1. Recruiting and Selecting Staff for International Assignments
Chapter Four
Recruiting and Selecting Staff for International Assignments

2. Chapter Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
explain the myth of the global manager
discuss the debate surrounding expatriate failure
outline the factors moderating intent to stay or leave the international assignment

3. Chapter Learning Objectives
list selection criteria for international assignments
explain why dual-career couples can represent a barrier to staff mobility
answer the question: Are female expatriates different?

4. Chapter Vignette
Dual Career Couples: Trailing Spouse's Job Needs Start To Get More Company Time
Spouse/partner’s career :
a barrier to international assignments
adaptability and dual career management cause of failed assignments
limited career planning

5. Terms recruitment selection effectiveness skills coping skills
global manager
IA Phases:
tourist
culture shock
pulling up
adjustment
international assignment (IA)
expatriate failure rate (EFR)
common corporate language
“coffee machine system”
direct cost
indirect cost

6. Recruitment
is defined as searching for and obtaining qualified job candidates in sufficient numbers to fill job needs

7. Selection
gathering information for the purposes of evaluating and deciding who should be employed in particular jobs

8. Major Differences Between Domestic and International Staffing
predispositions with regard to who should hold key positions (i.e. ethnocentric, polycentric, regiocentric and geocentric staffing orientations)
constraints imposed by host governments (i.e. work visas and prefer local national employment)

9. Global Manager Myths There is a universal approach to management
People can acquire multicultural adaptability and behaviors
There are common characteristics shared by successful international managers
There are no impediments to mobility

10. Global Manager a person who is comfortable operating
in diverse countries, cultures, and situations, 
and can  be transferred internationally 
into different operations 

11. Global ‘Mindset’
implies the ability to see beyond one’s own national and functional boundaries.

12. Current Expatriate Profile (Table 5-1)

13. Three Questions Related to Expatriate Failure
its definition
magnitude of the phenomenon
costs associated with failure

14. Expatriate Failure premature return, under-performance and
retention upon completion of the assignment

15. Magnitude of the Phenomenon
high failure rates; 30%-50% and higher
foreign assignments increasing

16. Costs Associated with Expatriate Failure
Direct costs
airfares and associated relocation expenses
compensation
training

17. Costs Associated with Expatriate Failure
Indirect costs
difficulties with host‑government officials and clients
changes to the multinational’s general staffing approach
local employee morale and productivity

18. Costs Associated with Expatriate Failure
loss self‑confidence
future performance may be impacted
family relationships may be threatened.

19. International Assignments: Factors Moderating Performance (Figure 5-1)

20. Reasons for Early Return
family concerns
accepted new position in the company
completed assignment early
cultural adjustment challenges
security concerns
career concerns

21. Expatriate Relocation Cultural Adjustment
Phase 1
reactions prior to the assignment
positive and negative emotions
upswing of mood upon arrival
homesickness sets in

22. Expatriate Relocation Cultural Adjustment
Phase 2
a critical time, individual copes with the psychological adjustment
‘failure as an early recall’ may be triggered at this point
Phase 3
person begins to adjust to the new environment.
Phase 4
recovery

23. The Phases of Cultural Adjustment (Figure 5-2)

24. Length of Assignment
a longer assignment allows the expatriate more time to adjust and become productive

25. Willingness to Move
reluctant expatriate or family members interpret events and situations encountered in the new environment negatively

26. Work-environment Related Factors
Skill utilization was significantly related to
job satisfaction
organization commitment
intent to finish the international assignment
Moderators influencing expatriate turnover
job autonomy
perceived level of organizational support

27. Factors in Expatriate Selection (Figure 5-3)

28. Technical Ability
technical and managerial skills are essential criterion
past performance has little bearing on one's ability to achieve a task in a foreign cultural environment
easiest to measure

29. Cross-Cultural Suitability
cultural empathy
adaptability
diplomacy
language ability
positive attitude
emotional stability
maturity

30. Family Requirements Impact on spouse/partner/family early return
responsible for settling family
left career and social supports
concern for childrens education
care of aging parents
single parent

31. Country/Cultural Requirements
work permits
entry visas
hardship postings

32. MNE Requirements mode of operation assignment duration and type
amount of knowledge transfer required

33. Language speak the local language (fifth highest criteria)
knowledge of countries and cultures
common corporate language

34. Use of Selection Tests
lack of valid and reliable testing and screening devices
little correlation between test scores and performance (ability to adjust to another culture)

35. 4 Dimensions for Successful Expatriate Selection
Self-oriented Expresses adaptive concern for self-preservation, self-enjoyment, mental hygiene.
Perceptual Accurately understands why host nationals behave the way they do.
Others-oriented Cares about host national co-workers and affiliates with them.
Cultural-toughness Able to handle the degree to which the culture of the host country is incongruent with that of the home country.

36. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Issues
conflicting national laws on employment ( i.e. mandatory retirement and hiring ages)
MNE ensure compliance of the different forms and levels of EEO, human rights and discrimination prevention legislations

37. EEO Expressions of Societal Values
Canadian Women
Employment Equity Act, Human Rights Code, Pay Equity
Middle East, African, Asian and Latin American Women
perceived as lower class and not universally employed

38. Harris and Brewster’s Selection Typology (Table 5-2)

39. Assignment Letters Standard Content employment conditions (dates)
services to be performed
location and employer
compensation and medical coverage
taxation and housing
home visits
relocation supports ( i.e. maintenance of the existing home, shipping of personal goods and cost of living allowances)

40. Assignment Letters
Clarifying what happens if an international assignment does not work out
employment laws that apply and violation procedures
procedures dealing with cases of family illness
employment opportunities for expatriates early return
non-compete and clawback provisions

41. Dual Career Couples
emerging constraint on the available pool of candidates,
a significant shift in thinking about the role of non-work aspects impinging on work-related matters.

42. Alternative Assignment Arrangements
short-term assignments
commuter assignments
other arrangements (assignments replaced by business travel and virtual assignments)

43. Family-Friendly Policies
inter-company networking
job-hunting assistance
intra-company employment
on-assignment career support

44. Are Female Expatriates Different?
female expatriates are under represented in international assignments because they face different international assignment issues (than their male counterparts)

45. Barriers to Females Taking International Assignments (Table 5-3)

46. What Differentiates Female and Male Expatriates
degree to which the moderators affect individual performance (technical ability, cross-cultural suitability and family requirements)
value placed on cultural awareness training
dual career issues a greater barrier for mobility

47. Important Issues in Terms of Performance
assignment location
level of organization support
spouse/partner satisfaction
intercultural experiences

48. Discussion Questions
1. What is the difference between a global manager and a global mindset?
2. Should multinationals be concerned about expatriate failure? If so, why?

49. Discussion Questions
3. What are the most important factors involved in the selection decision?
4. Are female expatriates different?

50. Case: The Reinhart Case
Was it the right decision in the first place for Terramundo to operate in a region that was well known for being controlled by FARC guerrillas, and where kidnapping was a very common way to fund FARC activities?
2. Did Reinhart do the right thing to get involved in the way described above and help his employee? What were Reinhart’s alternatives and options?

51. Case: The Reinhart Case
3. What can companies operating in industries such as the mining or oil business do to protect their international assignees? What should be the role of the HRM function?

52. Case: The Reinhart Case
4. When sending your employees into remote and dangerous geographic regions – should all employees (home and host country employees) get the same employment support and workplace safety and security support? Is the reality reflecting or in line with your response?