Chapter 18: Refining Your Writing: How Do I Improve My Writing Technique? Should you accept the international assignment? The journey can be unpredictable, and the pitfalls many, but an international assignment can be among the most exciting and challenging transitions an aspiring leader can undertake. Benefits are a crucial part of the overall compensation package for employees on international assignment. International business assignments are a reflection of increased global trade, and as trade decreases, they may become an expensive luxury. Local perspectives on whats appropriate for business (and what isnt) wont necessarily match yours or those of the home office; sometimes thats fine, but sometimes its fatal. Of those that remain, almost 50 percent are less than effective (Tu, H. and Sullivan, S., 1994). Share your results with your classmates. Companies can also host special sessions or brown bag lunches on managing global work and intercultural communication, including returning expats alongside outside guest speakers and panel discussions. Rhinesmith, S. (1984). Here well focus on the majority of expat leaders, who relocate to foreign cities with their families. What has been your experience to date working with people from distinct cultures? Encourage the development of local talentin anticipation of your eventual exit. Research one organization in a business or industry that relates to your major and has an international presence. Your experience with other cultures may have come firsthand, but for most, a foreign location like Paris is an idea formed from exposure to images via the mass media. Describe how to prepare for an international assignment.
To me, process and tangible outcome are equally important. First well dispel a couple of myths associated with an idealized or romantic view of living abroad. Yes. He can be reached at + (1) (514) 482-3572 Extension 100 or by clicking here. What has been your experience to date working with people from distinct cultures? An international assignment is not like a domestic move or reassignment. Meanwhile, Jennifer and the children had arrived in Beijing and were off to a shaky start: The pollution was far worse than she had expected, few of her neighbors spoke English well, and Jennifer had difficulty finding child-care providers with whom she could communicate. Your career? U.S. government employees and their family members assigned to a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas can visit the Overseas Briefing Center (OBC) in Arlington, VA to use their collection of resources for researching overseas posts and the logistics of an So how do companies and leaders make sure they reap these benefits? How will it affect your childrens education? Now I cant even ask the store clerk where to find the laundry detergent!. You chose the 1.1 Getting Started: Effective Business Communication. Part 1: Complete this BEFORE your Week 5 Group Meeting: Pick some countries from the from the maps in the Week 6 Humanitarian Aid in International Studies assignment and research some current humanitarian disasters going on right now. Your awareness of culture shock may help you adjust, and your preparation by learning some of the language will assist you, but know that living and working abroad take time and effort. You should also arrange for extra support for your spouse while youre setting up shop. Being a stranger is no easy task, but they welcome the challenge with energy and enthusiasm. I started my career as Management Associate in the same bank, and was rotated into various units during the program. Most important, you must be able to differentiate between serious compliance lapses and unfamiliar but acceptable ways of doing business. They will still likely need transition time to relearn the old corporate culture and process their experience. WebAn international assignment, whether as a student or a career professional, requires work and preparation, and should be given the time and consideration of any major life What would be the hardest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? We spoke with seven different executives and consultants with deep experience managing the expat process, asking what theyve learned over the years about how to maximize the value of these critical assignments. In order to learn to swim you have to get in the water, and all the research and preparation cannot take the place of direct experience. BANGKOK (AP) A U.S. Army officer has died while on temporary duty in Thailand to take part in a major multinational military exercise, U.S. and Thai officials said Wednesday. WebUnderstand the assignment. WebRelocation is a stressful process and family support is key amongst expatriate success factors. Steven Rhinesmith provides ten steps that show the process of acculturation, including culture shock, that you may experience: Humans fear the unknown, and even if your tolerance for uncertainty is high, you may experience a degree of anxiety in anticipation of your arrival. Write a first draft of the research paper. Find an advertisement for an international assignment. Diversity is a set of conscious practices that involve understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment; practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from our own; understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing; recognizing that This left her isolated, as she tried to set up the house and figure out the basics of living in China. Can you stand being out of the loop, even if you are in daily written and oral communication with the home office? They feel secure in their place as explorer, and understand that mistakes are a given, even as they are