Cultural adaptation, perceived incentives, and job satisfaction of expatriate faculty: an empirical study of China and Kazakhstan

The study extends acculturation theory by highlighting adaptation as a cognitive resource-acquisition capability rather than just an affective state. It demonstrates that the effectiveness of incentive structures is culturally contingent and follows different psychological contract orientations. Practically, these results suggest that universities should implement differentiated, full-cycle support systems and precision incentive strategies, specifically targeting early-career lecturers to mitigate turnover risks and enhance international academic cooperation.