Successful Expatriate Training Synthesis Successful Essay

American companies may be unwilling to participate in some aspects of the 'grey economy' of bribery that locals take for granted. However, the memory of Western colonialism in many regions of the world is still fresh, and Americans must be sensitive to the fact that they may not always be welcomed automatically with open arms.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of culture shock are often counterproductive to creating an understanding relationship -- negative thoughts and comments about the local culture, and exaggerating one's own cultural norms (such as aggressiveness) are common (Wederspahan 2002). Intense scrutiny of the local culture and intense self-scrutiny about one's own cultural norms are the best antidotes to such behaviors. Becoming educated about the culture, language, history, and communication styles of the nation before going abroad should become a regular part of all business standard operating procedures. Additionally, Americans should be asked to rigorously compare their own standard assumptions with that of the persons with whom they are doing business.It has been estimated that 70% of Americans going abroad receive no cultural training (Wederspahan 2002). True, every foreign national will confront negative stereotypes about his or her own culture (such as the Dutch reputation for bluntness or the Japanese reputation for indirectness). But Americans have the additional obstacle of being a member of a relatively isolated continent, and often do not have additional linguistic or cultural training. Even though English is often regarded as the universal language, Americans must realize that their culture is not the universal culture, and prepare to adjust accordingly. Even if he or she receives no formal education before traveling, simply by reading, getting to know people from the culture nearby, and talking with people who have traveled to their destination, a future expatriate can gain additional cultural fluency.

References

Kholsa, L. (2001). You say tomato. Forbes.

Wederspahan, Gary. (2002). Passport:….....