Expatriation Process

Executive summary

This thesis discusses the steps taken by multinationals in terms of expatriation, supported by the following problematic:

How to minimize the risk of cultural adaptation failure during the expatriation process?

It goes without saying that the expatriation process is a wide-ranging subject and many research professors have already worked on this theme.

That is why we have chosen to come close to the “upstream” phase of the expatriation, focusing on the selection and the intercultural training.

After the introduction of our topic, the first part of our memory will be devoted to theoretical researches within a literature review, mainly based on the works of Tung, Ronen, Mendenhall and Cerdin.

We will then highlight the

Nevertheless, we have chosen not to deal with these themes so as to be able to focus on this “upstream phase” of the expatriation.

1.4.2 Definition of the main terms/concept

By expatriate we mean an individual living in a country other than its country of citizenship for work reasons.

Culture shock is the personal disorientation an individual may feel when experiencing an unfamiliar situation due to immigration or a visit to a new country, a move between social environments, or a travel to another type of life.

Moreover, we consider the failure in the expatriation process when there is a premature repatriation in the country of origin or a mission not successfully carried out.

By the term adaptation we understand the process of adjustment to a culture that is different from the original culture of an individual.

Then, a risk is a potential event or sequence of events susceptible of directly impeding the achievement of the objectives.

2. Literature review

2.1

In this book, any crucial points of the expatriation process are described.

Handling at the same time strategic roles of the international missions, process of cross-cultural adaptation, methods of selection and training of the future expatriates, this book´s approach is clearly to advise (future) international companies.

L’expatriation, Jean-Luc Cerdin -2001

We have found in Jean-Luc Cerdin´s book a certain help for the realization of this report. This book is above all a reflection on the ins and outs of the expatriation. Allying theoretical contribution and concrete practices, L´expatriaion describes the key success factors concerning the adaptation process abroad.

Les compétences interculturelles : un défi pour la sélection et la formation des employés expatriés, Jean-Luc Cerdin - 2012

Another book of J.L Cerdin, exactly connected with our thesis: here the author describes with a more recent vision (2012) the ways of selection of the expatriates and above all the various processes of training. He highlights the high necessity for companies to invest time and money in the selection process and intercultural