Question 1

Which is the most important form of adjustment leading to expatriate assignment success that should take place in the pre-departure preparation phase?

Accepted Answer

Anticipatory adjustment, which occurs in the pre-departure preparation phase, is crucial for expatriate assignment success. It involves preparing for the cultural, professional, and personal changes that will occur, helping the expatriate develop realistic expectations and strategies for adapting to the new environment.

Question 2

Accurate, realistic expectations provided by a thorough pre-departure preview process contribute a form of "__________" that can greatly facilitate actual adjustment upon arrival by reducing uncertainties and increasing predictability in the new setting.

Accepted Answer

Anticipatory adjustment refers to the preparation and planning that expatriates undergo before they leave for their international assignment. A thorough pre-departure preview process that includes accurate and realistic expectations can reduce uncertainties and increase predictability in the new setting. By doing so, it can greatly facilitate actual adjustment upon arrival, helping expatriates cope with the challenges of living and working in a foreign environment. The other options (self-fulfilling prophesy, psychological armor, and mental immunization) do not accurately capture the concept described in the question.

Question 3

This international adjustment dimension is typically the most difficult depending upon the degree of cultural distance of the foreign assignment, and involves forming a greater understanding and appreciation for the HCNs at work and other local people with whom the expatriate may come into contact.

Accepted Answer

Interaction adjustment involves adapting to the cultural differences and forming relationships with the local people, which can be challenging depending on the degree of cultural distance.

Question 4

Which important form of adjustment in the foreign assignment involves an overall subjective assessment of well being?

Accepted Answer

Psychological adjustment involves an overall subjective assessment of well-being, which includes factors such as the individual's level of comfort and satisfaction with the new environment, cultural values, and norms. It also includes how the individual copes with stress and adapts to new situations. This type of adjustment is crucial for successful performance and job satisfaction during the assignment.

Question 5

This form of adjustment to the foreign assignment involves adapting to such aspects as workplace surroundings, housing, transportation, shopping, food, etc.

Accepted Answer

General Adjustment refers to adapting to everyday life aspects in a new country, including housing, transportation, and shopping.

Question 6

At which stage of the process of international adjustment are expatriates, in their effort to cope, most likely to form rigid, judgmental stereotypes of the local predominant culture?

Accepted Answer

The answer of At which stage of the process of...

Question 7

At which stage of the process of international adjustment do individuals occasionally "go native" by developing overly positive stereotypes of the local culture and the international assignment, assessing everything in the local environment as better than home?

Accepted Answer

Stage 4 of the process of international adjustment is where individuals may "go native," developing overly positive views of the local culture compared to their home culture. This stage is characterized by a deeper understanding and appreciation of the local environment, sometimes to the extent of idealizing it over one's home country.

Question 8

Specific career planning efforts during the expatriate assignment, such as career testing and counseling, company career path information, and professional development workshops, can contribute to which important form of international adjustment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Specific career planning efforts during the expatriate...

Question 9

The __________ phase is often the most overlooked phase of the international assignment, yet it often is the most crucial to the MNC and expatriate.

Accepted Answer

The repatriation phase is crucial for both the MNC and the expatriate as it involves reintegrating the employee back into their home country's operations and culture, which can be challenging. Proper management of this phase is essential to retain the valuable international experience gained by the expatriate.

Question 10

Which of the following is a major reason why expatriates are prompted to leave their organization after completion of their foreign assignment?

Accepted Answer

Expatriates often leave their organization after completing their foreign assignment due to the perception of being underutilized upon their return. They may feel that the skills and experiences they gained abroad are not fully recognized or leveraged by their organization, leading to dissatisfaction and ultimately, their departure.

Question 11

Planning for effective repatriation should begin

Accepted Answer

Planning for effective repatriation should start during predeparture preparation as it allows sufficient time for thorough planning and preparation. It also ensures that the expatriate and the company are on the same page regarding expectations and goals for the assignment and facilitates a seamless transition back to the home country.

