VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION
GRADUATION PAPER
THE INTEGRATION OF TWO GENERATIONS IN
A VIETNAMESE FAMILY LIVING IN THE
CZECH REPUBLIC
Supervisor: Phan Vân Quyên
Student: Phạm Thị Phương Anh
Course: QH2012.F1.E15
HANOI, 2016
ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH
KHĨA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP
SỰ HỊA NHẬP CỦA HAI THẾ THỆ TRONG MỘT
GIA ĐÌNH NGƯỜI VIỆT ĐANG SINH SỐNG TẠI
TIỆP KHẮC
Giáo viên hướng dẫn: Phan Vân Quyên
Sinh viên: Phạm Thị Phương Anh
Khóa: QH2012.F1.E15
HÀ NỘI, 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acceptance page ................................................................................................................ ii
Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... iii
Abstract ............................................................................................................................. iv
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................1
1. Rationale for the study .................................................................................................1
2. Aims and objectives ......................................................................................................3
3. Research questions ........................................................................................................3
4. Significance of the study...............................................................................................3
5. Scope of the study .........................................................................................................4
6. Method of the study ......................................................................................................4
7. Design of the study .......................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................6
1. Immigration .................................................................................................................6
2. Culture shock ..............................................................................................................7
a/ Definition ......................................................................................................................7
b/ Coping with Culture Shock...........................................................................................9
c/ Importance of Culture Shock for the adaptation process ..............................................9
3. Cultural adaptation .................................................................................................10
a/ Definition ...................................................................................................................10
b/ Stages of cultural adaptation process: ........................................................................11
c/ Adaptation Strategies .................................................................................................13
4. Factors affecting cultural adaptation process ........................................................16
5. Related studies on adaptation .................................................................................17
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .................................................................................19
1. Research Question ....................................................................................................19
2. Research methods .....................................................................................................19
a/ Qualitative Research and Case study ..........................................................................19
b/ Data collection instrument ..........................................................................................20
c/. Methods of data analysis ............................................................................................24
3. Selection of Subjects ................................................................................................24
CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS ...................................................................27
1. First generation’s adaptation ...................................................................................27
2. Second generation’s adaptation ...............................................................................34
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS .....................................................................................41
1. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................41
5.2. Limits of the research...............................................................................................44
5.3. Recommendations for future research .....................................................................44
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................45
i
ACCEPTANCE PAGE
I hereby state that I: (Pham Thi Phuong Anh, class 12E15), being a candidate
for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English translation and interpreting
accept the requirements of the College relating to the retention and use of
Bachelor’s Graduation Paper deposited in the library.
In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in
the library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in
accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the
care, loan or reproduction of the paper.
Signature
Date
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I place on record my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Mrs. Phan
Van Quyen for her dedication, and valuable guidance extended to me. Had it not
been for her help and encouragement, I might not have enough patience to
accomplish my dissertation. She gave me a lot of helpful advices, more
importantly her encouragement is the biggest motivation for me to finish this
research paper.
Secondly, I sincerely thank the Vietnamese family living in the Czech
Republic for agreeing to participate in the interview for this research. Without
them, this study could not finish.
I take this opportunity to express my thanks to Mai, Nga, Trang, Phuc, Tran
Lan, Quynh, Oanh, Minh, Dinh Lan, Hoang, sister Huong and many of my other
friends, who gave me their excellent ideas and support no matter how busy they
were when I was implementing the dissertation.
I would like to thank all of the respondents who spent their precious time and
efforts on participating in the survey. Their responses are of great importance to
the completion of the research.
I also extended my appreciation to my family, for their continuous support.
Although they do not have any knowledge and understanding on Intercultural
Communication, their support has helped me a lot in completing the dissertation.
iii
ABSTRACT
This study was set out to examine the adaptation strategies of two different
generations in a Vietnamese family living in the Czech Republic. In order to
comply with the objective, a theoretical framework was adopted to measure four
types of adaptation process. To be more specific, in order to gather necessary data
for the research, different documents about adaptation process were collected for
observation, and four semi- structured interviews were hold to collect the
audience‟s data. The results from analysis revealed that „integration‟ was the
strategy chosen by both two generations in the Vietnamese family. There are many
factors including individual influences and contextual influences which may affect
the adaptation process and the selection of adaptation strategies of immigrants.
