Expatriate Management and Global Careers Flashcards
Expatriation
-The process by which employees are temporarily or permanently transferred from their home country to another country for work.
-This can be driven by corporate strategy (setting up new subsidiaries) or individual choice (seeking international experience
Global Careers
-Careers that span multiple countries and cultural contexts, involving assignments or roles that require frequent travel or relocation across borders
-Global careers often emphasize cultural agility, international business acumen, and strong interpersonal skills
Trends and Challenges in Global Careers
-Rise of short-term assignments: many corps use short-term assignments to cut costs and maintain flexibility
-Dual-Career Couples: managing expatriates when both partners have careers
-Return on Investment: justifying the high cost of expatriate assignment
-Boundaryless Careers: mobility between boarders enriches their experience but also raises challenges in terms of career continuity and advancement
Selection of Expatriate
-Criteria: technical skills, cross-cultural competence, language proficiency adaptability, and interpersonal skills
-Assessment tools: personality tests (Big Five inventories) cultural intelligence assessment, and interviews with a focus on cultural adaptability
Training and Developing Expatriates
-Cross-Cultural Training: providing cultural context, basic language skills, and social norms of the host country
-Practical orientation: information on housing, schooling, healthcare, and community resources
-Mentoring and Networking: assigning a host-country mentor or buddy to smooth the transition
Family and Personal Consideration
-Family readiness: spouse/partner career support, children’s education, and general well-being
-Supportive Services: cultural orientation for the spouse, networking groups for expatriate families, language classes for all family members
Cultural Adjustment and Support
-Stages of Cultural Adjustment
-Ongoing support: continued language training, cultural coaching, and frequent-check-ins with home country HR
Stages of Cultural Adjustment
-Honeymoon, culture shock, recovery, and adaption
Compensation and Benefits
-Balance sheet approach: aligning expatriate compensation with home country salary while accounting for host-country cost of living
-Local Plus Approach: offering a local salary plus certain expatriate benefits (housing allowance, schooling etc)
-Tax and Legal Issues: navigating double taxation agreements and ensuring visa and work permits are maintained
Repatriation Challenges
-Reverse Culture Shock: Returning expatriates can feel disoriented by changes at home and a loss of autonomy experienced abroad
-Career Progression: ensuring that international experience is recognized and rewarded upon returning
-Knowledge Utilization: Capturing and sharing the knowledge gained from international assignments
Organizational Support for Repatriation
-Formal Programs: Structured debriefing sessions, mentorship programs, or leadership roles for returning expatriates
-Continuity of Benefits: Maintaining certain benefits for a transition period after return
-Recognition: valuing the returning expatriate’s insights and achievements, which encourages others to take on assignments
