Discussion and repond

Part A: Minimum 150 words, maximum 250 words

Discuss both of these questions in your individual discussion posting, please:

1.   What is culture shock?  Discuss how you think if you sent one of your employees on an international assignment (as an Expatriate), how would you manage that employee's "re-entry" after a couple of years?

2.  If you were working in a global company, and you were asked to take an international assignment, how could you help your spouse to adapt to the new country assignment?  Is there a difference to how men and women (as the spouse) would experience this transition?

Part B: Minimum 100 words, maximum 150 words each

Respond to the following students’ post:

Student A:

Culture shock is the expatriate’s reaction to a new, unpredictable, and therefore uncertain environment. (Adler pg 278)  

As a manager, I would welcome back the employee with honesty. I would let the employee know that the job they held before the assignment, if still available, is theirs to have. If their position is no longer available, I would reward them with something they would be interested in, until we can find them a long time assignment. I feel it would help the moral of other employees if a company treats the returning employee with respect and gratitude for representing our firm overseas.

If I was offered an international assignment, I would first to see if it was a good fit for my family. If my husband was willing to go on this adventure with me, I would accept the assignment. I would ask for at least a 2-3 week vacation to help us both get acclimated to our new country and its culture. I think it would be easier for a women (spouse) to adjust to a new lifestyle, because women are normally nesters, they can make a home wherever their hat lands. I would not go if my spouse said no, I have seen a lot of marriages fall apart from a long distance relationship.

Student B:

Alder defines culture shock as the process by which it takes a global manager to adjust to a new environment. For any businessperson, transferring to a new, unfamiliar country will involve some form of adjustment period.

Upon an employee's return, it would be crucial to focus on ways to help readjust to functioning within their home-country. For those years that the employee was abroad, formalities and business styles were picked up. So, I would first work on understanding the differences between work ethics. It is important to understand the new ways that the employee has adapted to working before trying to reintroduce the home-country's style. The book also discusses that employee's often believe coming home will be a seamless process where they can pick right back up where they left off. However, getting used to an environment that is completely different from the one that they have been living and working in is often harder than they might think.

If I took on a global assignment and my spouse was coming with, it would be important that we both learn about the culture of the country and also how to function within it. I believe a woman would adjust quicker to a new environment than a man. However, I also believe a woman would be more likely to feel home sick over an extended period of time and feel the urge to return. In my opinion, men are more likely to get used to their living environments.