Moreover, the successful adaptation of the first generation can also lead to the
success of the second generation.
This paper can be improved by inviting more participants to the research. The
more audiences participate in the survey, the more various the collected data gets.
Then, there might appear changes in the selection of the host society.
iv
`CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
This chapter will provide overall information concerning the context of the research,
the reasons for research, what goal it pursues, contributions it may make after
accomplishment, and the scope of the research.
1. Rationale for the study
There is a movement of people to live in a foreign country, which is also called
“immigration”. Millions of people all over the world immigrate to pursue different
goals. Some people have dreams to become rich or to have good salary for secure
future. Some others want to escape from wars, famines or natural disasters. Many
of them need a better education for their children. Indeed, there are dozens of
reasons for a person to migrate from their home country. Vietnam‟s history has
witnessed many great migration waves from Vietnam to different countries with
such a large number of migrants. Currently, there are about more than 3 million of
Vietnamese immigrants living in nearly 90 countries and territories around the
world, which are mainly in 21 countries of some regions such as: North America,
Northwestern Europe, Russia, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and
Australasia. Vietnamese immigrants in developed Western countries account for
the largest number, about 4/5 of the total number of Vietnamese immigrant
worldwide. Among those countries, the number of Vietnamese immigrating to
Czech Republic is quite large (about 83 000 people in 2011). According to
statistics by Jiřička (2011), the community of Vietnamese immigrants in Czech
Republic is the third largest ethnic minority in Europe, after Slovaks and
Romanies. The number of Vietnam immigrants in the Czech Republic increases
rapidly until 1989 when the Socialist Regime in this country collapsed. The first
generation of Vietnamese immigrants there mostly does business in small shops,
the next generation which is born in the Czech Republic is well- known for very
good academic performance. The information above together with the fact that
there are more and more Vietnamese people migrate urges me to investigate on the
1
issue of Vietnamese migration into foreign countries. And by the reason that
Czech Republic is on the top of Immigration destinations of the Vietnamese, the
case study of this research will be taken from a Vietnamese family living in Czech
Republic so that it may be concerned by as many Vietnamese immigrants or
Vietnamese people who have intension to migrate as possible.
Commonly, migrants will have to suffer from feelings of confusion and
uncertainty when they come into contact with a new culture that is vastly different
from their own. Those feelings can be described as „culture shock‟. Culture shock
happens in many life‟s aspects such as climate, food, language, dress, social roles,
values or rules of behavior. Each individual communicating with a different
culture will have to struggle to overcome this problem in order to adapt to their
new environment. Due to differences in personality, educational level and
awareness, different people will have different culture shock troubles and different
strategies to deal with them, which can be divided into 4 main types called
„assimilation, integration, separation and marginalization‟. Among these methods,
„integration‟ can be regarded as the most useful and popular way for people to
adapt well to a new culture because it considers both original culture and new
society value as important factors. However, the other strategies also have their
own advantages and still work for many people. Indeed, this research on the
immigrants‟ adaptation process is aimed at accommodating people who are
struggling with culture shock or who are looking for detailed information about
adaptation process some useful data.
Lastly, by integrating into a new culture, people can conserve their own
identity while developing a good relationship with new culture at the same time.
However, the integration process doesn‟t happen equally with everyone. Life
always changes with a variety of aspects such as age, gender, psychology, work,
social support, and so on which subsequently involves the variation in cultural
adaptation process. Apparently, even father and son in a family still can apply
2
different means of adaptation. For that reason, this study will not only focus on the
first generation of Vietnamese immigrants who left Vietnam to live in the Czech
Republic, but also investigate the second generation_ the Vietnamese children
who were born in that country with a view of a more comprehensive and
exhaustive research.
2. Aims and objectives
This research is conducted to investigate a specific case of a Vietnamese
family living in the Czech Republic with the aim to contribute to the wealth of
knowledge about Intercultural Communication. The results of this research can be
used as a particular example for theories of Intercultural Communication in
general and for Adaptation Process in particular.
3. Research questions:
- How have the two generations in a Vietnamese family living in the Czech
Republic adapted to the host society?
