changes
Visionary Skills Quick to recognize and respond to
strategic business opportunities and
potential political and economic
upheavals in the host country
Effective Delegatory Proven track record in participative
Skills management style and ability to
American expatriate managers, to succeed, must complete the process of cultural adaptation, becoming conversant and comfortable with the unique culture of the host country. To that end, companies placing Americans abroad should provide them with pre-placement training that is intensive rather than superficial and in which an effort is made to foster comfort in a foreign language. American expatriates should also be provided with ongoing corporate support.
Further, Americans must learn that cultural stereotypes are not always accurate and that cultural sensitivity is a necessity in interacting effectively with foreign nationals. Simple transportation of American managerial styles, values, attitudes, and behaviors to a foreign country will not result in expatriate success. Indeed, the literature suggests that an American manager who does not modify his or her managerial style to conform to some extent with local cultural traditions and customs will not succeed or gain the respect of foreign partners and subordinates.
In sum, the literature on American expatriate managers is both broad and deep. In the context of cultural adaptation, the literature advises that the successful expatriate manager is one who is able to adapt to local culture while structuring corporate culture to mesh with the values of the parent firm. Given that it is highly unlikely that more and more Americans will be placed in expatriate assignments in the coming decades, multinational companies and their human resource departments must begin now to develop training ...