Taking an overseas assignment can vault your management career into the next level and test your skills in unfamiliar territory. 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. You may once again be elated at your return and the familiar, and experience a sense of comfort in home and family, but culture shock may again be part of your adjustment. Residence abroad requires some knowledge of the language, an ability to adapt, and an interest in learning about different cultures. 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. 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). What are your language skills at present, and are you interested in learning a new language? What is your relationship with your employer, and can it withstand the anticipated stress and tension that will result as not everything goes according to plan? You may come to appreciate several cultural values or traits and come to embrace some aspects of your host culture. Can you stand being out of the loop, even if you are in daily written and oral communication with the home office? 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 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. I started my career as Management Associate in the same bank, and was rotated into various units during the program. Now I cant even ask the store clerk where to find the laundry detergent!. WebWhat would be the easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? This problem has been solved! The first one concerns the different training methods, Second the timing of training and. Within the same country, even if there are significantly different local customs in place, similar rules, laws, and ways of doing business are present. You will lack the multidimensional view of one who lives and works in Paris, and even if you are aware of its history, its economic development, or its recent changes, these are all academic observations until the moment of experience. 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. Coming up next are the focuses I would consider as hard: 1. People and places change, the familiar is no longer so familiar, and you too have changed. What would be the hardest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? He can be reached at + (1) (514) 482-3572 Extension 100 or by clicking here. These posts are shared via internal social media and commented on by others throughout the company. Chapter 27: Intercultural and International Business Communication. 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. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1038/is_nl_v37/ai_14922926, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5350/is_200308/ai_n21334696. International business assignments are a reflection of increased global trade, and as trade decreases, they may become an expensive luxury. Anecdotally, weve found that some of the most successful overseas assignments involve partners who use the move to navigate a transition of their own. 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. Being a stranger is no easy task, but they welcome the challenge with energy and enthusiasm. Still, there are several guidelines that can serve you well as you start your new life in a strange land: Preparation is key to a successful international assignment. Ottawa, Canada: Canadian Bureau for International Education. Oscar and Jennifer compounded their difficulties by choosing not to live with other expats in a community designed to meet their needs. International business assignments are a reflection of increased global trade, and as trade decreases, they may become an expensive luxury. 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. 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. That investment should not be taken lightly. The international assignment requires adaptability. If you start reaching out on day one, word will quickly spread across the organization. Briefly describe your findings and share with classmates. Of those that remain, almost 50 percent are less than effective (Tu, H. and Sullivan, S., 1994). Indeed, if theyve never made an international move before, emerging leaders can fall into common traps that severely stress their family bonds, negatively affect their performance at work, damage their businesses, and even derail their careers. For their part, executives who gain international experience early in their careers enjoy greater agility and adaptability over the course of their work lives. A crucial factor in making a smooth transition is to retain as much of the familiar as possible. Go to the front lines right away, wherever they are, and really listen. Heres a suggested to-do list. Find a job announcement or similar document that discusses the business and its international activities. 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. International experience is as valuable as everparticularly in todays global organizations. Building the essential social getting . Teacher Eastern Gateway Community College, What would be the hardest/easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and. He came away confident that he understood exactly what needed to be done. Chapter 16: Help for English Language Learners, Chapter 17: Writing Paragraphs: Separating Ideas and Shaping Content. Describe how to prepare for an international assignment. 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). Of those that remain, almost 50 percent are less than effective.Tu, H., & Sullivan, S. (1994). This may be as little as a few days or even a week or more. First well dispel a couple of myths associated with an idealized or romantic view of living abroad. Establish e-mail relationships with future colleagues so that from day one members of your family know people in country. 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. Returning home. BBNG3103 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDENT NAME: STUDENT ID: 0 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Part Conduct preliminary research. It may also cause your employer frustration as you try to communicate how things are done locally, and why results are not immediate, as they lack even your limited understanding of your current context. Traveling to a third world country to promotes literacy. I love learning about other peoples cultures and since Im a bookworm, being an advocate open-minded and committed enough to adapt to the local culture, Find an article or other first-person account of someones experience on an international assignment. 