International Training and Development

1
Chapter 15
International Training and Development
2
Chapter Outline

• Expatriate Training
• Developing International Staff and Multinational
  Teams
• Summary

3
Expatriate Training
How do multinational firms maintain and leverage
its human resources so that suitably trained,
internationally oriented personnel are available
to support its strategic responses and contribute
to its core competencies? To breach the
differences and support the organizations
vision, Human Resource training and development
turns to pre-departure training activities that
are mainly concerned with developing cultural
differences.
4
International Training and Development
This model links international recruitment and
selection with training and development
activities. Training and development programs
are an integral part of an effective performance
management system.
Recruitment and Selection
Training
Development
International Team
Pre-departure Training
International Assignments
5
International Training and Development
We begin with training, which aims to improve
current work skills and behavior.
Recruitment and Selection
Training
Development
International Team
Pre-departure Training
International Assignments
6
Components of Pre-departure Training Programs
Preliminary Visits
Practical Assistance
Cultural Awareness Programs
Job-Related Factors
Language Training
7
Cultural Awareness Training and Assignment
Performance

• Contextual and
• situational factors
• time available
• duration and nature
• cultural toughness

• Individual Differences
• locus of control
• efficacy expectations
• outcome expectations

• Skill Development
• time available
• duration and nature
• cultural toughness

Motivation
Cultural Awareness Training
Attention
Retention
Reproduction
Incentives
Adjustment And performance
Performance Management System
8
Preliminary Visits

• A well-planned overseas trip for the candidate
  and spouse provides a preview that allows them
  to
• assess their suitability for and interest in the
  assignment
• introduce expatriate candidates to the business
  context in the host location
• adjust easier to the host location.

9
Language Training

• Language training is a desired component of a
  pre-departure program. There are three
  interrelated aspects related to language ability
  that need to be recognized.

• The Role of English as the Language of World
  Business
• Host-Country Language Skills and Adjustment
• Knowledge of the Corporate Language

10
The Role of English as the Language of World
Business

• Exclusive reliance on English diminishes the
  multinationals linguistic capacity. The
  resultant lack of language competence has
  strategic and operational implications as it
  limits the multinationals ability to monitor
  competitors and process important information.
  Consider including language training as a means
  of better communication and the avoidance of
  ethnocentrism.

11
Host-Country Language Skills and Adjustment

• The ability to speak a foreign language can
  improve the expatriates effectiveness and
  negotiating ability. Language skills are
  important in terms of task performance and
  cultural adjustment. Hiring language competent
  staff to enlarge the language pool from which
  potential expatriates may be drawn is one answer
  and language training is another.

12
Knowledge of the Corporate Language

• When communicating with non-English speaking
  segments of the corporation, the multinational
  adopts a common company language to facilitate
  reporting standardization and other control
  mechanisms, particularly normative control.
  Pre-departure training programs may need to
  include both language of the host country and the
  corporate language.

13
Practical Assistance

• Pre-departure training program should provide
  information that assists in relocation. HRM
  staff can liaise with the sending line manager as
  well as the HR department in the foreign location
  to assist the family relocate.

14
Job-Related Factors

• There are differences in the way people approach
  tasks and problems across different cultures, and
  this can have an impact on the learning process.
  The ability to transfer knowledge and skills in a
  culturally-sensitive manner perhaps should be an
  integral part of pre-departure training programs.
  

15
Chapter Outline

• Expatriate Training
• Developing International Staff and Multinational
  Teams
• Summary

16
International Training and Development
We finish with development, which aims to
increase abilities in relation to some future
position or job usually managerial.
Recruitment and Selection
Training
Development
International Team
Pre-departure Training
International Assignments
17
Developing International Staff and Multinational
Teams

• The aim in a global business is to get the best
  ideas from everywhere. Each team puts up its
  best ideas and processes constantly. That
  raises the bar. Our culture is designed around
  making a hero out of those who translate ideas
  from one place to another, who help somebody
  else. They get an award, they get praised and
  promoted.
• Jack Welch, CEO of GE

18
Different Methods for Developing International
Teams

• Truly global operations means having a team of
  international managers who are available to go
  anywhere in the world.
• Provide international experience to many levels
  of managers
• Short-term development assignments ranging from
  a few months to several years
• International job rotation
• Attendance at common training and development
  programs held either in the parent country, or
  regional centers, or both
• International meetings in various locations that
  foster interaction and personal networks

19
Individual Career Development

• International Assignment Impact on Individuals
  Career

Pre-departure Training
International Assignment
5. Reassignment

• Exit
• Organization

• Recruitment
• and Selection

2. Deselect

• Premature
• Return

Parent
Repatriation
20
Chapter Outline

• Expatriate Training
• Developing International Staff and Multinational
  Teams
• Summary

21
Chapter Outline
The international assignment emerges as an
important way of training international
operators, developing the international team, or
cadre, as well as helping to build personal
networks to support soft-control mechanisms. In
this sense, an international assignment is both
training (gaining international experience and
competence) and managerial and organizational
development.

• Summary