International Assignment is the designation of managers or other staffing employees to work in a culture different from their own. The specifics of the country which is not native to the person, such as cultural differences, ethical considerations, beliefs, traditions and even language are all factors that will play a role in the way work relationship and communication manifests itself.
A quote by James Michener, “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home” (Thomas, 2008) very much relates to the comprehension of a different nation a person must have. Any country has its own specific and unique setting that must be learned and understood.
A person could live in a country but still find places to eat food that is native to their own country and be completely unfamiliar with the local cuisine. This shows how unimportant it is to a person who lives and often works in a foreign country. It takes time and care to get used to new tastes and even traditions that surround food. Local customs and religious beliefs are things that define people and someone who is not aware of the little details can offend and disrespect people of that culture.
Avoiding people and talking only to representatives of own nation, says a lot about the want a person displays in assimilation and adaptation to the new society. It is apparent that it will take time and effort to get used to a new setting but someone who does not go through the process will certainly make themselves stand out and will never deserve the respect and attention of the foreign nation.
When a person arrives in a new country there is a time period and stages that one goes through while they get used and acclimated to the new culture. The “u-curve” gives a visual representation of the process. At the first stage, a person is very much affected by the new place and the little things they have found out about the culture seem enough.
Everything is new and interesting and the interaction and intricacy of the relationship is on the very surface and so, the adjustment level is high. But as the individual starts to get more involved with the system, visiting new places, finding out the infrastructure, governance and social interaction, they realize how little they know.
This leads to a very low level of adjustment because a person might panic and get lost in the vast amount of information presented. As time goes by, the next stage brings more understanding of the culture and the adjustment level starts to grow. After a year or so, the person is rather used to the new setting and is aware of the local customs and traditions (Thomas, 2008).
An especially difficult task would be for someone who has to be a superior to the employees. The global management challenges are the hardships and specifics that someone in a management position will have to deal with. A manager must know the values and intricate work ethics that people of a foreign country have known since they were very young.
A manager must adjust to people in a shortest amount of time and so, the pressure is very stressful. They must gain the trust and respect of people and it would be harder to do because they are thought of as an outsider. With many businesses going international, these challenges are very real and must be taken seriously.
Reference
Thomas, D.C. (2008). Cross-Cultural Management Essential Concepts 2nd Ed. Thousand Oaks, United States: SAGE Publication, Inc.