Lecture 11

Question 1

Expatriate’s spouse and family members’ adaptation problem is the most crucial reason for expatriates’ failure in foreign assignments. Adaptation problem is more visible among

Answer 1

American expatriates than their Japanese and European counterparts.

Question 2

Many of the expatriates’ spouses from Western countries, specifically from U.S. are

Answer 2

College graduates

Possibly had an attractive professional careers prior to leaving the country.

Question 3

impact of culture shock on the __ __ is tougher

Answer 3

family members

Question 4

Spouses and children are the ones who will be in direct contact with

Answer 4

the new foreign culture.

Question 5

The expatriate is usually working in an environment where relative

Answer 5

“International Culture” exists.

Question 6

The expatriate is relatively less affected by culture shock than the spouse and the children, due the fact that

Answer 6

the language of the corporation is often Anglophone or Francophone.

Question 7

The expatriates’ workmate represent an international culture due to

Answer 7

their business trips, seminars, training or education. This makes the interaction of an expatriate much easier.

Question 8

Maids take care of most of the house works; especially when the assignment is in less developing countries where wages of local workers are very low.

As a result of the above, spouses…

Answer 8

no longer feel that they are needed by the family and the society. They suffer from boredom and meaninglessness of inactive lifestyle.

Question 9

Lack of dual career job opportunities. There is usually a slim chance for spouses to get jobs at the local market due to lack of work permit.

As a result…

Answer 9

spouses’ education can be out of date and the foregone income of investment adds to their frustration.

Question 10

It is not uncommon to hear spouse accusing his/her partner for being

Answer 10

insensitive during these difficult times for both sides.

Question 11

On the other hand, expatriates’ spouses complain about not getting support and

Answer 11

understanding from their spouses during the early adaptation stage which usually is challenging and critical for their success in the work place.

Question 12

Researches indicate that spouses’ frustration is number one factor in

Answer 12

expatriates’ failure.

Question 13

Six of the top ten reasons why expatriates fail

Answer 13

Spouses inability to adapt in the host country

Family not being able to adapt (children)

Not knowing the host country’s language

Boredom and meaninglessness

Separation and lack of support from the family

Not being engaged in a professional job

Question 14

Training and orientation sessions of expatriates should include

Answer 14

spouses and their children

Question 14

Training and orientation sessions of expatriates should include

Answer 14

spouses and their children

Question 15

Highly educated spouses who accompany their expatriate partners should

Answer 15

get an honest orientation. They have to be told that, foreign assignment is challenging and employment opportunity in their field for them can be impossible due to work permit problems.

Question 16

Spouses will adapt better if

Answer 16

they have special interest in studying the language and the cultural value system of the host country.

Question 17

Which expatriates will have more problems in adaptation?

Answer 17

Those whose spouses are fresh graduates from college.

Those whose spouses have no or little experience in living with people of other cultures.

If the couple don’t have any children living with them.

If one of the couple left unattended elderly parents who need extra care.

Question 18

Some companies have found it practical to hire a couple and

Answer 18

relocate to two different regions or countries to which the couple would commute every month or so at the expense of the company.

Example Montreal and Buffalo. East Anglia (England) and Amsterdam, Osaka (Japan) and Tokyo, Poland and Germany, Hungary and Austria.

Question 19

Why are spouses of American expatriates more frustrated than Europeans and Japanese?

Answer 19

The individualist cultural trait is higher in the U.S. than in other countries

The foregone income of a graduate in the U.S. is higher than in any advanced economy.

The cultural expectation of a spouse to sacrifice his/her career for the good of the expatriate’s success is low.