Academic Research on Acculturation

• Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation, Berry, J. W. (1997). Applied psychology, 46(1), 5-34. This article discusses the relationship between cultural context and individual behavior development. Specifically, it looks at individuals who develop in one cultural context before moving to another. It examines the psychological consequences of this process. It provides a framework for examining acculturation and adaptation of individuals.
• Ethnic and racial identity: Ethnic identity., Phinney, J. S. (2000). Ethnic and racial identity: Ethnic identity. This article helps to discuss the components of both ethnic and racial identity. This includes various approaches like that of anthropological,sociological, social psychological as well as acculturation, cross-cultural and developmental approaches to ethnic identity.
• Acculturation., Ward, C. (1996). Acculturation. This article discusses the process of acculturation which starts with introducing the framework for the study of acculturation. This includes the definition, measurement and the overall outcome. A working model of acculturation is then provided. Changes over time are then reviewed to take into account how it affects acculturation and the successful adaptation during these cross-cultural transitions. More emphasis is placed on the acculturative tragedies as well as the psychological and social consequences. The relevance of all these issues is then discussed for intercultural trainers.
• Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures, Berry, J. W. (2005). International journal of intercultural relations, 29(6), 697-712. This publication discusses how to live successfully within two separate cultures. The theme focuses around the conflict and negotiation involved in achieving this. Within the paper, one example of these issues is examined by looking at the psychological aspects which take place during acculturation. During this process, various groups of people as well as many individual members engage in negotiation to achieve an outcome that is feasible for both parties. Additional research on acculturation is explored to look at the different types of strategies used, changes in their behaviors and overall stress levels. We then take a look to discover how they adapt both socio culturally and psychologically to acculturation. Looking at integration we have discovered that those who choose this route typically experience less stress. However, integration requires a large deal of negotiation, but also results with less conflict.
• Acculturation strategies, psychological adjustment, and sociocultural competence during cross-cultural transitions, Ward, C., & Kennedy, A. (1994). International journal of intercultural relations, 18(3), 329-343. This article takes a look at the psychological adjustment and sociocultural competence that people in acculturation societies go through during the cross-cultural transition. This is accomplished by researching a group of New Zealanders who completed questionnaires which included studying their acculturation measurements, social difficulty they had fitting in and any depression. Their interaction effects were also reviewed and researched to determine how their sociocultural adaptation occurred.
• Research on the acculturation model for second language acquisition, Schumann, J. H. (1986). Journal of multilingual & multicultural development, 7(5), 379-392. In this article we take a look at the acculturation model for the acquisition of a second language. A model of a second language based on the psychology of acculturation shows how certain variables both social and psychologically then cluster into one single variable. The model then predicts that those learning this second language acquire it to a degree in which they then acculturate within their target language group.
• Assessment of acculturation., Berry, J. W., Trimble, J. E., & Olmedo, E. L. (1986). In this article it is discussed on how to understand and measure the concepts and techniques related to conducting research on acculturation. The techniques reviewed include researching the framework used to identify the variables and relationships such as individual contact, participation variables, psychological consequences and an overall attitude towards the process of acculturation.
• Towards an interactive acculturation model: A social psychological approach, Bourhis, R. Y., Moise, L. C., Perreault, S., & Senecal, S. (1997). International journal of psychology, 32(6), 369-386. In this journal we discuss and take a look at an interactive social psychological approach to acculturation. It is a two part document that offers a continuum of ideological reviews to account for the larger much broader range of the immigrant integration policy which was adopted by the Western democratic states. In the second part, a review of social psychological models of immigrant acculturation helps to explain in more detail the interactive view of immigrant relations. The model helps to predict which acculturation combinations are more likely to produce any problems or conflicts, and how these conflicts are resolved between the immigrants and the host community.
• Acculturation in mergers and acquisitions, Nahavandi, A., & Malekzadeh, A. R. (1988). Academy of management review, 13(1), 79-90. This model focuses primarily on the adaptation of acculturation in mergers within acculturation acquisitions. It proposes that there is a degree of congruence between the one who is acquiring and the organization being acquired. That the preferred mode of acculturation will affect the stress levels. It continues to offer the position that the latter will either work well or hinder the merger implementation.
• Achieving acculturation in mergers and acquisitions: An international case survey, Larsson, R., & Lubatkin, M. (2001). Human relations, 54(12), 1573-1607. This document discusses how to achieve acculturation within mergers and acquisitions. In order to understand the cases of cultural disputes and clashes an ideographic meta analysis had to be contacted. This took a few samples from those affected, in fact 23 US domestic, 12 Swedish cross border and 15 swedish domestic were all looked at. It was found that acculturation was best achieved when the firms that were acquiring others relied on social controls. Types of social controls included cross visits, retreats, as well as other types of employee socialization functions. All of this combined helped to make the integration process easier.
• Making mergers and acquisitions work: Strategic and psychological preparation, Marks, M. L., & Mirvis, P. H. (2001). Academy of Management Perspectives, 15(2), 80-92. Here it is discussed how to make mergers and acquisitions work strategically and psychologically. This article looks at the authors combined experience in over 70 different mergers and acquisitions to help provide a better understanding on the actions taken by management to help provide a successful merger. The strategic concerns and challenges bring forth the focus of the the source of synergy. This involved a good deal of reality testing of potential synergies. Learning the structures and cultures helped to establish a relationship between the different companies. The psychological challenges were also looked at my looking at the mindset of people to bring forth awareness of their capacities to respond to the stress of such acculturation.
• Integrating strategic, organizational, and human resource perspectives on mergers and acquisitions: A case survey of synergy realization, Larsson, R., & Finkelstein, S. (1999). Organization science, 10(1), 1-26. The idea of acquisitions and mergers are really very complex events which occur in organizational life. In this article we discuss the need for better understanding of these vents. The authors address the problems by creating a more conceptual framework which integrates theoretical perspectives from that of finances and economics to help you better understand human resource management. The approaches discussed differ from more traditional methods of learning to understand mergers. The data is reviewed and researched to create a better more successful way to learn how the key attribute of acculturation within business is learning to overcome the challenges and conflicts that occur through the process of integration.