INTERNATIONAL TRAINING STRATEGIES

Amaresh C Nayak

International Training Strategies

• Training strategies bridge the gap• The four strategies of training are:

– MNCs may make use of expatriates for short-term or long-term international job assignments.

– The staffing orientation that is adopted in the subsidiary unit influences the training impetus

– The control and coordination linkages that the parent unit wishes to establish with the subsidiary unit drive the training budget and the strategy

– The role and responsibilities of the position determine the extent and content training

EXPATRIATE TRAINING

• The focus is on ascertaining the cultural awareness and the fit for the host country's culture

• MNCs offer Cross-Cultural Training (CCT)– A planned intervention – To increase the knowledge and skills of expatriates to live and

work effectively– To achieve general life satisfaction in an unfamiliar host culture

• The effectiveness of a CCT is reflected by the cognitive, affective and behavioural changes that occur during and after the training.

Benefits and Drawbacks of CCT

Merits Demerit

Increases chances of success in assignment

Develops a false sense of confidence in global employee

Provides a comprehensive global perspective for managers

May not remove cultural biases and prejudices

Instills a sense of confidence into people

May not be taken seriously by the recipients

Foreign employees can be managed better

May not make a visible difference in business volumes

Reduces culture shock due to frequent travels abroad

Can never fully prepare an assignee to face real problems

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROCESS

• The stages are:– Identify training objectives– Identify the types of global assignment for which CCT

is required.– Determine the specific cross-cultural training needs.– Establish the goals and measures for determining

training effectiveness.– Develop and deliver the CCT programme.– Evaluate whether the CCT was effective

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROCESS

Phase 1 Training Objectives

Phase 2 Identify the type of Global Assignmento CEO o Structure Reproducero Trouble-Shootero Operative

Phase 3D etermining Training Needso Organisational Analysiso Individual Analysiso Assignment Analysis

Phase 4 Establish Goals and Measureso Short termo Long term

Phase 5 Develop and Deliver the CCT Programmeo Course Contento Identify Methods of trainingo Sequence of training

Phase 6 Evaluating the Programmeo Short Term Goalso Long Term Goals

OBJECTIVE

• A few commonly understood objectives of training in the multinational corporation are:– Bridging the cultural gaps between the host and the

parent organisation*– Recognising that orientation / induction challenges are

different for the parent and the host unit– Ensuring that organisational success is critical in

achievement of the global objectives.– Establishing and retaining advantages over

international competitors

GLOBAL ASSIGNMENTS

• Global assignments are of the following types:– Chief executive officer - overseas and directs the entire

subsidiary operations, undergo an intensive CCT– Structure reproducer - shoulders the responsibility of building or

reproducing in a foreign subsidiary, not be exposed to a rigorous CCT

– Trouble shooter - to analyse and solve a specific operational problem, do not need to undergo a very intense CCT

– Operative - to perform functional tasks in an existing operational structure, do not need to undergo a very intense CCT

NEEDS ANALYSIS

• Needs assessment diagnoses present problems and identities future challenges to be met through training and development.

• Needs assessment occurs at three levels: – The individual – The organisational culture, politics, structure and

strategy– The assignment

CCT GOALS AND MEASURES

• Short-term - what the expatriate should be able lo accomplish on completion of the CCT

• Long-term - reflect the expected outcome of the expatriate assignment

DEVELOP AND DELIVER THE CCT PROGRAMME

• Involves two activities– Deciding on the content of training– Sequencing

COURSE CONTENT

• Language Training– Communicate effectively with the host country citizens– To learn about host country-value systems and the

customs of its people– (exceptions - France. Germany, Japan or China)

COURSE CONTENT

• B. Cultural Training– General cultural orientation - receptiveness to effective

cross-cultural interactions, clear understanding of the purpose, value and benefits of the global assignment, the ability to manage stress.

– Specific host country cultural orientation - understanding of the host country's culture, adaptation of spouse in the host country

COURSE CONTENT

• B. Cultural Training– The intensity of cultural training depends on two

factors: • The degree of interaction required between the expatriate

and the host country citizens• The similarity between the assignee's native culture and the

new culture

COURSE CONTENT

• B. Cultural Training– These two factors give rise to two dimensions:

• If the expected interaction between the assignee and the host country citizens is low, and the degree of similarity between the assignee's home culture and of the host country's culture is high, then training could focus more on task and job-related issues rather than culture-related issues. The level of rigour necessary for effective training could be relatively low.

• If expected interactions are high and dissimilarities between cultures are also high, then training could focus more on cross-cultural sensitivity, in addition to the new task. The level of rigour for such training could be moderate to high.

COURSE CONTENT

• C. Practical Assistance: – This seeks to help the expatriate and his family “feel at

home” in the host country

METHODS OF TRAINING:

• Didactic general culture training• Didactic specific culture training• Experiential general culture training• Experiential specific culture training

METHODS OF TRAINING:

• Didactic general culture training: – Called as educative training. – Seeks to incur a cognitive understanding of a culture so that its

norms and behaviour can be easily be appreciated by the assignees.

– Methods of imparting training are – • lectures, • seminars, • study materials, • discussions, • videotapes, • culture-general assimilators.

