Question and Answer Response

Question and Answer Response

What do U.S. managers need to know about leading in the international arena?

Potential managers are supposed to know that entering a foreign market does not base on a single approach. Therefore, business organizations much select an appropriate model that best fits the available resources, market potential and some experience in global operations. The managers are also supposed to show expatriate skills and knowledge instead of those of traditional managers (Uhl-Bien, & Arena, 2018). Therefore, they are supposed to be multilingual, culture-sensitive and have some information on the contemporary global management techniques in various fields.

Identify and describe three important guidelines that can be of practical value.

One of the guidelines is applying the international management models: ethnocentric, polycentric and geocentric. Therefore, managers are supposed to understand how they operate (Uhl-Bien, & Arena, 2018). Another key guideline is applying an ethnocentric model that focuses on a single style, and its activities are staged in different branches. Finally, it is vital to exhibit competency and effectiveness.

Despite the fact that companies are spending more on training for expatriates to work overseas than ever before (e.g., language training and cultural training), the failure rate has not gone down to any statistical significance.

Training is not always that easy because it entails various concepts ranging from language to culture. The main objective is to ensure that the trainees understand these concepts and get immersed in the new culture and language settings (Renshaw, Parry, & Dickmann, 2020).  Therefore, it all depends on their willingness since some end up getting discouraged and quitting the exercise.

What do you believe is the primary motivation for individuals to accept international assignments? Is this a good reason to accept an overseas assignment?

International assignments motivate individuals since they are key to career and professional development since they expose the expatriates to new working environments and settings that provide them with new challenges (Renshaw, Parry, & Dickmann, 2020). In addition, some international assignments are quite motivating in terms of the compensations offered. The salaries, wages, and house allowances are quite attractive and lure several professionals as they fight to improve their living standards.

What do you believe are the main reasons expatriates return early?

Expatriates are poised t return early from their international duties because of different factors. For example, they normally experience culture shock in that they are forced to adapt to the new customs, values, beliefs and religions of the residential places they operate from (Gamble & Hawker, (2019). Another factor is family stress and poor candidate selection, where inappropriate and unmotivated individuals are selected for the assignments.

What can MNCs do to prevent this from happening?

Multinational Corporations can prevent such instances by recruiting employees with the right soft skills and motivation, enabling them to easily adapt to the new environments. Besides, MNCs can develop a supportive environment for the expatriates by offering them mentors who will prepare them upon arrival and help them navigate the workplace as fast as possible. 

References

Gamble, K., & Hawker, D. M. (2019). Expatriates: Corporate, Missionary, and Volunteer. In Travel Medicine (pp. 321-329). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-54696-6.00033-1

Renshaw, P. S. J., Parry, E., & Dickmann, M. (2020). International assignments–extending an organizational value framework. Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGM-12-2019-0055

Uhl-Bien, M., & Arena, M. (2018). Leadership for organizational adaptability: A theoretical synthesis and integrative framework. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(1), 89-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.12.009