4. Significance of the study
Due to globalization, the need for knowledge of Intercultural Communication
as well as Adaptation has been highly demanded. After answering the research
question above, this research is supposed to explore the difficulties, strategies and
current adaptation status of four people from two different generations in a
Vietnamese family living in the Czech Republic. One of the benefits this work can
brings is to become a reference for other Vietnamese who intend to come to live
permanently in a foreign country. Moreover, this study is expected to provide
some useful information for researchers who are studying Intercultural
Communication issues.
3
5. Scope of the study
Due to time constraints and the limited knowledge and experience of the
researcher, this study will focus on two generations of one Vietnamese family
living in the Czech Republic. To be more specific, they are: a father and a mother,
who immigrated from Vietnam to Czech since they were young; a daughter and a
son, who were born and raised in Czech.
6. Method of the study
Descriptive method is used as the main method for this study. It can bring
detailed descriptions of specific situations using interviews, observations and
document reviews. More importantly, this method can produce more in-depth,
comprehension information about the research subject, and a wide understanding
of the entire situation.
7. Design of the study
The paper is organized into five chapters which are respectively named:
Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings & Discussions and
Conclusion.
Firstly, the Introduction Chapter presents the overview of this study including
rationale, the aims and objectives, the research questions, the significance, the
scope, the method and the design of this work.
Secondly, the Literature Review Chapter provides definitions of key terms
together with a critical analysis of theoretical literature and related studies.
Thirdly, the Methodology Chapter reveals how the research is conducted and a
detailed description of participants, data collection and analysis instruments.
Fourthly, the Findings and Discussions Chapter analyzes the collected data,
discuss the findings and propose answers to the research questions.
4
Finally, the Conclusion Chapter gives an overview of the main discussed issue
and draws a conclusion; points out some limitations of the study and gives
suggestions for further studies.
5
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter, the researcher is going to provide information about specific key
concepts discussed in the research along with analysis and assessment of different
viewpoints presented in previous studies and expressed by the professionals in the
industry. Besides, a framework including various criteria adopted from certain sources to
explore adaptation process is also going to be introduced in this chapter.
1. Immigration
In the book “Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2015” by OECD/European
Union (2015), immigrants are defined as “the foreign-born population”. There are
many factors which makes the outcomes of immigrants – particularly those who
arrived as adults –differ from those of the native-born population. It also claims
that the immigrants called the first generation grow up and study in a different
environment and language from that of their host society. Some elements of their
origin will stay forever with their identity while some others may be affected by
the host culture and changed during their integration process (OECD/European
Union, 2015, p. 16).
When the first generation gives birth in the host country, their children become
the second generation or the native-born offspring of immigrants. Both their living
and learning environment differ from their parents‟ condition which leads to
dissimilar culturally impediments.
Somehow, the behavior of the second
generation becomes the standard to evaluate the integration level for immigrants
(Card, 2004, Vol. 115).
Basing on several related surveys, some key cross-cutting findings on the
integration of immigrants and their children are explained and listed in the book
“Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2015”. Those are:
Integration improves when immigrants stay longer
The integration process is affected by the time: the amount of friends or
acquaintances that immigrants can make may increase during the time they live in
6
the host country. Longer time also helps immigrants feel more familiar and
comfortable with new cultural values and have more chances to learn host
language, by that reason people who reside in the host country longer are able to
adapt to the host environment better. Immigrant-native people are born and raised
in the host country so they have the most similar life style, norms and beliefs with
the host culture. Basing on that, the integration level of immigrant-native people is
reasonably set for the standard of immigrants‟ adaptation and the differences
between the foreign-born and native-born tend to narrow as the duration of
residence lengthens. However, the exception still can happen because the impact
of the duration does not stay the same with all immigrants, and sometimes the
dispersion of immigrant outcomes and how much differences narrow is variable
(p.21).
● There is progress “across generations”.
It is widely known that immigrant offsprings are raised and educated in the
host country so their behaviors are more often similar to native citizens than their
parents. The differences occur in many aspects of adaptation such as education,
the labor market, and economic well-being (p.24).
This information will be helpful to investigate and analyze the differences
during the adaptation process and the integration level of two generations in an
immigrant family. In general, the previous studies have proved that the duration
time and place to be born and raised are two basic differences between two
generations of immigrants in a host country.