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 For example, one company we spoke with builds in monthly check-ins. I have Find a job announcement or similar document that discusses the business and its international activities. Once next steps have been established, build in time when the employee comes home to reintegrate. 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. First well dispel a couple of myths associated with an idealized or romantic view of living abroad. Are you interested in the host culture and willing to dedicate the time and put forth the effort to learn more about it? The company met cost and revenue targets within the first year, incorporated Gillettes superior go-to-market processes, and continued to position itself for growth even as the current recession loomed. What has been your experience to date working with people from distinct cultures? It may also cause your employer frustration as you try to communicate how things are done locally, and why results are not immediate, as they lack even your limited understanding of your current context. Webignored. Want to create or adapt books like this? Expatriates are often noted for going native, or adopting the host cultures way of life, but even the most confirmed expats still gather to hear the familiar sound of their first language, and find community in people like themselves who have blended cultural boundaries on a personal level. Develop a thesis statement. If you have children, try to connect with other expats who have children the same age or attending the same school. Also as a person who loves to help out people you get to explore different villages Specifically, here are three principles for personal effectiveness in an overseas assignment. 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. Oscar would have done well to identify some cultural interpreters inside and outside the company. Answer :- Getting ready for an abroad assignment accompanies countless factors which I accept have their degree of suggestions over my contemplations. And despite the investment, many organizations lack the know-how for optimizing the potential benefits, leaving themdisappointed with the results. Helpful hints Welcome to Unit 4 of ENG103! 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. At this stage, you will feel that living in this new culture is simply exhausting. Six months into a new assignment in China, he had made several serious missteps with employees, the plant hed been charged with turning around quickly was still struggling, and his tough corporate-lawyer wife was in meltdown mode. Rhinesmith, S. (1984). You cant be successful in your new role if your home life is in chaos. You need to create and carry out a four-phase plan. 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. Oscars story demonstrates the complexities of making a successful transition from a leadership position in a familiar setting to a position of similar or even greater responsibility overseas. Finally, well examine culture shock and the acculturation process. Will this assignment benefit your family? In discussing the move with his wife, Oscar glossed over things like dirty air and language barriers. Read as much as you can,gathering internal and external perspectives on the market and consumers. Marc Wulfraat is the President of MWPVL International Inc. What are your language skills at present, and are you interested in learning a new language? Everyone may already be in a defensive mind-set; it takes only a little reinforcement to cast this in concrete. Write a That path would dovetail with his wifes decision to leave her job as a partner at a leading law firm to spend more time caring for their two toddlers. WebAn overseas assignment translates to months of preparation and planning. WebHumanitarian Aid in International Studies Individual Assignment. What is your relationship with your employer, and can it withstand the anticipated stress and tension that will result as not everything goes according to plan? Tu, H., & Sullivan, S. (1994). Finally, well examine culture shock and the acculturation process. Write this document in the form of a memo to the instructor as explained in Section 9.2 of our text. Do you need everything spelled out or can you go with the flow? The assignee can update the host, home sponsors, and other relevant stakeholders not only on how the assignment is proceeding but also on any important knowledge they have acquired that may be of immediate use to the organization, such as information about how a marketing campaign could be more effective in the assignment country. 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. Flexibility and the ability to adapt to fluid circumstances (71 percent) led the list of behavioral characteristics businesses look for when considering an employee for an (For the complete list, see Your Next Move, Harvard Business Press, 2009.) (2002) describe three main issues that concern the training and development of the expatriates. See Answer See Answer See Answer done loading. Taking an overseas assignment can vault your management career into the next level and test your skills in unfamiliar territory. 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. Research one organization in a business or industry that relates to your major and has an international presence. Find an advertisement for an international assignment. Describe effective strategies for living and working abroad. As technology allows for instant face-to-face communication, and group collaboration on documents via cloud computing and storage, the need for physical travel may be reduced. Your career? Share and compare with classmates. Is the cultural framework of your assignment similar toor unlikeyour own, and how ready are you to adapt to differences in such areas as time horizon, masculinity versus femininity, or direct versus indirect styles of communication? Establish strategic directionand align the organization around it. 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. 