Corporate expatriate career development

Western business expatriates assigned to Hong Kong responded to a mail survey regarding availability and usage of corporate career development activities. Despite the strategic need for expatriation, it was found that corporate development activities had a low availability indicating little interest on the part of parent organizations to assist in the development of expatriate careers. Large-size parent organizations, with substantial interests in international business operations, generally provide more expatriate career development assistance as opposed to small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer resources and little experience to cater to such needs. Experienced expatriate managers generally use more career development activities than less experienced managers, which could pose a problem for the procurement and advancement of new generations of expatriate managers. Implications of these findings for managers and their employers are discussed in detail.     

Sustainable expatriate compensation in an uncertain environment

This study examines an important area of strategic global human resource management - expatriate managers' compensation in times of global business uncertainty. While expatriation has numerous well-documented benefits for multinational corporations (MNCs), it is incredibly costly. In consequence, when global business conditions become uncertain, the expatriate program in MNCs is typically one of the first budget centres to be targeted for cost savings. The MNC typically radically restructures expatriate remuneration. The resultant effect of these actions is a negative impact on the relationship between the expatriate and the MNC, ultimately reducing expatriate performance and thereby abating the many advantages that the expatriate program brings to MNCs. Social Exchange Theory and Real Options theory help to provide a theoretical framework to understand how expatriate compensation decisions can help to create a desirable sustainable expatriate program in MNCs.     

Consequences of expatriate top manager replacement on foreign subsidiary performance

Integrating expatriate staffing and leadership succession literature, this study investigates the influence of expatriate top manager replacement on foreign subsidiary performance and the moderating effects of subsidiary context. Building on a refined understanding of agency theory and evidence from 2113 firm-year observations, including 260 expatriate successions, this study shows that when expatriates are replaced, regardless by whom (either host-country national or expatriate manager), the performance of the subsidiaries declines, suggesting that the departure of expatriate top managers often see subsidiaries being left in a less than favorable condition. If the subsidiary's prior performance has been unsatisfactory, the newly appointed expatriate might not be able to prevent further deterioration of its performance. Replacing expatriates with host-country national managers can help improve subsidiary performance, but this usually happens in older, more established subsidiaries. These findings framed in a refined agency theory provide us a more in-depth understanding of expatriate staffing failure.     

Cross-cultural training and its impact on expatriate performance in Australian MNEs

This study examines cross-cultural training (CCT) policies and practices in terms of provision, mode of delivery and level of rigor, and the relative effects of different CCT programmes on expatriates in Australian multinational enterprises (MNEs). The empirical evidence suggests that the case study Australian MNEs tended to provide highly rigorous CCT, mainly in the form of short-term international assignments, which, however, are yet to be perceived as CCT in the CCT literature. Short-term assignments had a stronger impact on expatriates in terms of cross-cultural adjustment and reducing expatriate failure rate than did in-country CCT. The findings of this study contribute to the debate whether MNEs normally provide expatriates with adequate CCT, and have significant implications for practitioners and further research.     

Chinese expatriate management in emerging markets: A competitive advantage perspective

Recent research draws attention to the large number of expatriates sent abroad by Chinese multinational corporations (CMNCs), especially to emerging markets. It is generally assumed that their large number, and any competitive advantage this generates, relate predominantly to their low cost, compared to other MNCs' expatriates and/or locally available labour. Our research uses an integrative perspective drawing on the resource-based view (RBV), international human resource management (IHRM) and “country of origin” literature and extensive case-study research on 27 CMNCs in 12 emerging markets. This reveals that the competitive advantage created by Chinese expatriates is closely related to the use of expatriates at both managerial and operational levels. It is achieved through human resource management that exploits their relatively lower cost, higher productivity and hardship tolerance (compared to host or third country counterparts) and their knowledge/resource reconfiguration capability, through a centralised and collective expatriation management system. These together enhance CMNCs' competitive advantage through not only offering cost effective and differentiated products but also transferring the reconfiguration knowledge. This study enhances understanding of the competitiveness of emerging market multinationals (EMNCs) by showing how the competencies, combination and management of their expatriates create a distinct source of competitive advantage. It also advances IHRM research on expatriates by investigating their use from a competitive advantage perspective.     

Factors influencing expatriate performance appraisal system success: an organizational perspective

This study examines the factors that influence the success of expatriate performance appraisal systems in U.S. multinationals, as perceived by the organizations. Results involving 94 firms suggest that clarifying performance expectations prior to the performance rating, the fairness of the performance appraisal system, and the incorporation of career development positively influence perceptions of expatriate performance appraisal system success. The frequency of evaluating expatriates performance approached significance and consideration of the local environment in the performance appraisal process was not a significant contributor to the perceived success of the system. Research and practical implications, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.     

