Abstract

In the not very extensive sociological and anthropological scientific literature dedicated to corporate expatriates, it is frequently argued that expatriates create a subculture of a global character. This article centers on researching the presence of such a subculture among Spanish corporate expatriates. The research undertaken here utilizes a qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews, gathered over a period of six months, the selection of which was based on strategic criteria derived from the available quantitative studies on corporate expatriates. The analysis of the interviews suggests the presence of common cultural patterns among the Spanish corporate expatriates and the corporate expatriates of other nationalities, including the creation of enclaves, the tendency to create significant relationships with other expatriates, and, among others, the persistence of a certain distance from the culture of the host country. The study also finds that the weight of the nationality, region, or city of origin in the accounts from the Spanish corporate expatriates indicates that these non-global criteria continue to be key in the configuration of their identity.

Recommended Citation

Martín-Cabello, Antonio Ph.D. (2018) "Global Subcultures: The Case of Spanish Corporate Expatriates," Journal of International and Global Studies: Vol. 10: No. 1, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62608/2158-0669.1437
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/jigs/vol10/iss1/5