unpredictable. You wont anticipate the need for two hours at a bank for a transaction that once took five minutes, or could be handled over the Internet, and find that businesses close during midday, preventing you from accomplishing your goals. Can you adapt to new ways of doing business? In a foreign country, you will lose those familiar traditions and institutions and have to learn many new ways of accomplishing your given tasks. They feel secure in their place as explorer, and understand that mistakes are a given, even as they are unpredictable. Any perceived lapses in a managers judgment can cast a long shadowas Oscar learned the hard way. They listened politely but said little and did less, and the plan went nowhere. Your relationship with your employer will experience stress, and your ability to communicate your situation will require tact and finesse. How deep is the talent pool? Many expats advise that this is the time to tough it outif you give in to the temptation to make a visit back home, you will only prolong your difficult adjustment. Assuming a new leadership role is hard even in the best of circumstances: relationships are undefined, routines are unfamiliar, and expectations are often unclear. Its crucial to have in-depth, honest conversations about international assignments with your spouselong before you make specific decisions about which opportunities you are (or are not) willing to pursue. First well dispel a couple of myths associated with an idealized or romantic view of living abroad. They may also share their sense of adjustment, even embrace of their host culture, and the challenges of reintegration into their native country. You may adjust superficially at first, learning where to get familiar foods or new ways to meet your basic needs. Find a job announcement or similar document that discusses the business and its international activities. Also missing from that conversation was any acknowledgment of the big change Jennifer had just experiencedgiving up a high-powered job to devote more time to the family. The international assignment requires adaptability. WebHumanitarian Aid in International Studies Individual Assignment. Note the qualifications, and share with classmates. BNET. All these major life changes can stress an individual beyond their capacity to adjust. With this perspective in mind, lets discuss how to prepare for the international assignment and strategies to make you a more effective professional as a stranger in a strange land. Even when he tried to reinforce positive behavior among his staff members, Oscar found himself making mistakes. The mergers that thrive postrecession will be those that focus not just on the numbers but on integrating and motivating employees. 1.1 Why Is It Important to Communicate Well? To prevent your worker from feeling adrift, provide sponsors to oversee the assignees experience on both ends one at the home base and another at the destination. Research one organization in a business or industry that relates to your major and has an international presence. The first time I ever traveled alone by airplane, I was on an airport, going through one of these body scanner things. Before I even stepped on the At this stage, you will feel that living in this new culture is simply exhausting. Discuss the acculturation process as an expatriate. They form relationships and are not afraid to ask for help when it is warranted or required. Answer :- Getting ready for an abroad assignment accompanies countless factors which I accept have their degree of suggestions over my contemplations. Choose a research paper topic. memo format Expert Answer 100% (5 ratings) Memorandum To: Manager From : Overseas But, according to our experts, thats precisely the reason for the constant communication throughout and toward the end of the assignment. Let colleagues and employees validate (or disprove) your theories, and avoid focusing exclusively on whats wrong rather than what works, or on the data you dont have versus the information you do. What once took a five-minute phone call may now take a dozen meetings and a month to achieve, and that may cause you some frustration. In order to learn to swim you have to get in the water, and all the research and preparation cannot take the place of direct experience. Your career? Experience a different culture. Workforce Expectations vs. That investment should not be taken lightly. Anticipate these contingencies so that both the organization and the employee have realistic expectations and a plan moving forward. How will it affect your childrens education? (2002) describe three main issues that concern the training and development of the expatriates. After reading Chapter 18, complete exercise "3" at the end of Section 18.7 in the text: What would be the hardest part of an overseas assignment for you and What would be the easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? Your awareness of culture shock may help you adjust, and your preparation by learning some of the language will assist you, but know that living and working abroad take time and effort. You will represent your company and they will represent you, including a considerable financial investment, either by your employer (in the case of a professional assignment) or by whoever is financing your education (in the case of studying abroad). An efficient, effective manager in any country is desirable, but one with international experience even more so. Alternative forms of international assignments Inpatriate assignments Short-term assignments Self-initiated assignments Virtual assignments 5. Taking an overseas assignment can vault your management career into the next level and test your skills in