Characteristics Of Expatriates

Mr Liam Glavey must be aware of some of expatriate roles which apply both at home or foreign location and these are; Agent of direct control is the use of parent country national transfers or expatriates to minimise risk to the organisations international operation. Often times this method is regarded as bureaucratic control system where the primary role of the PCN is to ensure compliance through direct supervision. By using expatriates as agents of direct control shows an ethnocentric orientation however it is important in ensuring strategic objectives for international operation are met. Agent of socialisation is the expectation that expatriates assist in the transfer of shared values and beliefs using the corporate culture as an informal

It is necessary that he should select those employees who possess these characteristics as they are key for successful expatriation process. Some researchers paid their attention on the big five personality characteristics for expatriate. Also, if the employees can have certain characteristics this helps them to appreciate other cultures and integrate easily without having any problems in the new environment. The five characteristics examined are as

The people who poses interpersonal skills are said to have such attributes as to be easy-going, adapt easily to new environment. Another characteristic is agreeableness, Caligiuri (2000) says that being identified as a team player through the formation of reciprocal social alliances and the building of social capital in the organisation. Conscientiousness is another characteristic that expatriate managers must poses. Hogan (1996), says that expatriate managers must be trusted, diligent cohorts that are productive and supportive of increased organisational performance. In addition, emotional stability is another characteristic for expatriate managers. According to Buss (1991), he says that emotional stability is the ability to adapt and cope with stress in professional and personal spheres of one’s life. In this case, expatriation is characterised by high levels of stress as individuals move through process of relocation and culture shock. Hence the individual must have the ability to withstand and recover from ‘short sharp shocks’ who can cope with distractions and that has energy to motivate others even when they are under