METHODS OF TRAINING:

• Didactic specific culture training:– Seeks to instruct about the cultural nuances of the

expatriates host country.– Methods of imparting training are –

• area studies, • videotapes, • orientation, • primary visits, • case studies

METHODS OF TRAINING:

• Experiential general cultural Training:– Experiential general culture training methods help

assignees experience the impact of cultural differences on their behaviours.

– Methods in this category include – • immersion programmes• intensive workshops.

METHODS OF TRAINING:

• Experiential specific cultural Training:– These methods seek to help expatriates experience

and learn from interactions with individuals from the host culture.

– Training includes • role-playing, • look-see trips, • cultural coaching • language training.

SEQUENCING OF SESSIONS

• Pre-Departure CCT:– This is the most widely used method of imparting training and is

at best learning something without actually experiencing it.– Training on basic information - currency, exchange rate, hotels,

transportation systems and hospitals• Post-Arrival or In-Country Training:

– Facilitates learning by experiencing the host country culture, beliefs and values.

– Training on deeper cultural learning about a new country and its culture and the awareness of the skills and behaviours needed to be successful in another culture.

• Issue: Without some initial support and a framework for learning, many managers find it difficult to reach out to new colleagues themselves.– Solution – Process of Socialisation

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CCT

• Evaluation necessitates an identification of training goals and methods so as to judge whether or not the goals have been met.– Short-term goals

• Cognitive goals• Affective goals • Behavioural goals

– Long-term goals

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CCT

• Short-term goals – Cognitive goals focus on helping the expatriates understand the role

of cultural values on behaviour in the host country.• Knowledge about managing stress• Awareness of the norms required to effectively interact with host country

nationals– Affective goals seek to manage his or her attitude towards the new

culture and effectively handle negative emotions.• Changing the expatriate's perception about the host culture• Enhancing his or her self-confidence to communicate with people from other

cultures– Behavioural goals help the adaptive behaviour by the cross-cultural

skills, interpersonal skills.• Developing intercultural skills• Negotiating skills, Relationship building skills

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CCT

• Short-term goals– Methods to evaluate the effectiveness of the CCT

• Paper and pencil tests• Online tests• Personal interviews• Group discussions• Observation of performance in a cultural stimulator• Role-play.

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CCT

• Long-term goals of the CCT programme include the expected outcome of the expatriate assignment– Cross-cultural adjustment– Success on the assignment– Measurement

• Paper and pencil questionnaires• Phone interviews• In person interviews• Electronic surveys

NEXT..

HCN TRAINING

Phase 1 Training Objectives

Phase 2 Identify the type of Global Assignment

Phase 3 Determining Training Needs

Phase 4 Establish Goals and Measures

Phase 5 Develop and Deliver the CCT Programme

Phase 6 Assessment of Effectiveness

Phase 5 Methods of Training

HCN TRAINING

• OBJECTIVE– A few commonly understood objectives of training in

the multinational corporation are:• Gaining information about the parent organisation and its

global existence and objectives.• The acquisition of technological know-how specific to the

organisation• The role of the new subsidiary in the MNCs Road Map• General awareness about parent country norms, culture and

work methods

HCN TRAINING

• TYPES OF HCN ASSIGNMENTS– Managing Director / Country Head / Centre Head– Chief Operating Officer, Chief Technology Officer,

Chief Information Officer, Chief Finance Officer, HR Director/HR Manager

– Unit Staff

HCN TRAINING

• NEED ANALYSIS– The individual Need Assessment remains the same as in

Expatriates– The training needs analysis at an organisational or assignment

levels are• Orientation to parent country processes and reporting mechanism• Familiarity and awareness of parent company work practices, work

culture, values • Provisions for career planning and development initiatives• Training for Global corporate vision and mission• Training for uniformity in global work practices

HCN TRAINING

• TRAINING GOALS AND MEASURES– The ability to have the subsidiary similarly managed as

the parent unit.• Short-term – awareness• Long-term – to carryout the objectives of the organisation

HCN TRAINING

• DEVELOP AND DELIVER THE HCN TRAINING– Involves two activities

• Corporate Induction• Technological Training

HCN TRAINING

• DEVELOP AND DELIVER THE HCN TRAINING– A. Corporate Induction

• Corporate history, heritage, founders, promoters and investors• Industry overview, company’s market share and positioning, competitors,

growth• Company’s specific product and service background• Inducting to corporate and local leadership teams• Future plans for growth• Role of subsidiary• Communicating to corporate vision and mission statement, philosophy• The HR policies of subsidiaries• Basic work practices of subsidiary

HCN TRAINING

• DEVELOP AND DELIVER THE HCN TRAINING– B. Technological Training

• Sharing of detailed information on the core business of the company

• Nature of work• Knowledge to make the subsidiary to work independently

HCN TRAINING

• METHODS OF TRAINING:– On-the-Job– Class room training– On-site visits– Mentoring– E-learning– Web based coaching

HCN TRAINING

• EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS – The ability of the individual to build successful

subsidiary operations– Establish competent teams– Achieve the unit's objectives while adhering to global

processes and policies

NEXT..

TCN TRAINING

• Besides training of HCN and PCN, TCNs also need to be trained.– The focus is on ascertaining the technical, cultural and

managerial fit of the person for the role.– The approach is similar to that of the HCN

THANK YOU