Intra- and inter-regional diversification,subsidiary value chain activities and expatriate utilization

Although it is well established in the current staffing literature that why and how multinational enterprises (MNEs) allocate more or fewer expatriates in some subsidiaries than others, little is known about why and how some MNEs utilize more or fewer expatriates than other MNEs. This paper builds on regionalization theory to argue that intra- and inter-regional diversification has to do with the overall use of expatriates in MNEs. An empirical investigation of Korean MNEs demonstrates that the degree of intra- and inter-regional diversification has significant impacts on the level of expatriate utilization by MNEs. The results also reveal an interesting moderating influence of subsidiary value chain activities. MNEs tend to vigorously adjust their use of expatriates in downstream subsidiaries depending on the degree of intra- and inter-regional diversification. However, they do not adjust their use of expatriates in manufacturing subsidiaries upon the degree of international diversification. Overall, this study extends our understanding of how MNEs manage a geographically dispersed organization in a semi-globalized world.     

Learning and development experiences of self-initiated expatriate women in the United Arab Emirates

The article explores self-initiated expatriate women's experiences of working and learning in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Adler's (Adler, N. 1987. Pacific basin managers: A Gaijin, not a woman. Human Resource Management 26, no. 2: 169–91) seminal study and Tung's (Tung, R.L. 2004. Female expatriates: The model of the global manager. Organizational Dynamics 33: 243–53) research suggest that expatriate women operating in a foreign host culture are categorized as a ‘Third Gender’: host nationals would perceive them as ‘foreign’ first and ‘women’ second, consequently according them different privileged treatment inworkplaces than host national women colleagues. This qualitative study of self-initiated expatriate women highlights how the women's constructions of themselves as ‘foreign’ and ‘female’ in the UAE provide a lens through which they reflect upon their own experiences of learning and development. In the absence of support from their own organizations and/or driven by their own aspirations, the women embarked upon their professional development initiatives; networking, coaching and formal qualifications. Key themes of vulnerability in being a foreigner, gendered workplaces, informal learning and women's agency in their own learning and development emerge from the analysis. The women's experiences suggest that their ‘Third Gender’ identity frames both constraints and opportunities within their social and work environment. The research focus on self-initiated expatriate women developing their professional practice, without the organizational Human Resource Development (HRD) support normally provided for assigned expatriates, is a key contribution to HRD, expatriate and international management literature where gender has tended to be ignored.     

Transfer from expatriate to local contracts: a multiple case study of an unexpected career transition

The transfer of company-assigned expatriate employees from balance sheet expatriate contracts to local contracts is an alternative international assignment compensation strategy increasingly adopted by global corporations. Despite its growing popularity, there is a significant lack of research on the impact (both professional and personal) of transferring employees from expatriate to local contracts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate this emerging international HR trend, with specific focus on exploring the experiences of career transition of company-assigned long-term expatriates (delayed localization) to local contracts at multinational organizations located in Sweden and America. Eight individual cases were analyzed. Findings revealed that localization was an unexpected career transition, a negative type of career shock, characterized by limited support from employers, mentors, and local colleagues. The findings further indicated that localization was a type of career transition rather different from other previous career transitions experienced by participants; it represented a major career and life transition. Based on the findings, we proposed HRD interventions to assist expatriates during the transition from expatriate to local contracts. Areas for future research are also suggested.     

How and when is social networking important? Comparing European expatriate adjustment in China and Turkey

Social interaction has been demonstrated to be a main predictor of expatriate adjustment. However, the impact of social interaction on expatriate adjustment may vary for those in different cultures. Contextual factors, such as geographic proximity and cultural differences between the home country and the host country, may have a significant impact on the expatriate adjustment process. The current paper singles out the above contextual factors by comparing European expatriates in China and in Turkey. European expatriates in China (n = 61) and Turkey (n = 69) were surveyed to explore the different patterns of social interactions (personal network and support), and the impact of these on the psychological well-being of the two groups. The empirical evidence gathered by the current study will delineate these differences and similarities and their impacts on the expatriates' psychological well-being in these two host countries.     

The cross-cultural adjustment process of expatriate families in a multinational organization: a family system theory perspective

This case study examined the relationship between the family flexibility of expatriates in a multinational corporation and their cross-cultural adjustment, as well as the stressors experienced by the expatriate, spouse, and children during the international transition. Family flexibility was negatively correlated with cross-cultural adjustment as perceived by the participating expatriates. All five cross-cultural adjustment dimensions (cultural, psychological, organizational, personal and relational) had a statistically significant relationship with family flexibility. Expatriate families identified cultural, relational, and psychological stressors as having the greatest impact on their cross-cultural adjustment. The components of family flexibility (roles, rules, assertiveness and leadership) played a key role in the cross-cultural adjustment of the expatriate, spouse and children. These findings provide insights to organizations and their human resource development professionals as well as to expatriates and their families on how family flexibility impacts cross-cultural adjustment – insights that could lead to the development of appropriate support and development mechanisms.     

