Mara is looking to send one of her team members on an international assignment to China to train a group of employees located at her company's office in Beijing. As part of the assignment, the chosen employee will have to undergo a three-week diversity training program to help him/her learn about his/her new environment. Bryan, one of Mara's colleagues, is interested in taking up the assignment.
-Which of the following, if true, would reduce the likelihood that Bryan will be selected?
A) Bryan has had little exposure to Chinese culture.
B) Bryan is proficient in Chinese.
C) Bryan traveled to Beijing last year on a different assignment.
D) Bryan does not cope very well in ambiguous situations.
E) Bryan sometimes displays striking contradictions between his public persona and his private self.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Of the Big Five traits, openness to experience would be most important to effectiveness in international assignments. Open people are more likely to be culturally flexible-to "go with the flow" when things are different in another country. If Bryan is uncomfortable in ambiguous situations, then he would most likely not be able to manage well in a foreign environment. If he is proficient in Chinese or has traveled to Beijing in the past, then it would only increase his chances of being selected. The fact that he has had little exposure to Chinese culture is not very relevant, as he will have to attend a diversity training program if he is chosen for the assignment. The fact that he sometimes displays striking contradictions between his public persona and his private self does not influence his chances of being selected.

Mara Is Looking to Send One of Her Team Members