2. Culture shock
a/ Definition
Culture shock can be defined as “a multifaceted experience resulting from
numerous stressors occurring in contact with a different culture” (Winkelman
2004, p.121). It can be also understood by the explanation of Macionis, John, and
Linda Gerber (n.d) as “the personal disorientation” which can occur to a person
7
then he/she immigrates or travels to a different country, at which there is a whole
new social environments or different lifestyle that he/she is not familiar with.
The term “culture shock” was introduced in 1960 by an anthropologist named
Oberg who mentions six aspects of culture shocks which are:
- “Strain” occurs when people try too hard to make necessary psychological
adaptations.
- “A sense of loss” and “feelings of deprivation” in the aspects of friends,
status, profession and possessions.
- “Being rejected” by the native people of the host culture.
- “Confusion” in role, values, feelings, and even self- identities
- “Surprise, anxiety” after becoming fully aware of the cultural differences
- “Feelings of impotence” in coping with the new environment‟s problems (p.
298)
Generally, culture shock is a phenomenon that almost all normal people will
have to deal with when they enter a new culture, and by overcome it, they are able
to sympathize and recognize the full worth of other countries or cultures (Kohls,
1984).
As a kind of emotional response to stress, culture shock is also examined with
regard to individual psychology. Some researchers define culture shock as the
psychological disorientation occurring to people who have to live and work in new
cultural environments (Oberg, 1960; Eschbach et al, 2001). Culture shock is seen
by Winkelman (1994) as uncertainty that causes people to suffer anxiety,
depression and isolation. When people are affected by culture shock, they may
also suffer from many by negative effects on mentality such as frustration, isolated
and lonely feeling; homesickness, home country idealizing, sadness, depression,
withdrawal, and so on. (Heike, n.d). More serious, people, according to Manz
(2003), may feel lonely and have to face with many different psychological and
physical symptoms with diverse severance, ranging from homesickness to
depression and serious illnesses.
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b/ Coping with Culture Shock
Living with different people in a whole new environment is a tough experience
with anyone because culture shock brings a lot of difficulties for newcomers to
adapt with the new culture. By that reason, dealing with culture shock is the
effective solution to pass through those hassles. Levine and Adelman (1993) note
that some newcomers may try to build up the social relationship with native
people or other newcomers so that they are able to share their experience and
express feelings more comfortably. In this regard, Kohls (1984) also list out five
basic steps to cope with culture shock, which are:
- Searching for any possible information related to the host country‟s culture.
- Finding the rational explanations for each culture values of the host country.
- Keeping away from making jokes in purpose to criticize the host culture.
- Detecting host people who can understand and sympathize with newcomers.
- Believing that these culture shock experiences also bring positive results and
lessons.
However, there is no firm solution for anyone experiencing culture shock.
Basing on many aspects such as personal condition, characteristic, original culture,
age, gender and others, each person will have their own way to overcome this
culture phenomenon.
c/ Importance of Culture Shock for the adaptation process
All the symptoms and outcomes of culture shock are just normal physical and
psychological reactions to a new environment. "It is a myth that experiencing
culture shock is a weakness or a negative indication of future international
success. Culture shock in all its diverse forms is completely normal and is part of a
successful process of adaptation"(Marx, 1999, p. 5). Wagner (1996) firmly claims
that it is the best and possibly the only method to experience and understand
foreign cultures. The anxiety and stress emotions during the adaptation process are
intrinsically not bad. And the extent of adjustment mainly depends on how people
cope with culture shock rather than how they experience negative symptoms of
9
culture shock (Guirdham, 1999). He also emphasizes that the positive outcomes
may happens in the end for a reason that those feelings make newcomers realize
differences and then try to adjust themselves. Moreover, “culture shock serves as
an indicator that there is something to explore about the foreign as well as the
own culture” (Wagner, 1996, p. 34). Indeed, culture shock is not only a normal
process that any newcomers may experience, but also an indispensable catalyst for
effective acculturation (Guirdham, 1999). He proves this claim by a study among
Canadian expatriates in Africa which shows that those who experience culture
shock are mostly effective in the end. "Expatriates who were most aware of
themselves and their emotions experienced the most intense culture shock, but it
was exactly because of this intense awareness of differences that they were also
able to adapt more effectively later on” (Marx, 1999, p. 6).