1.5 Your Responsibilities as a Communicator, 2.4 Language Can be an Obstacle to Communication, 3.1 Getting Started: Understanding Your Audience, 3.2 Self-Understanding Is Fundamental to Communication, 3.6 Listening and Reading for Understanding, 4.1 Getting Started: Effective Business Writing, 4.7 Overcoming Barriers to Effective Written Communication, 5.2 Think, Then Write: Writing Preparation, 5.3 A Planning Checklist for Business Messages, 5.4 Research and Investigation: Getting Started, 5.5 Ethics, Plagiarism, and Reliable Sources, 5.6 Completing Your Research and Investigation, 6.5 Paraphrase and Summary versus Plagiarism, 7.5 The Writing Process: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 8.1 Developing a Strong, Clear Thesis Statement, 8.4 Writing Introductory and Concluding Paragraphs, 8.5 Writing Essays: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 9.2 Qualitative and Quantitative Research, 10.1 Revising and Presenting Your Writing, 10.3 Specific Revision Points to Consider, 12.4 Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Style, 12.5 APA and MLA Documentation and Formatting: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 13.8 Writing Basics: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 15.7 Working With Words: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 16.3 Count and Noncount Nouns and Articles, 16.9 Help for English Language Learners: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 17.1 Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content, 17.2 Effective Means For Writing a Paragraph, 17.3 Writing Paragraphs: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 18.4 Refining Your Writing: End-of-Chapter Exercises, 19.4 Myths and Realities of Public Speaking, 19.5 Overcoming Obstacles in Your Presentation, 20.1 Principles of Nonverbal Communication, 20.5 Nonverbal Strategies for Success with Your Audience, 21.5 Organizing Principles for Your Speech, 22.1 Functions of the Presentation to Inform, 22.4 Diverse Types of Intelligence and Learning Styles, 22.6 Creating an Informative Presentation, 23.3 Functions of the Presentation to Persuade, 23.6 Speaking Ethically and Avoiding Fallacies, 25.5 Rituals of Conversation and Interviews, 27.2 How to Understand Intercultural Communication, 27.5 International Communication and the Global Marketplace. Can you adapt to new ways of doing business? People abroad generally distinguish between US policy and Americans as a people, so while many policies are disliked, Americans are not. In fact, i You may also begin to feel that the grass is greener in your host country, and long to return. We discovered five tips for increasing the return on investment of your overseas assignments. Learn a new language. 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. This left her isolated, as she tried to set up the house and figure out the basics of living in China. But expatriate assignments can be extremely expensive: up to three times the cost of a persons typical annual salary, according to some statistics. If others are involved, and family is a consideration, you should take even more care with this important decision. While the assignee needs to be proactive in reaching out to his or her home sponsor, the home sponsor should keep soon-to-be-returning employees top of mind, identifying how the company can leverage what they are learning and how the employee can take the next steps in their own development at the company as a result of their overseas experience. 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. This week, we are going to continue to put your writing and researching skills to work with two different assignments. If the decision is yours to make, take your time. He praised her contribution in a meeting of the plant supervisors and was shocked by their reaction. This in-between time can be stressful for everyoneJennifer learned the hard way, as she worked solo to prepare the couples apartment for sale and pack and ship their belongings to China. Compliance with all international tax, employment, and immigration laws; A team to ensure all of the above takes place in the shortest timeline possible; Challenges of Global Mobility. An international assignment is not like a domestic move or reassignment. Are you interested in the host culture and willing to dedicate the time and put forth the effort to learn more about it? Running out of money and not having the heart to ask your parents for help. But this gives you a rare opportunity to understand how much people wil 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. WebExpert Answer. WebUnderstand the assignment. What would be the easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and why? Set up meetings ahead of your arrival, and follow through when youre in country. Before you send anyone abroad, its critical to make a business case for the assignment, just like you would for any other important investment or decision. 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. Five months ago, I was telling top executives what to do, she said with a sob. 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. Getting them right can make a very positive contribution to an overseas deployment, but balancing employee expectation with rising costs is proving a challenge for many organizations. But, according to our experts, thats precisely the reason for the constant communication throughout and toward the end of the assignment. While youre still planning for your arrival, you may want to take stock of the stereotypes that might be associated with you, be they cultural, organizational, or even specific to your history with the company. You will need to compare and contrast, and seek experiences that lend insight, in order to communicate more effectively. Any perceived lapses in a managers judgment can cast a long shadowas Oscar learned the hard way. The most successful sponsors are typically people who have been abroad themselves and are empathetic and understanding about the experience not only with regard to what an assignment entails and what can be gained but also with how challenging it can be to go overseas and return. They listened politely but said little and did less, and the plan went nowhere. Now imagine yourself heading up a new unit or project in a corporate and national culture radically different from your own. An efficient, effective manager in any country is desirable, but one with international experience even more so. What would be the easiest part of an overseas assignment for you and why?

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