are required for the perfor-In the workplace, Todd adapted to his host culture, languagemance of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors.Adaptation isand made his employees more passionate in their jobs by rewardingrepresented as the acquisition of the host culural knowledge.efficient workers with products from the company s catalog and al-Knowledge about the host culture- -its language, values, beliefslowing them having their ways of dressing, working environment.and religion- is considered as one crucial factor of an individual sThe relationship between Todd and his work colleagues improvedadaptation. This kind of knowledge permits predictions of the per-thereafter and he gained great support from them.son' s probable response to certain messages. (Miller & Sun-Through the business skill, sincere friendship and eventualnafrank, 1982)Moreover, an increase in a sojoumer' s knowledge of the hostlove of employee Asha, Todd embraced his new surroundings andmarshalled the available forces to get the job done., is likely to result in a decrease in the anxiety he or she may3.2.3 Intergroup atudesexperience (Cudykunst & Hammer, 1989). In this way, a strangermust stuggle to learm the new norms of behavior and contact withThirdly, the change of Todd' s atitude towards Indian peoplethe host natives to see how they communicale with each other (lalt, also promoted his adaptation process, especially his prejudice of In-1988). Observation together with trial and eror on the partner ofthe learner could be effective techniques and seeking a cultural me-Gudykunst and Hammer (1988) contend that intergroup ati-diator- -a person that can act as a model- -to fllow would ease thetudes such as prejudice have an impact on the reduction of uncer-process of learning the unfamiliar culture.tainty and anxiety, for the ethnocentrism affects the social distanceIn the film, Todd was lost in the pandemonium and chaos ofbetween the strangers and their host cultures. A decrease in nega-India at first, but he eventually learned its rhythms and customs, in- tive intergroup attitudes such as prejudice and ethnocentrism willeluding customs like never eating with the "unclean" left hand andproduce a decrease in the anxiety strangers experience within thenever touching a woman in public. He also leamned more generoushost country.things, such as sneaking his uneaten food over the wall which sepa-In the middle part of the film, Todd began to take a standrated the impoverished parts of the city from the more well-oft por- against prejudice. The scene that he explained to the Indian em-tions. Aditionally, Todd knew more about the Indian religionployees what the products they sold were and used for showed hiswhen wading into a local water tank during the Epiphany and cameintergroup atudes change.to understand Indiams' comlfort with images of Kali, the Hindu god-3.3 Growthdess of creation, preservation and destruction.the resolution of intermal stress that pro-As he leamned more about the culture and customs of his tem-porary home, Todd came to ppeciate the dfferences thal made In-motes the qualitative transformation toward growth- -a greater ma-dia unique and fully inmersed himself in Indian culture.turity and psyehie integration as well as an increased capacity tocope wih varied enwironmental callenges" (Kim, 2001, P 185).3.2.2 Social network supportf successful adaptation should include the feelingsof being understood, respected, supported, proper communicationtionals was positively related to Tod 's adaptation.etc. (Brabant & Gallois, 2010). This section will expound Todd' sFumham (1988) points out that social support could lead togrowth from three aspects- functional healh, psychological healthbetter psychological well-being and good physical and mental con-and intereculural identity.ditions. Theories like the atachment theory and social nnetwork the-3.3.1 Functional中国煤化工ory are aplied to support this approach. Being away from one' sfamily, friends and work colleagues and neighbors, sojourmners needThe first obYHC N M H G funcional fimess,to build new social networks to rceive sufcient supports. Throughthat is, he had no problems in living in India and behaved properlysuch relationships, strangers can take part in the interpersonal ac-according to the host cultural norms. Functional fitness, regarded本栏目责任编辑:冯蕾w 要惠通入277Overseas English海外英语2014年11月the goal of successful cross - cultural communications and could be cerned, the goals set and the models adopted in the teaching ofadvantageous to both teachers and students. 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