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SMK Fumin

who are al bonie in and can work effeclively in othbi' cultures

Tlnree Kimls ot Expathates

>2A growing number of expalriates are in-volved in lechnical assistance ar the transfer of technology. It is common for their over-seas stay to lasl no morę ihan several months. The needs of such people may not be the same as those of longer term people. Short termers, provided their projects are Lighlly structmed and their assignments clearly defined, can usually get by with a niiniinnrn of coping or survival skilis — enougli to stay out of trouble and rernain whole. Such survival skilis include:

--- Smne nnderstanding of the uniqueness of the culture in which one works and whal it means to live in it.

— A sufticient knowledge of self to recog-nize one’s limitations and engage in ac-tivities Ural will make life in an alien land tolerable.

l.ong-terrn expalriates, on the otlier hand, need morę llian survival skilis. They are rc-quired to operate in a variety of open-end-ed situations. ^rl'herefore only effectiveness skilis will enable them to know whal lo ex-pect, how to read cues and subtleties cor-reotly, how things get done, how problems are handled, and how to adjust their persona! and managcrial style to thelureign cul-lure. In additiun, if, over the iong run, they are going to avoid succumbing to culture fatigue, they will have to acquire tlie abilily not only to respecl and appreciate the "dif-ferentness” of another culture, but also rec-ognize its value aml enjoy it. Sonie short tenners, those worhing in difficuU prujects with tighl linie srdiednles and a variety of npen-ended situations, will need tire same effectiveness skilis as long-term people. lU Auother lype is the expatriate in tire U.S. As part of lechnology transfer contracts, American companies often bring eitizens of ot ber countries tu the U.S. for training. These expaUiale Irainees also need help in making tire transition lo life in another country. While living in the U.S. is usually a welcome experience for thern, they too face the problem of Crossing u cultural threshold and ad-justing to a country where people behave differently.

Targeting the Needs

Each of the three groups mentioned above bas distinct needs, and individuals in each of the groups have their owa special ones. Providing generalized preparation on the as-sumption that all have identical needs satisfies only in smali measure the needs of any. To ensure that individuals get what they need and are not exposed to time-consuming activities of little use, they must be given i;uslomized training that is based on a sound analysis of individual needs. i What these needs are can be determined by a person well grounded in intercultural affairs and familiar with the situations and frustrations likely to plague expatriates upon being immersed in another culture. Such an interculturally skilled person — after conducting interviews with those destined to go overseas, with people who have al-ready worked in the country of assignment, and with executives of the company — can sketch out two profiles for each person as-signed. One profile will project tlie know-how and skilis requisite for snccess in the new job; the otlier will indicate the assign-ee’s ability lo cope and adjust. Tlie guidance provided by the two profiles inakes it possi-hle to design and implement training that fits the assignee and equips hirn with the under-stamling and skilis required to close the gap belween the demands of the new job and his presenl stale.

Assignees can he direclly irwohed in making up the profiles that will determine the focus of their training by liaving them do a personel self-assessment. This active par-ticipalion in diagnosing one’s own needs starls tlie training on tlie right foot. While making Ihe assignee co-responsible for his