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REPORT FOR DEUTSCHE ]

Andreas Weber’s Assignment to New York: A case study in Expatriation, Repatriation and Career Planning.

2010BBA 8th A Submitted to: Sir M.A. Butt Submitted By: Anam Khalid

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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S.# Contents Page

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Introduction

Case History

SWOT Analysis

Identification of problems and Setting Career Planning and

Management Objectives

Career Management Strategy

Recommendations

Annexure

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I am very much thankful to Almighty Allah who made me able to study, understand and work on this report.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Sir M.A.Butt for providing me an opportunity to do my project work on “A New Morning For Mountain Dew”

and for the guidance and encouragement in carrying out this report with providing immense knowledge and better understanding of the subject

material.

INTRODUCTION

I have been hired by The Deutsche Bank of Germany as a HR consultant to evaluate the case of Andreas

Weber presently head of corporate finance department in New York, regarding international assignment

and with different issues of expatriation and repatriation done in the Deutsche Bank.

Deutsche Bank is an international universal bank with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. The bank

employs more than 81,000 people in 76 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the

Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets.

Deutsche Bank has offices in major financial centers, such as London, Moscow, Toronto, New York, São

Paulo, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Furthermore, the bank is investing in expanding

markets, such as the Middle East, Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific.

The bank offers financial products and services for corporate and institutional clients along with private

and business clients. Services include sales, trading, and origination of debt and equity; mergers and

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acquisitions; risk management products, such as derivatives, corporate finance, wealth

management, retail banking, fund management, and transaction banking.

The case of Andreas Weber has been provided to me for analyzing the HR practices concerning

international assignments. There are several problems related to repatriation of employees highlighted

in the case and the management of the Bank is curious to know about the pitfalls and gaps in planning

and controlling international assignments for their employees. My job is to analyze the case to its very

depth to find out the reasons for the existence of these gaps and the ways and strategies of how to fill

these gaps through proper career planning of the employees by establishing a whole system of

employee career management in the very organization.

Brief summary of the case of Andreas Weber is presented in the next part including all the crucial events

took place in his professional and personal life from being an expat to New York, progressing and being

promoted there and than his decision to come back to his home country Germany. Journey of his

international assignment is summarized next. Then ‘SWOT Analysis’ of the case is presented after the

history part. Following SWOT Analysis is ‘Career Planning and management objectives’ and after that

‘Strategies’ to achieve those objectives are presented in a systematic manner. At the end final

recommendations for the Deutsche Bank are provided to help improve their HR systems and practices to

avoid the current complex situation.

CASE HISTORY

Andreas Weber a hardworking and intelligent man one day sitting on the bench in park and trigger his

memories back to 7 years the initial moment which led him to this trouble. He used to jog to get his

tensions relieved. But on that day it wasn’t working for him. As he sat down on the bench he started to

remember the series of events that were hurting him.

One day Managing Director walked to his office unannounced and asked him to participate in a

company-wide international management development program his task is to foster the professional

development of young aspiring managers. Andrea accepts this offer and work hard to fulfill it. Finally his

efforts paid off and he successfully accomplishes this task.

Suddenly an unexpected vacancy had occurred in the New York branch of bank and Andreas was asked

for it. Andreas after discussing with his wife Lina accepted the job and after two weeks he was

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transfered to New York. He remembered the scene when he arrived at airport no one was there to

welcome him so he straight went to the branch and to the head of finance department where he had to

work as the credit analyst the same job he was doing in the Germany. He decided to stay in New York it

was later proved to be a good decision. He started to learn new procedure of working and after 2

months Lina and their 3 year old daughter arrived to New York .They shifted to new their new home and

with the passage of time they made many new friends, Lina did not get a working permit so she started

work as a volunteer at a museum. Anne –Marie spend every 2nd afternoon at a local Kindergarten so

Lina had a plenty of time to peruse her own interests. At the end of first year Elena was born.

Andreas work was going smoothly as after eight months he was promoted to the position of supervisor

of a group of credit analyst. After a year he was promoted to deputy head of Corporate Finance

department as the requirement was for a person who spoke fluent German, had experience of working

with European companies and was available instantly. In the fifth year of his assignment his boss retired

and he was promoted to the Head of Corporate finance department. It was decided at the time of

promotion that he would stay in the position for three years and would then move to Germany.