Question 12

For some countries with predominant gender role expectations that tend to conflict with women working in professional or managerial positions, pre-departure efforts for women preparing for an expatriate assignment may appropriately include information about avoiding

Accepted Answer

Pre-departure efforts for women preparing for an expatriate assignment in countries with predominant gender role expectations that conflict with women working in professional or managerial positions may include advising against the adoption of local behaviors to help fit in with host-country national women if those behaviors could undermine their professional role or authority. Choices A, B, and D suggest activities that are generally supportive of professional development and cultural adaptation, whereas Choice C could potentially compromise a woman's professional standing or effectiveness in such contexts.

Question 13

Long-term post-assignment retention of this kind of international employee is particularly critical for realizing the primary goals of increased foreign operation control and alignment:

Accepted Answer

Inpatriates are employees from a foreign subsidiary who are brought to the parent company's country to work. Their long-term retention is critical for realizing the primary goals of increased foreign operation control and alignment because they bring with them knowledge and understanding of the foreign operations that can be integrated into the parent company's strategy and operations. This helps in aligning and controlling foreign subsidiaries more effectively.

Question 14

Advancements in telecommunications, combined with increased costs and difficulties associated with traditional long-term expatriate assignments, have led to the increased use of this form of international assignments:

Accepted Answer

The use of technology has allowed for the growth of virtual assignments, where employees work from their home country but are connected to teams and projects across international borders. This type of assignment can be more cost-effective and sustainable than traditional expatriate assignments.

Question 15

With pressure to cut costs associated with traditional long-term expatriate assignments, coupled with individual desires to balance work assignment demands and personal life needs, we are seeing an increasing number of a new class of international professionals called

Accepted Answer

The term "flexpatriate" refers to individuals who work abroad for shorter periods of time than traditional long-term expatriate assignments, and prioritize flexibility in balancing work and personal demands. This option aligns with the description given in the question.

Question 16

Two features commonly encountered in the new flexible forms of international assignments are significant work in managing and participating within global teams, and

Accepted Answer

The first feature mentioned is significant work in managing and participating within global teams, which implies that the employee will be working with colleagues from different countries and cultures in a virtual environment. This type of work often requires frequent international travel to meet with team members in person or attend meetings and conferences. Options B, C, and D are not mentioned as common features of flexible international assignments.

Question 17

Hans is a division director at his company's headquarters in Munich, Germany and regularly visits his production teams in company operations in four different countries in Europe, South America, and Asia. With this kind of professional work assignment, Hans would most commonly be called a

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hans is a division director at his...

Question 18

The most important critical success factor for the management of a group or team of employees on a distance basis across national boundaries, with occasional visits for direct interactions, is the

Accepted Answer

Without trust, effective communication and collaboration will be difficult to achieve, particularly in a remote working arrangement. Establishing mutual trust is crucial for building and maintaining strong relationships, fostering effective communication, and promoting collaboration within a remote team environment. While technology, equal rewards, and cross-cultural awareness training are important factors, they are secondary to trust-building in a virtual team or remote working arrangement.

Question 19

The development of which kinds of leadership skills would likely be most useful for a manager with a virtual expatriate assignment to lead a particular foreign workforce?

Accepted Answer

The most useful leadership skills for a manager in a virtual expatriate assignment are those that align with the specific needs and expectations of the foreign workforce they are leading.

Question 20

A potentially great challenge for a global virtual team over a virtual expatriate assignment is:

Accepted Answer

The different cultures and countries involved in global virtual teams can present communication and collaboration challenges that require sensitivity and understanding to effectively manage. It can be difficult to navigate cultural differences, communication styles, time zone differences, and language barriers in virtual teams. Adequate support technology and clear communication processes can help alleviate some of these challenges, but cultural sensitivity and understanding is crucial for success in global virtual teams.

Quiz 8: Managing International Assignments