Topic in Instruction - Essay Example

Management Reasons for failure of U.S Expatriate Managers Expatriate failure is normally defined as a posting that is deemed as ineffective by senior management or ends prematurely. To this end, statistical research indicates that failure rates depend on the country and range between 10% and 50%. Examplesthat can result to the failure of United States expatriates include cultural inflexibility, family stress, responsibility overload, physical breakdown, and emotional immaturity. Evidently, one of the leading causes includes family stress (Aswathappa, 2005).

The excitement and challenge of a new work environment causes expatriates to focus a lot of time on their new postings. Moreover, they are subjected to a lot of performance pressure that is based on effective results on their new responsibilities and adaptation to the new culture. Consequently, the expatriate spouses spend most of their time alone and are delinked from their friends and family back home. Moreover, the spouses are left dealing with the challenge of adapting to a new culture devoid of any formal training.

Furthermore, she maybe faced by the challenge of finding a new job which ultimately damages her personal long term career. To this end, the cultural shock is more evident on the spouse than the expatriate manager. Consequently, the unhappy spouse directs her frustrations on the expatriate manager in the house of residence. These may include constant arguments or communication withdrawal. As a result, the performance of the expatriate manager is impaired due to the stressful family environment.

This eventually leads to a premature termination of the expatriate posting. Physical and psychological breakdown is also another cause for expatriate failure. Evidently, expatriates are normally motivated towards achieving success in new international assignments. Furthermore, there are organizational goals that the expatriate is expected to achieve. To this end, the expatriates are subjected to working overtime in order to achieve success. In addition, family pressures due to cultural adjustment difficulties and an overwhelming foreign staff poses significant physical and psychological breakdown to the expatriate.

This is what is also known as burn out which if not alleviated results to reduced effectiveness of the expatriate manager. Two competencies that ensure success for expatriates The successes of expatriate managers are normally linked with key competencies that are pertinent. One of the vital competencies pertains to relational abilities which are viewed as a relevant international competence. To this end, the relational competencies refer to the ability to constructively interact with the citizens of the host country and more particularly with the local stakeholders of the international business.

Furthermore, it includes the ability to employ active listening, and management of first impressions. In addition, the expatriate manager should be able to maintain a positive esteem for persons in circumstances beyond personal experiences. To this end, the relational competencies with the host country is positively related to more acceptable stereotype attitudes, satisfaction and improved personal adjustment (Weber, 2011). The ability to handle stress encompasses another vital competency of expatriate managers.

This vital competency is in recognition of the prevalent stressful environment associated with pre-departure and the transition process of acculturation to the new job posting. To this end, the ability to handle stress goes beyond to encapsulate the personal management of culture shock and the coping of everyday hustle in the expatriate job. Furthermore, the ability to handle stress revolves around the expatriate’s exhibition of maturity levels within a personality paradigm. Consequently, expatriates that exhibit effective stress management techniques stand a greater chance of success in their job postings.

Types of cross-cultural training that can be offered to help departing managers adjust to a foreign culture. Cross Cultural Training refers to the process of improving the intercultural learning of expatriate managers through the development of behavioral, cognitive and affective competencies that are essential for successful interactions (Neill, 2008). To this end, one of types of training refers to cognitive learning whereby the expatriate relies on informational diffusion in avenues such as non-participative sessions or conferences.

Evidently, cognitive learning is a type of information giving or didactic training. The expatriate acquires information in typical learning environment whereby he or she is educated on pertinent issues concerning the job posting. These include topics on the living and working conditions of the host country, beliefs and customs of the host countries as well as deduction of the cultural differences. Further divulgence of information pertains to those that will facilitate the expatriate in understanding events and exhibit behavior that is compliant to the customs, values and beliefs of the host country.

A second type of Cross Cultural Training refers to the affective method that seeks to develop the personal reactions of the expatriates while dealing with any crucial cultural incidents. To this end, the affective learning is directed at strengthening the personal emotions needed for confronting negative perceptions. Consequently, the expatriate will be in a capacity to become self reliant in the new country as well as exhibiting emotional strength. The affective training aspires to impart skills that are vital in enhancing the expatriate’s emotional responses to scenarios presented during the job posting.

To this end, examples of skills taught here include how to work with a specific culture training or nationality. A tool known as a cultural assimilator is normally employed in delivering affective training. References Aswathappa, K. (2005). Human Resource and Personnel Management,4e . n.a: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Neill, J. (2008). THE EXPATRIATE VENTURE: WHAT ROLE DOES CROSS- CULTURAL TRAINING PLAY AND WHAT THEORIES GUIDE RESEARCH IN THE FIELD? . uri.edu. Retrieved December 13, 2012, from www.uri.edu/research/lrc/research/papers/Neill_Expatriate.

pdf Weber, T. (2011). What Are The Critical Success Factors In Expatriate Assignments?. GRIN Verlag.