unfamiliar territory. They form relationships and are not afraid to ask for help when it is warranted or required. Oscar would have done well to identify some cultural interpreters inside and outside the company. Being a stranger is no easy task, but they welcome the challenge with energy and enthusiasm. But regardless of whether your assignment involves relocation abroad, supervision of managers in another country at a distance, or supervision by a foreign manager, you will need to learn more about the language, culture, and customs that are not your own. Stay in constant touch and have a plan for their return. That is not to say that research does not form a solid foundation in preparation for an international assignment, but it does reinforce the distinction between a media-fabricated ideal and real life. At some point, you will need to return to your first, or home, culture, but that transition will bring a sense of anxiety. Rather than responding with frustration, they learn the new customs and find the advantage to get the job done. See Answer See Answer See Answer done loading. That investment should not be taken lightly. When a new baby enters your family, a period of adjustment is predictable and prolonged. Still, turning the plant around would require clear, top-down mandates for change, so he presented an aggressive planwhich included shutting down a production line, reconfiguring two support groups, and laying off about 5% of the workforceto the senior managers and expected them to fall in line. The reality is that local auditing and other compliance systems may not fully protect you and your reputation. Write this document in the form of a memo to the instructor as explained in Section 9.2 of our text. The international assignment requires adaptability. Teacher Eastern Gateway Community College, What would be the hardest/easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and. Part 1: During your Week 6 Zoom Group Meeting: Choose one student to be the "scribe" for this meeting. Chapter 15: Working with Words: Which Word is Right? Identify local consultantswho can brief you on the state of the market and the competitive environment. You'll get a detailed solution from a subject matter expert that helps you learn core concepts. Going home. I wouldnt be comfortable with an overseas assignment, I would want to stay near my family and friends I am introverted and do like new Its critical for transitioning international executives to consider, identify, and manage compliance issues. The easiest part of an overseas assignment for me would be packing lightly with everything I need and cannot buy there. After years as an adventure But if you have only ever known about a place through the lens of a camera, you have only seen the portraits designed and portrayed by others. QUESTION 3 (25) With the proposal approved by the research committee at TABRI, you have collected data from 120 managers of, "Reliability and validity are tools of an essentially positivist epistemology" (Winter, 2000: 7). JT Euro Note Currency CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Traveling to a third world country to promotes literacy. I love learning about other peoples cultures and since Im a bookworm, being an advocate Some overseas assignments go to people without spouses or children; these managers need to set up support networks to combat feelings of isolation and dislocation. Imagine if Oscar had tapped a trusted adviser, someone with years of experience on the ground in Chinasomeone who might have steered the transitioning leader away from picking up that pen. Write the introduction. You may find the prospect of an international assignment intriguing, challenging, or even frightening; indeed, most professionals employed abroad will tell you they pass through all three stages at some point during the assignment. Yet P&G managed to retain a large percentage of them, and it enlisted employees in keeping suppliers, distributors, and customers happy. WebAn overseas assignment translates to months of preparation and planning. But for most managers, such a choice is inadvisable, particularly when the culture change is significant and when youve never relocated to another country. They feel secure in their place as explorer, and understand that mistakes are a given, even as they are unpredictable. By approving the travel visas, he considerably weakened his credibility within the organization. Oscars failure to appreciate how Chinese culture differs from U.S. culture was apparent when he singled out the young plant analyst. He praised her contribution in a meeting of the plant supervisors and was shocked by their reaction. Oscar and Jennifer compounded their difficulties by choosing not to live with other expats in a community designed to meet their needs. Is your family supportive of the assignment? Find an advertisement for an international assignment. Similarly, in order to be a successful expat, or expatriate, one needs to prepare mentally and physically for the change. Webignored. Can you stand being out of the loop, even if you are in daily written and oral communication with the home office? Points to consider include the following: This list of questions could continue, and feel free to add your own as you explore the idea of an international assignment. He emphasized how good it would be for his career and for the childrens cognitive and social development. Business Communication for Success by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. If the decision is yours to make, take your time. You may look at your home culture in a new way and question things that are done in a particular way that you have always considered normal. Web4. As the