Self-determined motivation, cross-cultural adjustment and organizational commitment: a study of foreign low-skilled workers in a developed economy

This study aims to investigate the relationship between self-determined motivation and organizational commitment, with the mediating role of cross-cultural adjustment of low-skilled workers who come from an emerging economy working in a developed economy. This study also aims to determine the interaction effect between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on organizational commitment.

This study collects a sample data of 236 Vietnamese laborers in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze data and test hypotheses.

Results show that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are positively related to organizational commitment. Cross-cultural adjustment positively mediates the relationship between intrinsic motivation and organizational commitment and that between extrinsic motivation and organizational commitment. Furthermore, extrinsic motivation positively moderates the relationship between intrinsic motivation and organizational commitment.

This study helps to untangle the relationship between self-determined motivation and organizational commitment of low-skilled workers in an unfamiliar environment. Furthermore, this study also clarifies the mediating and moderating mechanisms of cross-cultural adjustment and extrinsic motivation in this relationship. The findings provide implications for researchers and managers to plan and implement policy and management systems that combine tangible and intangible incentives to motivate foreign workers and induce positive outcomes for companies in a new cultural context.