<p>The increase of foreign direct investment in China has resulted in the presence of a number of Western expatriates working in Sino–foreign joint ventures. These expatriate managers have to make things work in absolutely new settings. Therefore, without cross-cultural trainings, they may have very stressful experience in China. Understanding of the Chinese culture and Chinese society may ultimately save much frustration and money. With our thesis therefore we would like to explore how companies manage training processes before sending expatriates to China, and prepare them for further knowledge transfer to the employees in China. This has lead us to the following research question: “How do the Western companies manage process of sending expatriates to China?”</p><p>The research is based on the experiences of three companies: IKEA, Texol Technical Solutions and NCR and demonstrates possible means that can be engaged by the companies to facilitate adjustment processes of their expatriates in China. The empirical data were gathered from interviews with managers from the mentioned companies. In order to analyze our empirical findings we present literature that was structured as follows: Training in the international context, training in the Chinese context and communication between expatriate and local employees. Both the literature review as well as our empirical data with analysis aspire to provide the reader with an in depth study of the importance of the selection of the right candidates and the provision of trainings, as it can help both to understand the unique Chinese cultural and business characteristics environment as well as effectively and efficiently to operate in China.</p><p>In our conclusions we present our findings regarding the following issues: support for the expatriates; training of the Chinese employees and importance of communication. Based on our analysis we introduce our recommendations for the three companies, including: Selection of the right candidates, presence of action plans, motivation and incentives, trainings, contact with the company and other expatriates during the assignment and importance of repatriation.</p>

This thesis explores the Thai business model, its history and culture, and the challenges of working with expatriates from the perspectives of Thai employees. Given Thailand's rich and complex history, difference in working styles between Thais and expatriates is not unexpected. This research aims to provide a detailed analysis of this relatively neglected field. Generally, there is a dearth of literature in the English language that reflects the perspectives of Thais regarding their working relationship with expatriates. In-depth information on Thai traditional values and culture in the English language is not readily available due in part to many Thai words not having English equivalents. This has led to a lack of in-depth knowledge about Thai employees, their working attitudes and the elements that make Thais what they are today. Thailand is not known as exemplary in terms of business ethics, professionalism or efficiency. Does this mean that management methods from developed nations are superior and could be applied wholly in Thailand? Would it be possible for Western expatriates to apply their management techniques across the board within the Thai business context, where culture and traditional values are deeply embedded?In seeking insights to these questions and possible solutions, and to obtain in-depth and rich information, this study adopts the survey method and uses interviews conducted with twenty Thai employees who work regularly with expatriates. The findings reveal that Thai working culture is multi-faceted and extremely complex, and that there are significant differences between Thai and expatriate cultures and attitudes that remain poorly understood. Furthermore, despite the conventional belief that Western management methods are superior and should be applied to the Thai business model, the evidence suggests that some Thai traditional values might actually be beneficial for both parties, as well as the organisation they are working for. This study has found that whilst it might be true that some Western influences can be positive, such as the reduction of high-level corruption and a focus on time management, certain traditional values might be worthwhile for expatriates to assimilate, such as kreng jai (similar to being considerate) and hen jai (similar to being understanding). This thesis concludes by suggesting that a compromise or middle ground approach is the way forward for both Thais and expatriates, where the merits of their respective work cultures could complement the other to achieve the overall well-being of the organisation and the people working in it.

