Nature and Implication of an International Assignment - Coursework Example

Name Professor Subject Date Introduction The carrying out of an international assignment either as an assigned responsibility or an independent decision realizes the term expatriate. According to Bolino, globalization in the business sector influences the decision by companies to assign employees abroad (819). The decision by the management to send an employee overseas is a strategy to develop future leaders who will manage and represent the business in the foreign country. Moreover, these individual enhance the reaching out of the business and improve its participation in global initiatives (Bolino, 819). The relevance of globalization in the expatriation practice realizes a demand of leaders with international skills and global awareness (Bolino, 819). Therefore, expatriation becomes a vital field in developing experienced and competent leaders who can manage international relations, especially within multinational firms. This essay critically evaluates the factors that employees may consider before deciding to accept or decline an international assignment. It provides recommendations to the employers as means to encourage employees to participate in expatriation. Nature and implication of an International Assignment Research by Bolino identifies the frequent failure by expatriates to achieve their personal or company’s expectations once deployed in the foreign country (828). The particular challenges develop from the inability of the individual or family to properly adjust to the new environment, characterized by a change in culture, practices, and belief. In this case, an international assignment identifies the nature of change in the aforementioned areas where the implications to the employee include an adjustment to accommodate the practices of the host country relative to the performance of their responsibility. Stahl, Edwin, and Rosalie provide further insight into the reasons for the unattractiveness of the career path citing difficulties in finding a reentry point, inadequate advancement opportunities, lack of long-term career plan, and negative outcomes of the overseas experience (216). The reasons provided by Stahl et al. describe professional reasons against the expatriation exercise by employees. The employees are found to have observed previous expatriates and their disappointment in obtaining the expectation of the exercise, especially in career development (216). Moreover, the reason highlights a nature of raised expectation which depending on some factors such as level of preparedness may result into positive or negative results. Yan, Guorong, and Douglas identify culture shock as one of the underlying causes of failure in expatriation exercises (375). An individual experience culture shock alongside challenges in adjusting to the work environment is likely to request a premature return in the case of an assigned expatriation or independent decision. The issue of culture shock signifies the failure to align individual practices to those of the majority. In the case also presents the generation of a multicultural work environment with greater uncertainty of its impacts. More importantly, is the losses in form of capital invested in the exercise and employee turnover which interprets to the loss of human capital in the firm (Yan et al. 375). The magnitude of the personal challenges, particularly the psychological difficulties both personal and family, center on the lack of proper preparation and understanding of the implication of the change or relocation. Moreover, Yan et al. consider the selection process as being a significant contributor to the success of the expatriate (375). In selection, typical issues to include are the employee background, host country and its characteristic, and the role of the employee. It is the careful analysis of these factors that influence the personal development of the employee, career success, and progress of the employing firm. Therefore, the imperative in an international assignment involves the understanding of the particular changes in the worker including the dependants following the new positions, culture of the host country including practices and belief, position of the expatriate, and expectation of both the employer and employee. Personal Reasons for/against Expatriation Personal reasons for engaging in the expatriation exercise as well as become successful in it rely on the individuals’ ability to manage expectation (Yan et al. 376). In managing expectation, the employee needs to assess the organization practice in the host country and compare the reality of the situation against their expectations. The exercise of contrasting reality with expectations follows the desires of the expatriate including personal ambitions, goals, and objectives. According to Stahl et al. gaining an international experience is one of the personal motivations that attract managers and other employees to participate in an overseas position (217). An international experience may act to develop the personality of the individual, especially the leadership skills and collaboration. Moreover, Stahl et al. explain the concept of internal and external career prioritizing, which is a significant force in direct an employee into or out of an expatriation (217). Focusing in the contemporary society, there is an increased popularity in internal career progression and hence the parallel appeal for self-initiated expatriates (Stahl et al. 217). The preference of internal career advancement over the external option develops as a component of boundaryless careers where professional can access employment elsewhere other than their country of origin. In this case, the independent decision for the exercise identifies as a personal challenge towards individual development. Table 1 below provides reasons for engaging in the exercise and the percentage score arranged in a hierarchical manner according to importance.Table 1: Motives for accepting an International Assignment Based on Yan et al. identifies personal values and needs as important motivations attracting professionals in the exercise (377). The personal ambitions follow the individual psychology where the employee prioritizes personal gains against those of the employer or the professional advantages possible through the initiative. In developing an understanding of personal goals relevance in expatriation, Yan et al. address career development as a life-long process consisting of personal experiences and attitudes (377). It is these attitudes that psychologically encourage or discourage the decision to venture in the expatriation exercise. According to Yan et al. the employee takes the path where the desired rewards are greatest with the examples of a change of scene, family, and geography (377). Similarly, Stahl et al. mention of the possibility of greater satisfaction as pull factors in becoming an expatriate while dissatisfaction with the work conditions in the home country as a push factor (220). Al Ariss and Marian address the issues of the economy of both the host and home country as being a significant reason for or against expatriation by the employee (5). The study on the economic impacts pertains to the nature of Self-Initiated Expatriation (SIE) who more often originate from developed countries moving into the lesser developed regions. In this case, the pull towards expatriation could be a result of the lesser economic challenges in the host country compared to the home nation, which provides the employee with an advanced opportunity to better their lives. Comparatively, if the economic challenges limit opportunities in the host country, the employee may feel less attracted in participating in the exercise. Al Ariss and Marian also