11: International Employment Practice

Question 1

Expat failure

Answer 1

Early return, under performance, failure rates 10–40%, high cost failure, lost business and reputation costs, average cost US $198,000

Question 2

Reasons for expat failure

Answer 2

Spouse, inability to adapt, family problems, lack of technological competence, lack of motivation, lack of support from head office, not having open mindset, lack of willingness to learn

Question 3

Cross cultural training

Answer 3

Pre departure: Information giving approaches, approaches that address people’s feelings and facts, emotion approaches.

Post departure: learning by doing, contact or support with HO, mentoring, language and culture classes, maintain performance appraisals, maintain development opportunities

Question 4

Culture shock symptoms

Answer 4

Fatigue, discomfort, anger, fear for health, fear of being cheated, irritability, loneliness, spend time with people of our nationality, long for home, loss of inventiveness

Question 5

U form model of adjustment

Answer 5

Honeymoon
Loneliness (disillusionment, anxiety)
Slow climb (adjustment)
Integration (mastery)

Question 6

Addressing culture shock

Answer 6

Cognitive learning – explicit knowledge, learn about a culture

Social learning theory – how to function in a culture, tacit knowledge

Question 7

Learning cultures

Answer 7

Enculturation – learning to live in culture
Acculturation- Individuals or groups learning to fit in the host culture
Assimilation – changing to join new culture permanently, imagine the level of reverse culture shock

Question 8

Managing repatriation

Answer 8

Alienate it returnees – reject home country values, wish to return to foreign location

Re-socialised returnees – attempt to re-integrate, reject foreign experience

Proactive returnees – return home with renewed energy and optimism, want to use what they learned