After his promotion his life changed as he used to travel a lot, he had travelled 100,000 miles in the first

six months. His wife Lina started to complain and she was also worried about her children's education.

She was worried about Anne-Marie's German and also that she might miss out on German High school

education and their second daughter Elina who was born after their arrival in New York could hardly

speak German. Lina was also frustrated because she could not find a good volunteer job.

Andreas thought that from a professional point of view his assignment was the best thing that could

have happened to him as he was away from corporate bureaucracy and was also a member of senior

management at a very young age. But after long discussions with Lina they decided to move back to

Germany. He contacted the Banks headquarters where he was told that no position of his level was

available but there was a good chance that in the next six months there might be one.

He finally received a phone call after a long time but the position he was offered was junior to his

current positions, he would earn half what he is earning right now and would be posted in less attractive

part of Germany and would not be able be able to utilize his current skills.

This made him realize that current HR policies of Deutsche bank were not good and it punishes those

who are outstanding performers. They send you abroad but do not have a plan for reentry.

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STRENGTHS1)The customers are loyal with Deutsche

bank.2) Supplier participation towards company is

reasonably friendly.3) Deutsche bank has unionized staff but

currently they are more company friendly.4) Marketing management is based on contemporary marketing management.5) Deutsche bank is financially strong.

6) Operation systems in Deutsche bank include Operation management, procedures and processes are developed consistent with

industry standards.

WEAKNESSES1) Customers have become savvy and seek out value and quality in the companies offerings.

2) Banking sector is competitive and currently fierce competition is being witnessed.

3) Mission and vision of the bank needs improvement.

4) In Human Resource Management, more importantly in the area of selection, career planning

and development, skills and utilization needs significant Improvement.

OPPORTUNITES1)Economic conditions currently seem to be

the reason.2) Companies reasonably poised to take care

of its legislation, including its clauses.3) Government policies reflect the element of

consistency and fostering of the banking industry.

4) International environments are conducive for Deutsche bank.

THREATS1) Social shift is transpiring in Germany. Mostly

in customer awareness, education and Globalization.

2) Deutsche bank is not fully equipped to internalize the social shift.

3) Legislations are in place and are being changed overtime.

4) Germany is witnessing continuous innovation including technology related with

banking sector.

SWOTANALYSIS

IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS AND SETTING CAREER PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

With increasing globalization and the need for businesses to compete successfully in a global market

place, much attention has been paid to employees who are capable and willing to grow and manage an

expanding business in a foreign country. A sizeable body of research has accumulated over the years

addressing the special challenges of these employees in foreign locations. Examples of the problems

studied are adjustment issues in cross-cultural assignments, the high cost of expatriate failure, selecting

and training and repatriation turnover. Studies usually conclude with numerous recommendations, to

HR professionals, for improving the management of their international employees.

The case under discussion seems to have problems in repatriation and career planning of employees of

Deutsche Bank.

The Problems inherent in the Repatriation Process.

It appears that this Bank do not specify in advance how the international experience will fit into an

employee's career progression thereby inadvertently making room for unfounded high expectations.

With a few exceptions, repatriates express much disappointment when describing their return to the

home office. As observed by Stroh, Gregersen and Black (1998), the lack of opportunity for these

returning managers to use their newly acquired skills and experience can be a source of frustration and

reason for seeking more rewarding employment elsewhere. Getting reacquainted with the home office,

after spending years in a foreign country, can be as difficult an experience for the expatriate as the initial

adaptation to a foreign culture.

A study by Baruch et al. (2002), based on interviews with repatriates from a mid-sized company in the

U.K., found a high rate of dissatisfaction with the repatriation process and a high rate of turnover within

the first year upon return. Some of the employees' disappointments involved the lack of appreciation for

international experience and failure to utilize newly acquired management skills such as: strategic

thinking, managing people, and decision making. The data indicated that an employee's perception of

underutilization, back in the home office, had a direct effect on leaving the company. In general,

repatriates tended to attribute their problems to inadequate career planning at their firms.

