Management training

Internationalizing the Organization

There is an increase in in­ternational studies in uni­versities.  

Preemployment Training In spite of a lessening need worldwide to convince managers of the advantages of taking an international perspective on business, there is still a need to train managers in business operating differences brought about by internationalization. Business schools are increasing their international offerings and requirements, but there is no consensus as to what students should learn to help prepare for international responsibilities. Two distinct approaches are (1) the conveying of knowledge specific to foreign environments and in area studies, and (2) training in interpersonal awareness and adaptability. For example, the former may tend to remove some of the fear and aggression that are aroused when dealing with the unknown. However, the understanding of a different culture does not necessarily imply a willingness to adapt to that culture. Although either approach generally helps a person adjust relative to those who lack training, there appears to be no significant difference in the effectiveness of the two approaches.

Postemployment training may • Include environment-specific information • Include adaptivity training • Give on-the-job training within an unaffiliated firm abroad  

Postemployment Training

Many employees may still place domestic performance objectives above global ones or feel ill-equipped to handle worldwide responsibilities as they move up in their organizations. One approach is to train those people who are about to take a foreign assignment, such as through language and orientation programs. Another is to include international business components in external or internal programs, where companies train managers regularly. External programs are offered at many universities.³⁹ A sampling of internal programs are those at General Mills and Celanese that include yearlong training in which foreign nationals spend time at all of the companies' domestic divisions, IBM's regional training centers in which managers from several countries are gathered for specific topics, Cummins Engine's voluntary evening language courses that any employee may take, and cultural awareness workshops at Westinghouse.

Program content may emphasize adaptability rather than knowledge of another environment. The Peace Corps, for example, uses sensitivity training, which is designed to develop attitudinal flexibility. Another method is to expose trainees to subcultures within their own countries. Still another has been for a firm in one country to train employees from an unaffiliated firm in another country through on-the-job assignments.

Transferees may find it difficult to know even what questions to ask, which is why the most common predeparture training takes the form of an informational briefing. Such factors as job design, compensation, housing, climate, education, health conditions, home sales, taxes, transport of goods, job upon repatriation, and salary distribution typically come to mind. But such things as the foreign social structure, communications links, kidnapping precautions, and legal advice on the law of domicile art seldom considered before settlement abroad.

Дата добавления: 2014-11-29