Selecting Expatriates for Personality Characteristics: A Moderating Effect of Personality on the Relationship between Host National Contact and Cross-Cultural Adjustment

• This study examines the process by which interactions with host nationals help facilitate expatriates' cross-cultural adjustment. The hypotheses are based on two related theories, (1) the contact hypothesis and (2) social learning theory. • Personality characteristics (openness and sociability) are hypothesized to moderate the relationship between contact with host nationals and cross-cultural adjustment. The hypotheses are tested on a sample of expatriates from a US-based information technology company.