In the end, culture shock should not be regarded as a negative and frustrating
process which newcomers have to suffer; above all, it is an important part of
adaptation process and “a positive sign on the road to international adaptation"
(Marx, 1999, p. 6).
3. Cultural adaptation
a/ Definition
Culture shock is one stage of cultural adaptation process which occurs with
anyone communicating with different culture. Culture adaptation is defined by
Eisikovits & Shamai in 2001 as “a concept describing a wide spectrum of
individual possible responses to a new cultural context ranging from complete
adoption to complete rejection of the receiving social values”. Also, Berry & Sam
(1997) explain that cross-cultural adaptation has two dimensions, including
psychological adaptation and socio-cultural adaptation. Psychological adaptation
refers to internal psychological consequences consisting of elements such as
personal and cultural identity, good mental health, and personal satisfaction in a
new cultural context. While socio-cultural adaptation refers to external
10
psychological aspects of connection between people with the new cultural context,
it includes the ability to operate personal work, study and daily life (Berry, 1997).
b/ Stages of cultural adaptation process:
There are many different studies about the stages of cultural adaptation
process. Among those, there are the two most well-known culture shock models
are the classical U-curve (Lysgaard, 1955) and its extension to W-curve (Oberg,
1960) which presents intercultural adaptation process with several stages that lead
to adaptation.
(The U-curve hypothesis)
1.
The honeymoon phase
In this phase, people will feel excited and fascinated with the new culture.
Some minor problems of cultural differences still not cause many difficulties, the
new things.
2.
The crises period
11
This is the time when cultural shock happens, the excitement turns to
disappointment and the cultural differences become the main concerns. People
will be struggle with communicating with the new society, their psychological
problems appear and dominate their thoughts and behaviors.
3.
The adjustment phase
At this point, people start learning more about the host culture, the previous
negative attitude is gradually replaced by a more positive outlook.
4.
The adaptation
The aspects of different culture no longer affect people in a negative way. At
this phase, people start feeling more at home in the host culture, they can live and
work normally and start to immerse themselves into the new culture.
The process of adaptation still keeps going when people who can adapt to the
new culture go back to their home culture. The process of this is demonstrated in
the W-curve by Oberg (1960) as the graph below:
(the W-curve hypothesis)
12
The W-curve model is expanded from the U-curve model, a stranger goes
through the same adaptation process again as the original culture (Kim, 2005).
c/ Adaptation Strategies
There are various ways of adaptation because that different people have
different personalities, different original cultural values, and different conditions
of adaptation. Immigrants may differ in the speed of the process, but the outcome
is adaptation to the mainstream culture on every occasion (Van de Vijver &
Phalet, 2004).
Basically, Berry (1974) proposes two independent dimensions underlying the
adaptation process which concern to the individuals‟ links to their cultures of
origin and to their societies of settlement. There are numerous demonstrations for
these links such as choices of involvement in the two cultures (acculturation
attitudes), and in the behaviors that they engage in (language, knowledge, social
relationships).
In multicultural countries, it is very important for newcomers to adopt suitable
strategies which can allow them to achieve a successful adaptation to the host
country‟s culture as well as its society. According to Van de Vijver and Phalet
(2004), ethnic minorities (including immigrants, refugees, and sojourners) may
lean toward either the dominant culture, or their own minority culture, or both, or
neither. In this case, two issues are raised: the degree to which people desire to
maintain their original culture and identity; and the degree to which people want to
be involved with the host society ( Van de Vijver & Phalet, 2004). On the other
hand, Berry (1987) and his colleagues also develop a framework for the study of
acculturation attitudes or adaptation strategies. They propose two key issues that
classify the type of adaptation: the degree to which people consider the importance
to maintain and identify with the cultural value of their own ethnic groups; and the
importance to keep positive relationships with the general society and with other
ethnic groups (Berry et al., 1987). In accordance with the theory developed by
13
John W. Berry and his colleagues (1988), the adaptation strategies are commonly
divided into 4 main types:
+ Assimilation: It happens when people regard the host culture rather than
original culture. Maintaining the original cultural identity is not as important as
well communicating with the host society. It means that the previous beliefs,
values, norms, and social practices will be replaced by those of the new culture
which help a person to totally get involved in the new society.