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Unsuccessful repatriation processes involve costs for both the organization and the employee. The costs

to the employees consist of disappointment with the job level in the home office upon return from an

international assignment; disappointment with the underutilization of their newly acquired skills and

competencies; and feelings of career displacement or stagnation. The costs to the company include lost

investments because of the underutilization of employees and the cost of their replacement when they

decide to leave the firm.

Career Planning and Management objectives

The career management process begins with setting goals/objectives. A relatively specific goal/objective

must be formulated. This task may be quite difficult when the individual lacks knowledge of career

opportuinities and/or is not fully aware of their talents and abilities. However, the entire career

management process is based on the establishment of defined goals/objectives whether specific or

general in nature.

The time horizon for the achievement of the selected goals/objectives - short term, medium term or

long term - will have a major influence on their formulation.

1. Making career choices and decisions – the traditional focus of careers interventions. The

changed nature of work means that individuals may now have to revisit this process more

frequently now and in the future, more than in the past.

2. Managing the organizational career – concerns the career management tasks of individuals

within the workplace, such as decision-making, life-stage transitions, dealing with stress etc.

3. Managing 'boundaryless' careers – refers to skills needed by workers whose employment is

beyond the boundaries of a single organization, a work style common among, for example,

artists and designers.

4. Taking control of one's personal development – as employers take less responsibility, employees

need to take control of their own development in order to maintain and enhance their

employability.

5. To help individuals cope with continued changes in the world of work.

6. To help individuals develop a realistic attitude toward the dignity of all work and workers.

7. To help individuals understand their unique abilities, interests, and aptitudes.

8. To help individuals develop a realistic understanding of themselves in regard to decision making

and career alternatives.

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9. To provide up-to-date occupational information and other labor market data.

10. To provide the opportunity for individuals to become acquainted with a wide range of

occupational and educational opportunities.

11. To provide information about the world of work that will assist individuals in making long-range

educational and career plans.

12. To assist individuals in making appropriate educational and occupational choices.

13. To provide appropriate follow up information.

14. Encourage growth and career development of employees.

15. Improve skills and knowledge that can be immediately applied at work.

16. Increase motivation and job satisfaction.

17. Create a network of colleagues for problem-solving and support.

18. Promote communication and planning throughout department networks.

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CAREER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Encourage growth and career development of employees by coaching, and by helping employees

achieve their career goals human resources by providing adequate training... encouragement of staff

development, and opportunities for growth.

STRATEGY # 01: DEVELOPMENT OF PROPER CAREER MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

Career Development vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Career development is the ongoing acquisition or refinement of skills and knowledge, including job

mastery and professional development, coupled with career planning activities. Job mastery skills are

those that are necessary to successfully perform one's job. Professional development skills are the skills

and knowledge that go beyond the scope of the employee's job description, although they may

indirectly improve job performance.

Guiding Principles

Management’s support for career development is important because:

Current information about the organization and future trends helps employees create more

realistic career development goals.

Focus on skill development contributes to learning opportunities.

Opportunities for promotion and/or lateral moves contribute to the employee's career

satisfaction.

A greater sense of responsibility for managing one's own career contributes to self-confidence

Career planning and development clarifies the match between organizational and individual

employee goals

It's cost-effective to use your own staff talent to provide career development opportunities

within your department

Career development increases employee motivation and productivity

Attention to career development helps you attract top staff and retain valued employees

Supporting career development and growth of employees is mandated by the Philosophy of

Human Resources Management.

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How to Promote Career Development

Refer to Employee Development Opportunities for the career development plan.

Annually, conduct an individual development plan and career discussion with employees and

require other supervisors in your department to do the same.

Hold supervisors in every department accountable for supporting employee development

efforts.

Create programs and activities to provide skill development, such as job rotation, cross-training,

mentoring, internships, coaching, and career strategy groups.

Recognize that your role includes providing support and/or release time for staff members'

development beyond their current jobs.

Support requests for flexible work arrangements from staff members.

Serve as a role model by participating in career and professional development opportunities

yourself.

See staff members' applications for other positions as a healthy sign of a dynamic workplace.

Support lateral moves within your organization.

Create job vacancy listings that allow for the most diverse applicant pool while honoring

transferable skills.

STRATEGY # 02: USE APPROPRIATE SELECTION TOOLS FOR SELECTING RIGHT CANDIDATE

While selecting employees proper selection guidelines and tools should be used by the Deutsche Bank.