The increase of foreign direct investment in China has resulted in the presence of a number of Western expatriates working in Sino–foreign joint ventures. These expatriate managers have to make things work in absolutely new settings. Therefore, without cross-cultural trainings, they may have very stressful experience in China. Understanding of the Chinese culture and Chinese society may ultimately save much frustration and money. With our thesis therefore we would like to explore how companies manage training processes before sending expatriates to China, and prepare them for further knowledge transfer to the employees in China. This has lead us to the following research question: “How do the Western companies manage process of sending expatriates to China?” The research is based on the experiences of three companies: IKEA, Texol Technical Solutions and NCR and demonstrates possible means that can be engaged by the companies to facilitate adjustment processes of their expatriates in China. The empirical data were gathered from interviews with managers from the mentioned companies. In order to analyze our empirical findings we present literature that was structured as follows: Training in the international context, training in the Chinese context and communication between expatriate and local employees. Both the literature review as well as our empirical data with analysis aspire to provide the reader with an in depth study of the importance of the selection of the right candidates and the provision of trainings, as it can help both to understand the unique Chinese cultural and business characteristics environment as well as effectively and efficiently to operate in China. In our conclusions we present our findings regarding the following issues: support for the expatriates; training of the Chinese employees and importance of communication. Based on our analysis we introduce our recommendations for the three companies, including: Selection of the right candidates, presence of action plans, motivation and incentives, trainings, contact with the company and other expatriates during the assignment and importance of repatriation.

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This qualitative research study analyses the causal conditions of educational, cultural and ideological issues that emerged as a result of Expatriate teaching experiences in secondary schools in Singapore. The study also examines how the foreign educational environment affects the performance of the Expatriate Teacher (ExT). Specifically, the results provide insight into how Expatriate Teachers (ExTs) conceive of notions of work, teaching and learning and how they come to terms with, and adjust to employment within a foreign teaching environment. Seven teacher-participants were selected on the basis of their individual experiences as an ExT or experiences working alongside ExTs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the UK, Singapore and Australia to explore teacher-participants' teaching conceptions and experiences. Two Pilot interviews were conducted prior to the Interview Schedules being made available to the participants. One pilot interview was subsequently included in the analysis. Aspects of Grounded Theory methodology, in particular the Constant Comparison method, were utilised to categorise and analyse data. Analysis of the data was also facilitated using the computer software programme NUD*IST 6. The findings identified three related and interwoven themes which categorised the issues as experienced by the seven teacher-participants. One is the Conditional Variables of the physical, structural and organizational setting. The second is the resident Proficiencies and Attributes of the ExT, which includes ideologies, values and expectations. The third includes Configurations of Culture such as work culture, subject culture and cultural adaptations. The study outlines how Incongruity and Dissonance can operate within and between these three themes and indicates implications for improving the experiences of ExTs and other stakeholders.

Orientation – The researcher, under the supervision of Dr Mark Bussin sought to explore and understand the factors that influence skilled professionals to accept expatriate assignments. Research purpose – identify predominant factors that motivate skilled professional to accept or decline expatriate offers and understand the impact that age has on the priority of these factors. Motivation for the study – There is little research that has been done thus far that identifies the factors that motivate skilled professionals to accept expatriate assignments and the impact that age may have on the priority of these factors. Research design, approach and method – The researcher used an exploratory qualitative research approach and, more specifically, semi structured interviews. Main findings – Career, family and geographic location appear to be key motivational factors for skilled professionals to accept expatriate assignments. There is also an increasing importance being given to the presence of a comprehensive company policy with regard to expatriate assignments which gives the skilled professional a sense of comfort when making the decision. In addition age does not appear to influence the factors that motivate skilled professionals to accept an expatriate assignment however importance to various factors may change dependent on age and position in career at the time of making the decision. Practical/managerial implications – As a result of globalisation which is currently a very prevalent influence on the economic environment, there is an increased need for skilled professionals to accept expatriate assignments in multi-national companies. It is therefore important for employers to understand what motivates skilled professionals to accept these expatriate assignments. Contribution/value-add – Although this study is explorative and descriptive, it suggests that if management at multi-national companies are aware of the factors that motivate skilled professionals to accept expatriate assignments, they stand a better chance of being able to fill positions appropriately if they are able to meet the needs of the skilled professionals. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lmgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