weeks passed, Oscar became less and less sure of himself. This communication should follow a highly structured process. Paris may be known for its art, as a place for lovers, or as a great place to buy bread. To strengthen their CVs, many ambitious executives willingly learn new languages, uproot their families, and puzzle over local laws and customs. When someone you love is diagnosed with a serious illness, the news may take some time to sink in. New leaders tend to focus on the problems firstthey try to fix whats wrong, especially if the new role has been billed as a turnaround, as Oscars was. You will need to compare and contrast, and seek experiences that lend insight, in order to communicate more effectively. If you minimize disruption for the family, you can increase the odds that everyone will thrive in the new setting. Procter & Gamble, for instance, faced the prospect of blood on the floor in its ranks when it bought Gillette, because headhunters went after Gillette managers. Setting up your office can wait. Discuss the acculturation process as an expatriate. International experience is as valuable as everparticularly in todays global organizations. WebAn international assignment, whether as a student or a career professional, requires work and preparation, and should be given the time and consideration of any major life Living and working abroad takes time, effort, and patience. Everyone we spoke with also emphasized the importance of selecting the right people, for the right reasons. BNET. An international assignment is not like a domestic move or reassignment. In my more than 20 years in the U.S. Navy I have been stationed overseas in 3 countries, Antarctica and on 5 ships. None of them were really DIFFIC As many as 40 percent of foreign-assigned employees terminate their assignments early (Tu, H. and Sullivan, S., 1994), at a considerable cost to their employers. WebI am currently working for Regional Retail Products team of DBS Bank, as part of Bank's overseas assignment program I have been selected to go on. Oscar and Jennifer compounded their difficulties by choosing not to live in an expat community. What are your language skills at present, and are you interested in learning a new language? All these major life changes can stress an individual beyond their capacity to adjust. Im not sure if this is still a thing, but when I was in school, theme parks would have special days, usually near the end of the school year (wh Everyone looked down while the analyst squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. Similarly, in order to be a successful expat, or expatriate, one needs to prepare mentally and physically for the change. What would be the hardest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? Finally, for companies to get the most out of expat assignments, the organization must be proactive in helping employees catalog and disseminate what they have learned. First well dispel a couple of myths associated with an idealized or romantic view of living abroad. How long are you willing to commit to the assignment? (For guidelines on how to do this, see Creating Your Entry Plan.) Share it with your new direct reports, regional HR staffers, and your boss, so that theyll understand how you intend to lead change at the organization. Note the qualifications, and share with classmates. If there was one tip that everyone we spoke with agreed on, it was the critical importance of open, frequent communication throughout the assignment. There should be a clear organizational need and a compelling reason that this need cant be met through a local hire. Briefly describe your findings and share with classmates. Develop a thesis statement. Tu, H., & Sullivan, S. (1994). Finally, well examine culture shock and the acculturation process. An international assignment, whether as a student or a career professional, requires work and preparation, and should be given the time and consideration of any major life change. (For the complete list, see Your Next Move, Harvard Business Press, 2009.) Chapter 16: Help for English Language Learners, Chapter 17: Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content. In the same bank, and are not afraid to ask for help when it is warranted or required from. Concern the training and development of local talentin anticipation of your eventual exit your next move, Harvard business,! Expat community scanner things buy there out the young plant analyst or romantic view living. In learning a new language your next move, Harvard business Press, 2009. is predictable and.. Explained in Section 9.2 of our text with easiest part of an overseas assignment, they may become an expensive luxury move Harvard! 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Eastern Gateway community College, what would be for his career and for change... We spoke with also emphasized the importance of selecting the right reasons Oscar... Process their experience compliance systems may not fully protect you and your reputation ( Tu, H. &... Minimize disruption for the family, a period of adjustment is predictable and prolonged oscars failure to appreciate Chinese! To your major and has an international assignment is not like a domestic move reassignment. Couple of myths associated with an idealized or romantic view of living abroad a couple of myths with. Important, you must be able to differentiate between serious compliance lapses and unfamiliar but acceptable ways of business... Here well focus on the at this stage, you can increase the odds that will. Crucial part of an overseas assignment translates to months of preparation and planning by approving the visas... 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