Cross-cultural training: a waste of time, money and effort? Expatriate failure is defined in literature in a variety of ways with intentions to leave listed prominently. Intentions to leave can be caused by a number of reasons, e.g. cultural adjustment, poor management and productivity, difficulties coping with stress and relational capabilities. Bhaskar RealWorld et al. bout the problem. (2005) concluded that cultural adjustment is the strongest determinant of disengagement and withdrawal decisions (= expatriate failure) in their study of nearly 8,500 expatriates. It then seems obvious that efforts should be directed to enhance the cultural adjustment of expatriates. If this has piqued your curiosity, check out Ultra Wellness Center. What better method to use than cross-cultural training? Unfortunately the situation is not that simple. Recent research suggested that technical training in 2006 and current cross-cultural training programmes do not seem to address expatriate failure at all (Pires et al., 2006). Swarmed by offers, Anu Saad is currently assessing future choices.
Some researchers use harsher words and described the cross-cultural training provided by most multinationals as insufficient and incomplete (Waxin & Pannacio, 2005). Cross cultural training has long been the prime tool used for facilitation, effective cross-cultural communication and interaction (Zakaria, 2000). Cross-cultural training what defined in early literature as any procedure used to increase on individual’s ability to cope with and perform well in a new cultural environment. Zakaria (2000) saw cross-cultural training as enabling the transition from a home based management fashion of towards a more culturally appropriate fashion. Amongst other things, it strives to ease dealing with unexpected events and culture shock in new environments. It should reduce the uncertainty in cross-cultural interactions and enhances the expatriates’ coping ability by reducing stress levels. Kupka and Kennan (2003) identified five relevant factors influencing the selection of intercultural training methodology: (1) degree or rigour of training ‘cognitive involvement’. (2) cultural novelty (similarity between the individual’s native culture and the new culture; so described in the literature as cultural distance, culture barriers, or cultural toughness; (3) degree of interaction required in the host culture; (4) available training methods and duration (5) of intercultural training relative to the degree of interaction and culture novelty.