Multinational organizations should use rigorous selection criteria to select managers or officers for

overseas assignments. General criteria include the individual’s adaptability, motivation, experience,

education, age, leadership skills as well as physical and emotional health. Also, a successful international

assignment depends heavily on the support of the spouse and children. Personality assessment is also

very widely used tool to identify personal characteristics matching to the job and international

assignment requirements.

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Personality assessment through Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the most important tools

used to identify right match for the international assignments. MBTI assessment is

a psychometric questionnaire designed to measure psychological preferences in how people perceive

the world and make decisions. It has four different dimensions to identify 16 different personality types.

These dimensions are extraversion and introversion, sensing and intuitive, thinking and feeling,

judgement and perception.

Today, organizations also examine a number of characteristics to gauge whether an individual is fit for

an international job assignment. These include the individual’s:

Work experience with cultures other than one’s own.

Previous overseas travel.

Foreign language abilities.

Recent immigration background or heritage.

Ability to integrate with different people, cultures and types of business organizations.

Ability to solve problems within different frameworks and perspectives.

Ability to sense and accurately evaluate developments in the host country.

Sensitivity to differences of culture, ethics, politics and religion.

Flexibility to make decisions while coping with a lack of help and gaps in information.

Cultural Adjustment Tools

Before leaving for an international job assignment, many organizations provide anticipatory adjustment

tools through pre-departure cultural seminars and workshop training.

Once the individual arrives in the overseas assignment, multinationals usually contribute in-country

adjustment support mechanisms. These enable the expatriate to:

Maintain a positive outlook in a high pressure situation.

Meet the challenges and decision-making stresses of the new job.

Adjust to the host-country’s organizational culture.

Deal with non-work matters like family adjustment.

Develop effective socialization tactics in the new cultural environment.

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STRATEGY # 03: SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Along with other important strategies to be implemented, skills development of selected candidates

with other related people is also very important.

Effective preparation, support, and training for international assignments need to be based on sound

research-supported models of the skills required to meet the challenges of those assignments for the

assignees themselves, their families accompanying them, those managing them, and the hosts with

whom they are working. Though there has been less theoretical development than desirable in the

intercultural/international assignment field, there are models of varying degrees of comprehensiveness

from which to choose (e.g. Barna, 1983; Black, Mendenhall and Oddou, 1991; Furnham and Bochner,

1986; Gudykunst, 1991). One such model (Fontaine, 1989, 1993a) is described here along with its

implications for the skill-related objectives of assignee preparation, support and training.

The ecology of international assignments

The ecology of an international assignment consists of the socio cultural, physical, and biological

environment in which tasks on that assignment are completed. The ecology might involve, for instance,

the skills, expectations, and relationships of the task participants, the characteristics of the physical

resources available, and the health, safety, security conditions of the assignment site, respectively.

There are several characteristics common to the ecologies of most international assignments (Desatnick

and Bennett, 1977; Fontaine, 1989). For example such assignments are usually characterized by travel to

a place different from home; they typically involve special problems associated with time differences

and communication; there are important cultural differences in the people and how they live and do

business, particularly in how they resolve conflict, since some conflict is almost unavoidable

interculturally; there is often less organizational, social, and technological support than at home; and

assignees usually are more responsible for providing the structure of their daily, weekly, and monthly

activities. These characteristics essentially define what "international assignments" are and set them

apart from their domestic counterparts.

This is one of the models used for assessing and developing skills for international assignments other

models can also b used for such purpose.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Navigating your employees’ Career: Career Management in today's changing workplace for the

success of both the employees and the organization.

Encourage coaching on careers and job performance.

New Rules, New Roles: Changing the way you think about work and international job

assignments.

Retaining Your Top Achievers: Employee retention strategies after repatriation and for a

changing workplace.

Making employees more effective at work: An Introduction to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

Successful Interviewing: Skills and Strategies for hiring top performers.

Managing Performance: Skills and strategies for giving feedback.

Beyond Recruiting to Retention: The focus on Career Development.

Career Transition Seminar and workshops.

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ANNEXURE

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND MOTIVATION CHART

Used analyze the skills of employees under different skills development programs.

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