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Essay On Managing Expatriates

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Introduction As an organization that is intent on expansion, having a facility in the Scandinavian territory is an important step in our continued growth. Hiring a new manager for the facility provides opportunities to develop new and exciting strategies within the company. The continued globalization of the organization provides a deeper cultural connection to the new territory. "Globalization has contributed to the spread of mutual cultural understanding and tolerance." (Okpara, 2008. p 30.) Global enterprises face the challenge of managing and developing human resources in the global setting. International or global resource management is about the world-wide management of individuals, not simply managing expatriates. (Moti, …show more content…

The degree of empathy and sensitivity for the cultural differences of co-workers is a vital tool when considering an individual for overseas assignment. (Dessler, Cole and Sutherland, 2010) As an expatriate the new manager will be immersed in a different culture. Political, legal, and socioeconomics are parts of the culture that will no doubt, be different from the home country. (Bohlander and Snell, 2012) The ability to be sensitive to cultural differences needs to go beyond the workplace and extend into everyday life for the time that the expatriate remains in Denmark. Relational capabilities are essential for the successful placement of an expatriate. (Hung-wen, 2007) Okpara (2008), states that culture goes well beyond the tangible things like music and dance into the values and rules of “societal propriety and impropriety” (p.126) that people of the culture share. These values govern what behaviors are, and are not appropriate. For example, when attending a function at someones house it is Danish custom to “never arrive empty handed.” (Walden, 2001) According to Bohlander and Snell (2012),

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