Expatriate: Success Process
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Transcript of Expatriate: Success Process
DQ-1. Explain the common causes of expatriate failure. What are the major success factors for
expatriates? Explain the role and importance of each.
It is essential for companies wanting to capitalize on the global opportunity to develop a
better understanding of what makes expatriate assignments successful. Analyzing the process of
expatriate assignments, one can identify at least, three phases, pre-departure (willingness to
serve overseas, consistency in foreign assignment policy, support network, expatriate selection,
realistic orientation and briefing, pre-assignment trip, cultural training); during assignment
(purpose of the expatriates, trend of expatriate background, language training, company rewards,
bring expatriates and the local staff closer) and repatriation (personal follow up on the expatriate
performance, and emotional and psychological adaptation, career development). According
Kraimer (2010), most of causes for the expatriate failure are mostly preventable if proper
planning, training, and assessment is made in the pre-departure phase.
Adopting Harrison and Shaffer’s (2005) description of successful expatriates, expatriates
are said to be successful when they do not quit their assignments prematurely, and complete their
tasks and develop/maintain inter-personalities with employees in the host country. Expatriates’
ability to adjust is more than just a matter of psychological well-being in a foreign country, but
also a significant assistant to the success of international assignments (Toh & Densi, 2007).
Given the complexity of overseas assignments, it is understandable that not all expatriates
perform well on the international assignment. Studies found that failure rates associated with
expatriate assignments are between 25 and 40 percent (Sanchez, 2000), “the average cost to
relocate an expatriate to be $60,000 and a total cost of over $2 billion per year for American
expatriating firms” (Noe, 2006, p.646).
According to Kraimer, these are the recommended factors for expatriates success: Pre-
departure – choose employee wants to relocate to become expatriate, keep policy simple and
consistent, give expatriate continuous support, select the best expatriate, give expatriate a
realistic orientation, give expatriate a pre-assignment trip, and give expatriate a continuous
training program. During assignment – knowledge of local language is a big bonus, beware
expatriate feeling homesick and burn out, bring expatriate and local staffs closer. Repatriation –
value international experience greatly (2010).
References
Harrison, D.A., & Shaffer, M.A. (2005). Mapping the criterion space for expatriate success: task
and relationship based performance, effort and adaptation. International Journal of
Human Resource Management, 16(8), 1454-1474.
Kraimer, M.L., Wayne, S.J. & Jaworski, R.A. (2010). Sources of support and expatriate
performance: the mediating role of expatiate adjustment. Personnel Psychology, 5(4), 71-
99.
Noe, R.A.(2006). Human resource management: gaining a competitive advantage (5th ed.). New
York: Irwin.
Toh, S.M., & DeNisi, A.S. (2005). A local perspective to expatriate success. Academy of
Management Executive, 19(1), 132-146.