CROSS CULTURAL TRAINING

Prof. Preeti Bhaskar

Symbiosis Center For Management Studies, Noida

• Significant Cross cultural training (CCT)

• Types of CCT

• Conceptual Frameworks of CCT

• Different models of CCT

• Developing International Staff

Chapter Objectives

• The role of training in supporting expatriate adjustment and on-assignment performance.

• Components of effective pre-departure training programs such as cultural awareness, preliminary visits and language skills. Relocation assistance and training for trainers are also addressed.

• The effectiveness of pre-departure training.

• The developmental aspect of international assignments.

• Training and developing international management teams.

• Trends in international training and development.

We examine these issues:

Fundamental difference between Training and CCT?

Training

• Based on management• philosophy, the training

• could be organized any• where and for every one.

Cross Cultural Training

• Based on management philosophy but highly concentrate on staffing

• approach:

• Ethnocentric – Parent country

• Poly centric – Host country• Geocentric – Best suited

areas• Re-geocentric – Any where

Types of CCT:

• Environmental briefing – geography, climate, housing, and schools.

• Cultural orientation – cultural institutions, value systems of the host county.

• Cultural assimilators - inter cultural encounters.• Language training – communication effectiveness• Sensitivity training – to develop attitudinal

flexibility.• Field experience – to make the expatriate

familiarize with the challenges of• assignment.

EXPATRIATE TRAININGEXPATRIATE TRAINING

TRAININGTRAINING

• The extent of effort by trainees and trainers required to

prepare the trainees for expatriate positions

LOW RIGOR TRAINING LOW RIGOR TRAINING LOW RIGOR TRAINING LOW RIGOR TRAINING

1. Short time period

2. Lectures

3. Videos on local culture

4. Briefings on company operations

HIGH RIGOR TRAININGHIGH RIGOR TRAININGHIGH RIGOR TRAININGHIGH RIGOR TRAINING

1. Lasts over a month

2. Experiential learning

3. Extensive language training

4. Often includes interactions with host country

nationals

Techniques: Field trips tohost country, meetingswith managers experiencedin host country, meetingswith host countrynationals, intensivelanguage training.

Objectives: Developcomfort with host countrynational culture, businessculture, and socialinstitutions.

HighTraining

Rigor

Techniques:Experiential learningexercises, role playing,simulations, casestudies, survivallanguage training.

Objectives: General andspecific knowledge ofhost country culture,reduce ethnocentrism.

Mid-level

TrainingRigor

Techniques: Lectures,videotapes, readingbackground material.

Objectives: Providebackground information onhost country business andnational cultures, basicinformation on companyoperations.

LowTraining

Rigor

To develop and design effective training, companies must implement a system approach

which includes:

1. Analysis of training needs of target population

2. Establishing training goals

3. Careful training design

Analysis of training needs of target population

• Leadership skill

• Initiative

• emotional stability

• Motivation

• Ability to handle responsibility

• Cultural sensitivity

• To handle stress

• Flexibility.

Training Goal

The goal of cross cultural training should be to equip the trainees with knowledge, skills and attitudes which enable them achieve the following three adjustments and

effectiveness which are indicators of international success:

•Personality adjusted, i.e he / she feels happy and satisfied with situation abroad.•Professionally effective if he performs his tasks, duties and responsibilities on the job completely.•Inter – personally adjusted and effective if he takes interest in interacting with locals capably.

Design of Training• First level training to focus on learning about host country’s

culture, language, politics, business, geography, religious values and history. Through seminars, videos, meetings with citizens of the country before assignment begins.

• Second level training deals about assignment itself. Requirements of the position – technical, managerial knowledge needed company officials can do that before leaving.

• Third level training deals with preparing him for new job at new location to be done by whom he is replacing.

• Forth level training – how he / she adjusts and adapts to new environments, by providing assistance.

• Fifth level training addresses re entry back home and contact with people at home and visit home during vacation

REPATRIATIONREPATRIATIONCareer managementFinancial management

Reentry shock

Expatriate Training

PREDEPARTUREPREDEPARTURE

Stress training Business issues

ASSIGNMENTASSIGNMENT

Culture awareness programLanguage skills

Personal and family orientationCareer planningPractical Assistance

Language SkillsLocal mentoring

Pre-departure Phase.

Employees need to receive language training and an orientation in the new country’s culture and customs.

The family should be included in the orientation.

Expatriates and their families need information about housing, schools, recreation, shopping, and health care facilities in the area where they will live.

Experiential training methods are most effective in assignments that require significant interpersonal interaction with host nationals.

Methods of training

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

Types of Training and Development

Understanding the culture of host country, enhance effectiveness, familiarization trip before formal transfer.

Manager’s ability to interact, help build rapport and improve manager’s effectiveness.

Adjust to day to day life in host country, establish a routine, successful adaptation, support network of friends

Cultural TrainingCultural Training

Language TrainingLanguage Training

Practical TrainingPractical Training

On-site Phase.

Training involves continued orientation to the host country and its customs and cultures through formal programs or through a mentoring relationship.

Expatriates and their families may be paired with a mentor from the host country who helps them understand the new, unfamiliar work environment and community.

Repatriation Phase.

Prepares expatriates for return to the parent company and country from the foreign assignment.

Expatriates and their families are likely to experience high levels of stress and anxiety when they return because of the changes that have occurred since their departure.

Developing staff through International assignments

Developing staff through International assignments

• Management development– Individuals gain international experience which assists career

progression

– Multinational gains through having a pool of experienced operators on which to draw

• Organizational development– Stock of knowledge, skills and abilities– Global mindset

– Expatriates as agents of direct control and socialization

How international teams benefit the multinational

• Fosters innovation, organizational learning and transfer of

knowledge

• Assists breaking down of functional and national boundaries

• Encourages diverse inputs

• Assists in developing broader perspectives

• Develops shared values

Components of Cross Cultural Training (CCT)• Preliminary visits

• Language training

• Practical assistance

• Cultural awareness program

• Job related factors

• Cultural knowledge and skills and facilitates expatriates’ adjustment to the host country’s culture

Corporate Headquarter Activities

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.

26

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.

27

The Role of English as the Language of World Business

Host-Country Language Skills and Adjustment

Knowledge of the Corporate Language

The Role of English as the Language of World Business

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

28

Host-Country Language Skills and Adjustment

The ability to speak a foreign language can improve the expatriate’s 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.

29

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.

30

Practical AssistancePre-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.

31

Where are we going?

What can we take?

Do I need a passport and visa? How about work permits?

How long will it take us to get there?

Money exchange?

Where is the office and where is a good place to live?

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.

32

Conceptual Frameworks of CCT or Different models of CCT:

1. R. Tung (1981):

2. Mendelhall & Oddou (1987):

3. Black and Mendelhall (1989):

R. Tung (1981):

Mendelhall & Oddou (1987):

Black and Mendelhall (1989):

Expatriate career decision points:D – 1: Occurs during R & S for a specific assignment, where the expatriateeither apply or is informally selected, for an international assignment.• D- 2: Voluntarily withdrawal or reject the assignment)• D- 3: Premature Return ( unable to adjust)• D- 4: Final Exit ( the expatriate may decide to exit the organization.• D- 5: Re assignment – either can be back into the ‘parent’ organization or the person may accept another international assignment.• D-6: Can be relevant at this stage, at the time of ‘ Repatriation’ with exitorganization. ( D = Decision)

However, these decisions points are based upon the issues that related• to adjustment with host country culture, work life behaviour / job performance and finally socio economic problem in family.• Personal ability and interest to develop international skill for future growth.