mention that the country of origin and ethnicity may act to influence the success of the exercise (5). The magnitudes of these factors in engineering the success or failure of the expatriate follow the type of stereotype image associated with the place of origin. Therefore in SIE, it is important to examine the level of integration and barriers of difference present between the host/home countries. The assessment improves the decision by the employee in carrying out an international assignment in the particular region of preference. Being an individual choice, other factors that are important to consider include duration of stay and destination characteristics other than the culture and economic position (Al Ariss & Marian, 6). According to Al Ariss, and Marian, expatriates from developed countries are more likely to achieve satisfaction in the host country than those from developing regions. This follows the labeling of employees from developing regions as immigrants lowering their professional competencies and attraction to expatriation. Andresen, Torsten, and Marshall develop an understanding of the difference between SIE and Assigned Expatriate (AE) which provides further insight into understanding the attractants and repellant in expatriations (933). A SIE is usually younger compared to the AE which developed the factor of age as the consideration in accepting or rejecting an internal offer (933). An individual of a young age will find an international experience more exciting and resourceful in personal development. Moreover, SIE employment involves temporary or short-term employment contract stimulating their need to improve candidacy in future opportunities through engaging in an international job (Andresen et al. 933). The imperative in the nature of the contract is the satisfactions in terms of employment which in the case of SIE may find it unsatisfactory influence them to become expatriates. According to Andresen et al. gender difference formulates a power factor developing the difference in rejecting or accepting an international position (936). The number of female SIE is increasing as an outcome of advancement in knowledge in the female gender and unparalleled increase in female equality implementation. Andresen et al. compare the less gendered SIE compared to the male-dominated traditional SIE (936). The attraction of females into an overseas position follows reasons such as gender discrimination in employment and career development in the home country relative to the host country and family reasons. Females are more prone to join their families overseas compared to men. Consequently, a female joining her spouse overseas may influence her employer to assign an international role, therefore changing status into a SIE or AE (Andresen et al. 937). Professional Reasons for/against Expatriation Based on Selmer and Jakob, career advancement is the primary professional reason influencing an employees’ participation in an expatriation exercises (170). The desire to acquire a promotion, recognition, and reward from the employer encourages the employee to consider an overseas position despite the possible challenges. The imperative in getting a promotion are the external factors affecting the employment sector with the examples of globalization and economic instability. Consequently, the external forces enhance intra and intercompany competition raising the stake for qualification. Stahl et al. consider the possibility to advance in the organization hierarchy as one of the primary professional reasons attracting employees of a senior position to expatriation. Moreover, expectations such as increased pay, greater job responsibility, and improvement in professional skills appeal to the employees who agree to these international positions. As supported by the examples, professional reasons align with AE derived by the external career goals. However, the risks associated with such career moves produce unwilling expatriates, as described by (Nelsen, 68). The level of unwillingness is a factor of the motives both personal and professional making the candidate less attracted to the overseas opportunities. Montenegro, Mariana, and Otávio address the need for expatriation citing reasons such as the business requirement in the form of facilitating a merger and acquisition, transfer knowledge to local professionals, and initiate technology transfer (181). Secondly, the need for expatriate may follow the need to develop managers, and thirdly as a means to represent and control transaction overseas (181). The particular reasons highlight important opportunities for professionals to consider focusing on the possible advantages of performing these duties as an employee and representative of the parent firm. Therefore, on a professional level, the duties to perform on an expatriate level influence an individual attractiveness to the role. The imperative in the type of duty is the possible support from the company with the example of International Human Resource Management (IHRM) relative to the accomplishment of the firms’ goals. Conclusion and Recommendation In summary, the reasons to accept or decline an international assignment fall in two groups of personal and professional factors. Personal factors include demographic reasons such as age and sex, individual goals and ambitions, internal career advancement, economy, and ethnicity. Comparatively, professional qualities include the role to play, rewards and recognitions, professional support and career advancement. Therefore, to improve the attractiveness of the activity to employees, employers need to develop appropriate IHRM, innovate employee selection process to ensure the placing of a fit candidate in the position, offer attractive rewards, and develop a well-structured system that promotes repatriation. More importantly, the employers need to generate more pull factors than push to discourage a negative perception of expatriation and one way to achieve these is through training and preparing the employees before deploying them overseas. Works Cited Al Ariss, Akram, and Marian Crowley-Henry. “Self-initiated expatriation and migration in the management literature: Present theorization and future research directions.” Career Development International 18.1 (2013): 78- 96. Andresen, Maike, Torsten Biemann, and Marshall Wilson Pattie. “What makes them move abroad? Reviewing and exploring differences between self-initiated and assigned expatriation.” The International Journal of Human Resource Management 26.7 (2015): 932- 947. Bolino, Mark C. "Expatriate assignments and intra-organizational career success: Implications for individuals and organizations." Journal of international business studies 38.5 (2007): 819- 825. Montenegro, Mariana Bayma, Mariana Albuquerque do Nascimento, and Otávio Correia de Melo Neto. "EXPATRIATION AND THE FRAMEWORK FOR ANTICIPATORY ADJUSTMENT: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY." CONNEXIO-ISSN 2236-8760 4.2 (2015): 177-194. Nelsen, Bonalyn J. "Unwilling Self-Initiated Expatriation as an Academic Career Choice: Drivers and Consequences." GAI International Academic Conferences Proceedings. 2016. Selmer, Jan, and Jakob Lauring. "Self‐initiated academic expatriates: Inherent demographics and reasons to expatriate." European Management Review 7.3 (2010): 169-179. Stahl, Günter K., Edwin L. Miller, and Rosalie L. Tung. "Toward the boundaryless career: A closer look at the expatriate career concept and the perceived implications of an international assignment." Journal of World Business 37.3 (2002): 216-227. Yan, Aimin, Guorong Zhu, and Douglas T. Hall. "International assignments for career building: A model of agency relationships and psychological contracts." Academy of Management Review 27.3 (2002): 373-391. Read More