1. INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Week 5
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

2. Training & Development
Human Resources are the most valuable resource in any organization
Human Resources cannot exist in a static state. The pool of knowledge, skills and abilities which individuals possess and have accumulated over time, and which is a crucial input for the organization, must be nurtured and promoted by organizations
Training and Development is the tool for improving the quality of an organization’s human resources
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

3. Training & Development
Training aims to improve current work skills and behaviour (current focus)
Development aims to increase an employee’s abilities in relation to some future position or job (future focus)
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

4. International Training & Development
Recruitment
&
Selection
International
Team
TRAINING
DEVELOP-
MENT
Predeparture
Training
International
Assignments
External
Hiring
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

5. IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan
Expatriate Training
Training is considered as an investment in boosting an expatriate’s performance
Expatriate training prior to dispatch to the foreign assignment location includes creating cultural awareness, especially in relation to assignments meant for “culturally tough” locations (learning to cope with unexpected events)
Research studies undertaken over the past approx. 20 years indicate that many organizations neglect to provide expatriates with adequate predeparture training, whereby differences exist between US, European and Japanese organizations
More organizations have started considering the requirements of the spouse and family in their predeparture training programs
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

6. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Cultural Awareness
The goal of cultural awareness programs is to enhance the expatriate’s understanding of the host country so that he or she can adjust and behave accordingly, and avoid getting into difficult situations
Cultural awareness programs do not have a standard, universally applicable format, rather, they depend on factors such as the country of assignment, nature of the expatriate’s job, available time to undertake training
Typical training elements include things like area studies, cultural considerations, language skills, sensitivity training and field experiences
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

7. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Cultural Awareness
Tung has proposed the following training framework for expatriates:
If the expected interaction between the expatriate and members of the host culture is low, and if the degree of cultural dissimilarity between the expatriate’s culture and the host culture is also low, then cultural issues in training can take on secondary importance in relation to task or job-related issues. The level of training rigour can be low in this case
If the expected interaction between the expatriate and members of the host culture is high, and if the degree of cultural dissimilarity between the expatriate’s culture and the host culture is also high, then cultural issues should be correspondingly high on the expatriate’s training agenda. The level of training rigour can be moderate to high in this case
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

8. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Cultural Awareness
Mendenhall & Oddou have proposed a modified version of Tung’s training framework for expatriates
According to Mendenhall & Oddou, there are three dimensions:
Training Methods
Levels of Training Rigour (low, medium, high
Duration of the Training (relative to degree of interaction and culture novelty)
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

9. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Cultural Awareness
If the expected interaction between the expatriate and members of the host culture is low, and if the degree of cultural dissimilarity between the expatriate’s culture and the host culture is also low, then the level of training rigour can be low and training could last for less than a week (cultural briefings, lectures, movies, books)
If the expatriate is going abroad for a longer period (2 – 12 monthes) and is expected to have some interaction with members of the host culture, then the level of training rigour can be higher and training could last longer (1 – 4 weeks) (cultural briefings, lectures, movies, books, role plays)
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

10. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Cultural Awareness
If the expected interaction between the expatriate and members of the host culture is high, and if the degree of cultural dissimilarity between the expatriate’s culture and the host culture is also high, then the level of training rigour can be high and lasting up to 2 months (see methods above and also sensitivity training, field experiences, inter-cultural experiential workshops)
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

11. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Preliminary Visits
Expatriates are sent to visit their host country before being sent there on an assignment
The purpose of a preliminary visit is help expatriates to assess their suitability for, and their interest in the assignment, introduce them to the business context, and to make better predeparture preparations
Research indicates that many organizations make use of the tool of preliminary visits for expatriates, or would consider its use
Generally, preliminary visits are not offered to expatriates if the expatriates are already familiar with the country, or if the country is considered culturally close
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

12. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Language Training
Language training is an important aspect of any predeparture training program
Advantages of using the English language in global business
Widespread application
concentration of economic and corporate power
Disadvantages of using English in global business:
Tendency to rely exclusively on English and not to learn other languages
Foreign partners speak both English and their own languages and have an advantage over English-speakers
Difficulty to monitor some environmental factors such as competitors or protecting important technology in dealing with foreign organizations and in foreign locations
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

13. Components of Predeparture Training Programs: Language Training
Knowledge of the host country’s language offers several benefits:
Expatriate performance and negotiating ability is enhanced
Expatriates have easier access to important data and information needed for their assignments (for example, data and information on the host country’s economy and economic indicators, market structure, competition, investment climate, political trends)
closer direct interaction with host country stakeholders is possible
Research studies indicate that expatriates usually accord high importance to speaking the language of their host countries as a means of not only performing better on their assignments, but also for forming social support structures and in associating with the rest of the expatriate community
Language skill-building is often omitted from predeparture training programs because of the time factor and the difficulty of monitoring employees’ language skills
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

14. Practical Assistance for Expatriate and his Family
Providing the expatriate and his family practical assistance with the assumption of the new assignment, can relieve anxiety and pressure, and overcome negative feelings towards the host country
Types of practical assistance include:
Relocation Assistance
Local Orientation
Language Assistance
Some private companies are providing expatriate relocation and orientation services
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

15. Training of HCNs and TCNs
In theory, all expatriates should be provided with adequate predeparture training prior to their dispatch on an international assignment
but
In practice, organizations often accord priority to training their PCNS, while (comparatively) neglecting the training needs of their HCNs and TCNs
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

16. Training of HCNs: Some Considerations
Often, organizations localize the training of their HCNs
In some instances, notable where skills and work practices are considered strategically important, HCNs may be trained in other subsidiaries in programs which are designed and implemented by the organization’s headquarters (Nissan and Honda example)
Training has the inherent danger, that trained employees may be wooed away from an organization by competitors with the promise of higher salaries and better opportunities
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

17. Training of HCNs: Some Considerations
There are several good reasons for transferring HCNs to the organizations headquarters or home-subsidiary units:”
Providing technical and managerial competency training (Pepsi example)
Building a sense of corporate identity (Ericsson example)
Personal networking
Transfer of particular skills (Ford Australia example)
Note: HCNs must have good command of the corporate languagein order to participate in the training programs!
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

18. International Staff and Teams
Developing truly international teams with the corresponding level of experience involves providing the requisite training not only to PCNs, but also to non-PCNS (HCNs, TCNs)
Several techniques are used to develop international teams, including international job rotation and common attendance at training training programs, international meetings and networking amongst managers
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan

19. Individual Career Development
Predeparture
Training
International
Assignment
5 – Reassign-
ment
1 – Recruitment
& Selection
4 – Exit
Organization
3 – Premature
Return
2 - Deselect
Parent
Repatriation
8 April 2019
IHRM (MBA III) Course Instructor: Dr. Aurangzeb Z. Khan