+ Integration: It occurs when people consider both their original identity and
new society are equal. In this case, all the original identity is conserved while the
relationship with new culture is developed. Whether people choose assimilation or
integration, they all try to promote the harmony between themselves and a typical
group.
+ Separation: This is a negative way of adaptation. Different from assimilation
and integration, separation happens when individuals or groups do not want to
keep relationships with other groups or society belonging to the new culture.
+ Marginalization: Worse than separation, it happens when people deny both
their own cultural identity and the new culture. This form of adaptation is featured
by confusion and alienation. While integration and assimilation base on working
with society, separation and marginalization are toward battling against society.
Below are 29 self-report items which are used to measure 4 types of East Asian
acculturation process described by Nagata in 1994 and also applied by Barry
(2001) to develop a new scale for measuring acculturation. These items provide
typical illustration for further understanding of this issue.
“1: Assimilation
- I write better in English than in my native language (for example, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean)
-When I am in my apartment/house, I typically speak English
- If I were asked to write poetry, I would prefer to write it in English
14
- I get along better with Americans than Asians
- I feel that Americans understand me better than Asians do
- I find it easier to communicate my feelings to Americans than to Asians
- I feel more comfortable socializing with Americans than I do with Asians
- Most of my friends at work/school are American
2: Separation
- Most of the music I listen to is Asian
- My closest friends are Asian
- I prefer going to social gatherings where most of the people are Asian
- I feel that Asians treat me as an equal more so than Americans do
- I would prefer to go out on a date with an Asian than with an American
- I feel more relaxed when I am with an Asian than when I am with an American
- Asians should not date non-Asians
3: Integration
- I tell jokes both in English and in my native language (for example, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean)
- I think as well in English as I do in my native language (for example, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean)
- I have both American and Asian friends
- I feel that both Asians and Americans value me
- I feel very comfortable around both Americans and Asians
4: Marginalization
- Generally, I find it difficult to socialize with anybody, Asian or American
- I sometimes feel that neither Americans nor Asians like me
- There are times when I think no one understands me
- I sometimes find it hard to communicate with people
- I sometimes find it hard to make friends
- Sometimes I feel that Asians and Americans do not accept me
- Sometimes I find it hard to trust both Americans and Asians
15
- I find that both Asians and Americans often have difficulty understanding me
- I find that I do not feel comfortable when I am with other people” (Barry, 2001,
p.195)
Berry and his coworkers (2006) also suggest that integration is the most
preferred method which produces the best results in the immigrant's adaptation
during
acculturation,
while
marginalization
has
the
worst
results.bvv
The factor of differences in the use of four strategies might be based on
differences in features existing prior to acculturation; closeness between cultures,
cultural plurality in the origin culture, level of education, perception of the origin
culture or their cultural identity, language, age and gender. As a result, different
people have different strategies; even one person, in different stages of cultural
adaptation process, may follow different strategies (Berry et al., 2006).
4. Factors affecting cultural adaptation process
Cultural adaptation is not an easy process; during the time it happens, there are
many things which can appear and disturb that process. According to Martin and
Nakayama (2010) the most influenced factors can be divided into two types.
In terms of individual influences, many individual characteristics including
age, gender, preparation level, and expectations can affect how well migrants
adapt (Ward, 1996). According to Martin and Nakayama (2010), the second
generation immigrants who are younger may adapt to the new society more easily
because they are less fixed in their ideas, beliefs, and identities. On the other hand,
the first generation immigrants who are older may have more trouble adapting
because they are less flexible than younger people. Numerous researchers
including Harvey (1997), Martin (1998), Nicholson (2000), Van Velsor (1993),
Westwood (1994) share a claim that women have more advantages to help them
learn to communicate more quickly than men while communication is a vehicle
for learning a new culture. Compared to men, women have better social skills and
are more empathic and self-aware. Harvey (1997) supposes that these
16
characteristics allow women to establish and maintain relationships in the host
country faster. He emphasizes that the self- awareness makes it easier for women
to realize the challenges posed by general conditions in the host culture. At the
same time, women tend to have more realistic expectations about expatriate
relocation while men often underestimate the difficulties in the new society.
