30 Questions
What is the definition of expatriates according to Bossard and Peterson (2005)?
Employees transferred by their parent company to live and work in a foreign country for a significant period
What percentage of medium and large companies use expatriates, and how many of those plan to further increase their expatriate workforce?
Around 80% use expatriates, and almost half of those plan to further increase their expatriate workforce
What is the primary characteristic of the ethnocentric staffing policy?
Appoint mostly parent country nationals (PCNs) to top positions in subsidiaries
What is the key characteristic of the geocentric/global staffing approach?
Appoint the best person regardless of nationality
What is the regiocentric staffing policy primarily based on?
Transferred on a regional basis – midway between a pure ethnocentric and geocentric approach
What is the main focus of Expatriation Management?
Managing employees transferred to overseas assignments
What is the reported percentage of companies that agree that taking on foreign assignments can have a career-enhancing effect?
4%
What percentage of repatriates end up unemployed after returning from an international assignment?
20%
What is the most critical issue of successful management of expatriates?
The repatriation of international managers
What is recommended to establish in anticipation of future repatriation problems?
Career management schemes and mentoring programs
What is the biggest problem identified in the text regarding repatriation?
Human resource managers and expatriates not understanding the difficulty of repatriation
What is the failure of companies to appoint their repatriates for suitable, challenging assignments identified as?
The single most important factor leading to repatriates leaving the company
What is the U-curve model more accurately described as?
W-curve model
What is a major issue in repatriation according to the text?
Ignorance of potential problems
What do expats often feel upon return?
Their skills and experiences are not valued
What are the three phases of repatriation according to the text?
Excitement, problems, and adaptation
What do employees expect upon repatriation according to the text?
A career boost and promotions
What occurs during reintegration according to the text?
Reverse culture shock
What are the three main international staffing approaches?
Parent Country National (PCN), Host Country National (HCN), and Third Country National (TCN)
What percentage of expatriates have little or no previous experience with the local culture?
80%
What are the three types of expatriate assignments mentioned in the text?
Management Development, Business Development, and Technical Assignments
What factors are involved in the selection of expatriates?
Job factors, relational dimensions, motivational state, success categories, family situation, and language skills
What is an important characteristic that suitable expatriate candidates must demonstrate?
High levels of adaptability and open-mindedness
What is an important aspect for organizations to consider when selecting expatriates?
Personal career aims of the employees
What is the main objective of supporting expatriates during the assignment?
Skill development, assistance in non-work related situations, problem avoidance, and staying in contact with the home office
What does culture shock refer to?
The distress experienced by sojourners in a new environment
How can culture shock be reduced for expatriates?
By selecting employees based on cultural adaptability and language skills
What does cultural distance refer to?
The extent of differences between the host and home cultures
What is the cultural psychic distance paradox?
It causes expatriates in culturally similar host countries to underestimate differences and experience greater difficulties
What can failure to adjust lead to for expatriates?
The early return of the expatriate, negatively impacting commitment to the firm
Study Notes
International Assignment Preparation and Challenges
- Pre-departure training is expensive but increases the chances of a successful assignment and protects the organization's investment in the expatriate.
- It lessens uncertainty for employees and ensures they are aware of the foreign culture and everyday life in the host country.
- Post-arrival training aids expatriates by allowing them to contribute real-life problems and relate more easily to the training.
- The main objectives of supporting expatriates during the assignment include skill development, assistance in non-work related situations, problem avoidance, and staying in contact with the home office.
- Common problems encountered by expatriates include culture shock, culture distance, and issues with spouses and children.
- Culture shock, coined by American anthropologists, refers to the distress experienced by sojourners in a new environment.
- It is caused by the confrontation with a new environment, failure of intercultural communication, threat to emotional well-being, and the requirement to adapt personal behavior.
- Cross-cultural training aims to ease adjustment to the new environment and subculture shock.
- Culture shock is almost unavoidable for expatriates, but can be reduced by selecting employees based on cultural adaptability and language skills.
- Cultural distance refers to the extent of differences between the host and home cultures and is a cause of culture shock.
- The cultural psychic distance paradox causes expatriates in culturally similar host countries to underestimate differences and experience greater difficulties.
- Failure to adjust can lead to the early return of the expatriate, negatively impacting commitment to the firm. Adjustment is multifaceted and includes adjustment to work, interaction with host nationals, and general adjustment.
Test your knowledge on international assignment preparation and challenges with this quiz. Explore topics such as pre-departure training, post-arrival support, common problems encountered by expatriates, and strategies to mitigate culture shock and cultural distance. Evaluate your understanding of the complexities of expatriate assignments and the importance of effective support for a successful international experience.
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