Effect of outgroup social categorization by host-country nationals on expatriate premature return intention and buffering effect of mentoring

Outgroup social categorization by host-country nationals (HCNs) is a common challenge for expatriates and it has received inadequate scholarly attention in expatriate research. This study explores how outgroup social categorization affects expatriate intention to terminate international assignments prematurely and how this adversity can be lessened through organizational mentoring interventions. We theorize that outgroup social categorization by HCNs results in social isolation for expatriates, which triggers expatriates' early return intentions, and mentoring mitigates this indirect effect. The hypotheses were supported by the analyses of multisource data collected from expatriates and their local co-workers in multinational enterprises operating in China. Theoretical and practical implications of the research findings are discussed.     

用"心"缩短与部属的心理距离

缩短与部属的心理距离是领导赢得部属信任和支持的基础。要缩短与部属的心理距离，领导就必须超越表层的领导与被领导的关系，在思想和情感上主动贴近部属，从而与部属心心相印。端正态度知人心知人是领导缩短与部属心理距离的前提。领导只有了解和掌握了部属的心理，知道他们在想什么，才能更好地去领导部属。要做到这一点，领导首先应贴近部属。要自觉放下官架子，主动到部属中去，与部属同学习、同工作、同娱乐，从而熟悉部属的思想、工作、学习和家庭生活等情况，知道部属在想什么、干什么、需要什么。其次应主动与部属交朋友。要经常与…     

Reducing delivery times for OKP products

The management of the manufacture of ‘one-of-a-kind’ products (OKP) is a neglected field in production management. The key to an improvement in productivity and profitability in this field appears to depend mainly on a reduction in the delivery times for products, which in turn requires a reduction in material throughput times, and in design and production planning lead times. This paper looks at some of the ways which can be used to reduce OKP delivery times.     

Reducing the Risk of Human Extinction

In this century a number of events could extinguish humanity. The probability of these events may be very low, but the expected value of preventing them could be high, as it represents the value of all future human lives. We review the challenges to studying human extinction risks and, by way of example, estimate the cost effectiveness of preventing extinction-level asteroid impacts.     

降低竞争强度的多点竞争协作战略

多点竞争下企业的互动更加复杂,企业间的竞争强度在企业选择不同的竞争战略时会有不同的结果。本文从研究多点竞争的企业互动角度,提出一种能够降低竞争强度的心照不宣的协作战略,并进一步分析多点竞争协作战略缓和企业间竞争强度的机制和因素。     

Reducing litigation costs through better patient communication

The most common cause of malpractice suits is failed communication with the patients and their families. Explore ways that better communication could lead to fewer malpractice claims and allow health care organizations to reduce litigation costs.     

Reducing Overconfidence in the Interval Judgments of Experts

Elicitation of expert opinion is important for risk analysis when only limited data are available. Expert opinion is often elicited in the form of subjective confidence intervals; however, these are prone to substantial overconfidence. We investigated the influence of elicitation question format, in particular the number of steps in the elicitation procedure. In a 3‐point elicitation procedure, an expert is asked for a lower limit, upper limit, and best guess, the two limits creating an interval of some assigned confidence level (e.g., 80%). In our 4‐step interval elicitation procedure, experts were also asked for a realistic lower limit, upper limit, and best guess, but no confidence level was assigned; the fourth step was to rate their anticipated confidence in the interval produced. In our three studies, experts made interval predictions of rates of infectious diseases (Study 1, n = 21 and Study 2, n = 24: epidemiologists and public health experts), or marine invertebrate populations (Study 3, n = 34: ecologists and biologists). We combined the results from our studies using meta‐analysis, which found average overconfidence of 11.9%, 95% CI [3.5, 20.3] (a hit rate of 68.1% for 80% intervals)—a substantial decrease in overconfidence compared with previous studies. Studies 2 and 3 suggest that the 4‐step procedure is more likely to reduce overconfidence than the 3‐point procedure (Cohen's d = 0.61, [0.04, 1.18]).     

减少应酬 多干实事

年头岁尾,领导干部的工作头绪往往很多,各种礼尚往来和社会活动也相对集中.这个时候,有必要向各级领导干部提个醒:减少不必要的应酬,多干一些实实在在的事情.     

Reducing health care costs using claims adjudication software

An important area for reduction in health care costs is incorrect coding of physician services. Current software systems provide high-volume, consistent claims review with substantial savings for payers. The third generation of such systems offers comprehensive coverage across clinical disciplines, across individual claims, and across an entire history of claims. It is likely that these systems will be useful to both nontraditional payers, such as physician groups and hospital-based networks, and traditional payers seeking to reduce costs and enhance competitiveness.