Individuals who demonstrate cognitive and behavioral flexibility and have
openness to and appreciation of multicultural issue seem to approach culturally
diverse situation more effectively. Vontress (1988, 1996) emphasizes that
flexibility is very important ability for immigrants to simultaneously accept the
cultural differences. Moreover, individuals at high levels of cultural adaptation
often show greater psychological well-being such as happiness, self-esteem and
life satisfaction. There are also positive correlations between the adaptation levels
and personality of people who are considered empathetic, self-identified and who
have cognitive flexibility, intrapersonal and interpersonal flexibility (Suzuki &
Ponterotto, 2008, p. 63-64).
Futhermore, other researchers including Wanatabe (2008), Berry (1997),
Vedder & Virta (2005) and Martin & Nakayama (2010) has emphasized the
contextual influences as another factor affecting cultural adaptation process. They
are termed “social supports, local residents’ attitudes and helps, expatriates’
relationship with neighbors and colleagues and work load or stress at work”. All
the native residents‟ supports and advices play an important role in helping
immigrants adapt to the new environment more easily. Besides, Martin &
Nakayama (2010) claimed that expatriates‟ relative status and power might lead to
the changes in the attitudes of host people toward newcomers, which consequently
made a difference to the immigrants‟ adaptation process.
5. Related studies on adaptation
Among the previous graduation theses of Intercultural Communication issue,
there are three studies on the topic of adaptation process. The earliest research is a
17
qualitative investigation about “Adjustment strategies in working environment of
self- initiated expatriate teachers of English language in Hanoi” by Nguyen Xuan
Hanh in 2014. This study answers the question of how the foreign English teachers
adapt to Vietnam‟s value in terms of working. More specifically, the research
matter is adaptation strategies, the host country is Vietnam and the research
subjects are non- Vietnamese teachers who teach English. The second one is
named “Expatriate NGO staffs' adaptation strategies to Vietnamese culture” by
Bui Thi Khanh Huyen in 2015. It also studies the adaptation process occurring in
Vietnam but the subjects are changed from English teachers to expatriate NGO
staffs. Also in that year, Nguyen Thi Lan Anh conducts a research of
“Intercultural competence of Vietnamese sojourners studying in Western
countries”. This study is different from both two previous ones when focusing on
Vietnamese people in foreign countries.
Even though all the researchers above are Vietnamese and the number of
Vietnamese people living, working and studying in other countries is not a small
number, only one in three researches focuses on
Vietnamese people as the
targeted subjects. The only study of Vietnamese people; however, concentrates on
a large are of Western countries rather than a specific country. Moreover, almost
all the papers above just focus on one a certain kind of people at similar age level
and there is a lack of comparison of people of different generations and their
adaptation processes in the host country. It is obvious that people in a family who
share the same blood and live in the same house may have different adaptation
strategies to the host country and different results of adaptation process. Therefore,
this study is expected to fill in those gaps when paying attention to both two
generations of a Vietnamese family living in the Czech Republic together with
their adaptation strategies and integration status at the moment.
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CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the researcher will present information about the research sample
and research design. Description and explanation of their use are demonstrated in this
chapter as well.
1. Research Question
- How have the two generations in a Vietnamese family living in Czech
adapted to the host society?
2. Research methods
a/ Qualitative Research and Case study
Firstly, qualitative research is a generic term for investigative methodologies
described as ethnographic, naturalistic, anthropological, field, or participant
observer research. It emphasizes the importance of looking at variables in the
natural setting in which they are found. Interaction between variables is important.
Detailed data is gathered through open ended questions that provide direct
quotations. The interviewer is an integral part of the investigation (Jacob, 1988).
This differs from quantitative research which attempts to gather data by objective
methods to provide information about relations, comparisons, and predictions and
attempts to remove the investigator from the investigation (Smith, 1983). By that
reason, qualitative research may produce more in-depth, comprehension
information about the research subject, and a wider understanding of the entire
situation.
Secondly, case study is detailed investigation of individuals, groups,
institutions or other social units. The researcher conducting a case study attempts
to analyze the variables relevant to the subject under study (Polit and Hungler,
1983). The principle difference between case studies and other research studies is
that the focus of attention is the individual case and not the whole population of
cases. Most studies search for what is common and pervasive but in the case study,
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