2.      What will firms have to do differently in managing expatriates, particularly U.S. or British citizens who are asked to take assignments in predominantly Muslims countries? 

Students will have different responses, but may include that firms could offer paid housing in gated communities with 24-hour security, more frequent trips home, more training on the culture and what to do during a terrorist act, and maybe even an increase in pay.

§  Individualism-collectivism describes the strength of the relation between an individual and other individuals in the society—that is, the degree to which people act as individuals rather than as members of a group. 

§  Power distance concerns how a culture deals with hierarchical power relationships—particularly the unequal distribution of power. It describes the degree of inequality among people who are considered to be normal. 

§  Uncertainty avoidance, describes how cultures seek to deal with the fact that the future is not perfectly predictable. It is defined as the degree to which people in a culture prefer structured over unstructured situations. 

§  The masculinity-femininity dimension describes the division of roles between the sexes within a society. "Masculine" cultures stress assertiveness, performance, success, and competition. "Feminine" cultures stress service, care for the weak, and solidarity. 

§  The fifth dimension comes from the philosophy of the Far East and is referred to as the long-term-short-term orientation. Cultures high on the long-term orientation focus on the future and hold values in the present that will not necessarily provide an immediate benefit, such as thrift (saving) and persistence. Short-term orientations are oriented toward the past and present and promote respect for tradition and for fulfilling social obligations.
These dimensions can affect the appropriateness of HR practices, appropriateness of managerial styles, and communication processes.

 

2.      Think of a time when you had to function in another culture (e.g., on vacation, at your job, etc.). What were the major obstacles you faced, and how did you deal with them? Was this a stressful experience? Why? How can companies help expatriate employees deal with the stress?

3.         What types of skills do you need to be able to manage in today's global marketplace? Where do you expect to get those skills? What classes/experiences will you need?

Any new experiences that build on our abilities to adjust and be flexible help in preparation for such management positions. Learning about various cultural differences and learning to see them as different, not bad or good, improve on our flexibility as well. Foreign language training can be obtained in high school and college, as well as in intensive private programs. An understanding of current events and historical events in various parts of the world helps us to see the reasons behind many of the cultural differences we may see. This promotes our ability to understand others and therefore work with them in more effective ways.