Ch 10 Managing Expatriates

Question 0

short term assignments associated with

Answer 0

control and knowledge

Question 1

reasons assignments now more often short term

Answer 1

expense
new information technologies
more qualified local staff
increasing power to empower local operations
governmental regulations

Question 2

short term assignments include

Answer 2

internal consultancy
establishing new system
explaining headquarters strategy
inspection and evaluation
training and/or mentoring

Question 3

pros and cons to short term assignments

Answer 3

objectives precisely defined and activities tightly controlled

fewer opportunities to learn from mistakes

Question 4

expatriate success or failure can be evaluated on

Answer 4

relative to performance at home
relative to previous assignment abroad
relative to job description
relative to assignment
relevant to environment
relevant to circumstances

Question 5

problems to identify failure

Answer 5

comparison to home….unrealistic with new surroundings
job description…who wrote it
relevance of culture as explanatory factor
perceptions of cultural distance
at what time do you judge?
identities and interests of those explaining failure

Question 6

expatriate selection def

Answer 6

selection, training, and support to focus on developing the manager and dependents to

WORK in the culture and LIVE in the culture too

Question 7

job description def

Answer 7

influences criteria for selection, and the analysis of training needs

(includes tasks, target standards, reporting procedures, evaluating criteria, who evaluates)

Question 8

expatriates need (besides technical and managerial skills)

Answer 8

realistic understanding of the assignment
ability to adjust
negotiation skills
problem solving skills
communication skills
emotional security to tolerate uncertainty
capacity to learn from experience
motivation to live and work in new culture

Question 9

expatriate expects

Answer 9

fair compensation (salary, allowances, benefits)
time to prepare
any necessary training
support at post upon return to headquarters
career planning
opportunity to continue work upon return
enhanced promotion prospects
training and support for dependents

Question 10

expatriate training

Answer 10

takes place before assignment
given to manager AND dependents
teaching skills necessary and developing understanding of position

Question 11

needs analysis

Answer 11

1) analysis of needs to operate at post successfully
2) level of expertise needed and what can be taught
3) what skills need to be aquired?
4) practical aspects of delivery (when, where, who, what materials)

Question 12

main areas of training

Answer 12

technical and managerial (not always necessary if expert, not enough time, short term assignment)

Question 13

expatriate support

Answer 13

live in new culture
work in new culture
return to HQ

aims to motivate and reduce stress; guarantees on returning, promotion, career planning, etc.

support for working, living, and mentoring

Question 14

culture shock def

Answer 14

sense of dislocation that occurs when one experiences behavior that does not occur in your culture (in that meaning at least)

usually associated with: low levels of energy, frustration, alienation, antagonism towards locals, need to be alone, homesickness

Question 15

overcome culture shock

Answer 15

expecting it, understanding why it occurs, and recognizing symptoms
learning about new culture (at least some of language), meeting new people outside business environment