Question

Discuss the role of reverse culture shock in the repatriation process. What can companies do to avoid this problem? What kinds of skills do managers learn from a foreign assignment, and how can the company benefit from them? What is the role of repatriation in the company’s global competitive situation?

Answer 1

Answer:

(a)

Companies can resort to the bellow measure to avoid reverse shock situation.

1 Mentoring Program: For the repatriate to manage the climatic and cultural differences between the two organisations.

2 Adjustment time: This should be given in sufficiency so as to adjust to the different culture.

3 Feed-back System: This must be proper and effective so as to get details about acculturation and enculturation process carried out by the repatriate.

(b)

The skills that the managers could gain from a foreign assignment are:

1. More ability to cope with wide range of people.

2. Learning adjustment in a different culture and climate.

3. Ambiguity tolerance increases

4. Empathy ability increases

5. Improvement in communication skills

Due to the acquisition of such skills by the employees and managers, an organisation is able to build a global management cadre for itself.

(c)

Repatriation is the process of bringing back an expatriate to the home country.

1. It helps the organisations to get a competitive edge globally.

2. After repatriation, a globally competitive team is developed.

3. Organisation could incorporate the various skills gained by a repatriate during the international assignment.

4. This process helps the company to retain employees.

Explanation:

Reverse culture shock is the situation experienced by the repatriates due to minor or major changes occurred in the organisational climate and culture during the time of their international assignment. Most of the repatriates feel this due to the differences in the culture between the home and the host country organisation.