Sandra Stone, Vice President of International Operations for Global Apparel Corporation, was working with her subordinate, Pete Thompson, to plan for his upcoming 18-month overseas assignment to the firm's new office in Rome. Based upon her experience with previous failed overseas assignments, she was taking steps to avoid another failure. Therefore, one of the key features of Sandra's plan for Pete was to

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Developing a reentry plan for Pete prior to the completion of the overseas assignment is the best feature to prevent failure of an overseas assignment. It provides a plan for the employee to transition back into their home culture and work environment, which can be difficult after an extended period of time abroad. This plan can include strategies for readjusting to the culture, identifying potential challenges or barriers, and setting goals for the employee's return to the home office. Limiting communication, developing performance measures or avoiding a "look-see" trip may save costs or avoid micromanaging, but they do not address the key issue of reentry and may result in potential failure of the overseas assignment. Developing the assignment "on the fly" is also not recommended, as it can lead to confusion and lack of clarity for both the employee and the organization.