As more companies enter the international market, the need for skilled expatriate managers will continue to grow. This demand for skilled expatriate managers is particularly evident when high international standards of service are desired for serving guests from disparate locations. Although expatriates perform an important role with the success of the home company heavily dependent on them, limited research has been conducted to examine organizational-level factors regarding expatriate adjustment. This research provides a contribution to the existing literature by investigating the relationship between perceived organizational climate and adjustment. Four dimensions of perceived organizational climate of the open system model were derived from the literature: commitment to learning, shared vision, open-mindedness, and innovativeness. To measure expatriate adjustment, three facets of adjustment [(i) general, (ii) interactional, and (iii) work adjustment,] are utilized to test the influence of the perceived organizational climate. A self-administrated online survey was distributed to expatriate hotel managers via email and 71 usable responses were received. Results were analyzed using multiple regression analysis and Baron and Kenny's (1986) procedure. The results found in this study indicate that the overall perceived organizational climate of the open system model significantly influences the adjustment of expatriate hotel managers. The perceived organizational climate dimension of open-mindedness, however, is the only significant predictor of the general, interactional, and work adjustment of expatriate hotel managers. This study also reveals that the perceived organizational climate mediates the relationship between expatriate training and the adjustment of expatriate hotel managers. / Master of Science

Sending employees overseas for international work assignments has become a popular practice among today's multinational corporations, albeit one fraught with challenges. These expatriate employees, individuals who relocate internationally for work assignments, face many difficulties ranging from problematic adjustment to inadequate preparation. Mentoring has been proposed as one strategy for alleviating the challenges faced by expatriates and for providing the support expatriates need before, during, and after their assignments (Harvey & Wiese, 2002; Mezias & Scandura, 2005). In fact, expatriates that report having a mentor are more likely than expatriates without mentors to have positive career outcomes such as increased job satisfaction and organizational socialization (Feldman & Bolino, 1999; Feldman & Thomas, 1992). Yet, research on expatriate mentoring is still in its infancy as very little empirical research has been conducted. This study will extend past research by 1) investigating the effects of having a mentor and the amount of mentoring provided, 2) exploring the isolated impact of both career development and psychosocial support on expatriate outcomes, and 3) examining the unique impact of mentoring provided by home and host country mentors. The results revealed that the number of mentors that an expatriate reported having was not related to expatriate socialization, cross-cultural adjustment, job satisfaction, intent to remain for the duration of the assignment, or intent to turnover. The results also showed that for the expatriates having two or more mentors, having a diverse group of mentors, that is, at least one mentor from the home country and one mentor from the host country, was not related to any of the expatriate outcomes examined. Further, the results indicated that home and host country colleagues provide unique mentoring functions that predict expatriate outcomes on overseas assignments. Theoretical and practical implications based upon these findings are discussed.

This dissertation investigates whether cultural competence, defined as a person’s ability to interact effectively with others from a different cultural background or in a cross-cultural setting, predicts expatriate adjustment and job performance more effectively than other individual-level predictors such as personality and local language proficiency. Rather than simply focusing on the predictive validity of cultural competence, this study also explores a process model that could explain the link between cultural competence and expatriate job performance by proposing a mediating variable of cross-cultural adjustment. Lastly, in a more integrated way, this study examines how the relationship between expatriate adjustment and job performance may be better understood by two potential moderating variables: conscientiousness and expatriate assignment nature. For testing the proposed hypotheses, expatriates in a Fortune 500 company were invited to participate in a web-based survey. Responses about their international assignment experience were obtained from 338 expatriates located in 43 countries, and their supervisors. A set of multiple regression analyses were conducted and three major findings emerged. First, the analyses confirmed the important role of some individual difference such as conscientiousness and local language proficiency in expatriate assignment effectiveness, consistent with the literature. Second, the results showed the unique roles of some cultural competence dimensions in predicting expatriate adjustment and job performance, beyond the effects of other important individual-level variables. Lastly, the results also demonstrated a process model of the effect of motivational cultural competence on expatriate job performance: motivational cultural competence works through work adjustment to influence expatriate job performance. Taken together, these findings provide more comprehensive knowledge about whether and how certain individual differences are related more effectively to expatriate assignment effectiveness. In practical terms, this research has implications regarding expatriate selection and development, in order to improve the chances of success in international assignments.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 376-397) Also available in print.