Culture Shock and International Human Resource Management

This essay discusses the concept of culture shock and its impact on international human resource management. It also provides ways to manage culture shock and challenges faced by international teams. The essay concludes with the importance of developing managerial skills for successful international business operations.

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International Human Resource Management
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Introduction
Culture shock is defined as the feelings and bundles of confusion along with uncertainty
which gives an experience when an individual comes in a contact with any other new culture.
Culture shock is commonly used in an organization which helps to describe the feelings that one
feel. When one feels the differences between his/her culture apart from other culture, then culture
shock takes place. Basically, culture shock is analyzed in foreign students who studies is host
country, immigrants and refuses as well. When student studies in host country i.e. living away
from their home country, they may feel culture shock (Furham, 2012).
Culture shock can also be defined as a natural phenomenon and it may take weeks and
months to develop in any individual. It generally affects the travelers who travel away from their
home to other places in a much unexpected ways. Culture shock can also be described as being
unfamiliar with the religion, cultures, norms of other place and experiencing new ideas, new
foods, and many more. It also helps to impact travelers even though they become familiar to new
culture.
Moreover, culture shock involves four different stages that includes honeymoon,
frustration, adjustment and acceptance. The experiences involved in these stages varies from
person to person and the impact of each stages is different. The different stages helps to know
how one adapt changes and cope up with new culture with a proper guidance (Gunn, 2017).
For an example, an American student has planned to go to abroad for higher studies in
Australia. The student expected that since America and Australia both are English speaking
country, he will not face such difficulties based on cultures. Once the student landed to Australia,
it was found that the climatic condition of the Australia is totally different from America. It was
hot in America but cold in Australia and the student faced trouble in understanding the culture
and language of Australia. He may feel lonely and alone because of lack of family support and
friends as well. He may not feel connected to the people living in Australia and may feel to
return back to home country. So, this defines the exact definition of culture shock. This may take

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place in an organization as well when a person moves to host country to do any particular job
which may be new for him (Shopova, 2013).
On the contrary, a case of culture shock can be evaluated in the global arena. A famous
company named Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc in England has faced a culture shock and successfully
managed it. Many international executives visited headquarter to resolve the issues. The
company merged with a Swedish American Pharmaceuticals company. Chief executive John
Zabriskie suffered huge clashes related to management culture and style and he mentioned many
outcomes mentioned what not to do when someone plans to work at Europe. American
approached that Upjohn made changes which created a shock in gradualist and consensus
oriented Swedish managers. Thus, it was also found that normal US practice of giving reward to
customers with available options was difficult to gain because of Sweden’s heavy tax structure.
The problem was that Europeans are more international and they are used to work across borders
as compared to Americans. However the company managed to do so.
International Human Resource management and practices used to manage culture shock
It is very important to understand the differences that take place from one culture to
another. The culture dimensions differ from one country to another country when it takes place
away from home country. Intercultural business plays a very vital role in any organization and it
is very difficult to manage such business because it requires lots of effort and managerial skills at
both levels i.e. personal level as well as professional level. Every management in an organization
is comprised of many people who must be well trained and developed at every levels. It is the
human emotions that often come in between and creates a mix feelings in an organization. Those
feelings must be addressed properly. When employees work, the performance depends on the
way they produce the outcomes (Chaney & Martin, 2013). The performance of the employees is
affected by the level of anxiety and depression which may be affected for long term as well as
short term. The permanent new role in an organization in a host country may lead to depression
when an individual refuses to adapt the changes and denies to accept the new culture and new
environment. It may include practicalities of settling down in a new host country with a very
different job along with a new place. The employee may feel isolated and he may find stress in
relocating a family. The unfamiliarity situation may reduce his efforts for any company. Apart

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from the organization, he may find difficulties in personal work such as buying groceries,
registering for driving license and getting a new car (Kovaleski, 2013).
Ways to manage culture shock
Not only the business environment will be affected, but many things will certainly be
affected along with the performance and results. The employee may not be able to perform well
and give the desired results. If an employee is involved in foreign assignments, then he/she must
be sure to gain a development package from the company he/she wishes to work with. The
package must include coaching classes and support for the role of an international. If a person do
not gets such offer, then allocation for counseling support in the new environment and in the new
culture may be negotiated. It generally happens that many big corporations hire relocation
companies in order to assist and help out with relocation products and services. But there are
some companies as well who extends services from only transporting possessions to anything
that is a way more comprehensive in nature. They offer services which includes work permits,
visas, renewals, pre departure intercultural orientation and foreign language training,
international transportation service, property management; international home sales and
educational assistance, Changing Identity, Expectations, and Goals (Søderberg & Zølner, 2012).
In addition to this, every person tries to cope up with new environment and new situation
and he/she will likely to identify changes that take place within himself/herself. The changes
may be positive such as building confidence and motivating oneself, creating higher diplomacy,
developing high tolerating power and higher level of patience, boost assertiveness and
independency, a self-motivation and understanding to know people better by listening to them
and trying to understand them as well. Culture chock will not only affect the identity but it also
creates changes in the overall life values of an individual (Kocak, 2014). It can further be
improved by developing interpersonal skills and reduce the communication gaps. When a person
plans to work in host country, the changes in goals and expectations may take place which will
change the overall career of an individual. This may be taken as an opportunity to create a
valuable growth that may be not be given to every individual. Moreover, this may also be a
chance to choose a new career path. On the contrary, this may develop an unpleasant taste to

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adopt new environment and new culture along with nee norms. So some may find it as an
opportunity while some may find it difficult to accept (Furham, 2012).
The challenges faced by International Teams
When an international team is assembled, it is very important to spend time in the
establishment and development of the team processes because if in any cases, team members are
not well experienced or of they are unfamiliar with the new culture, then it may create many
challenges and issues. Communication skills is also one of the key factor important for an
organization because it helps in generating open and healthy environment and break stereotype
work place environment as well (Haslberger, Brewster & Hippler, 2013). The poor team
performance may find an excuse because of differences in the cultures. A person will definitely
fails to adopt processes when he/she feels uncomfortable while working in a team for a long
duration. However, an organization must employ some kind of team exercises in order to gauge
new perceptions and they must also conduct several training programs that will promote
harmony and create new intercultural concepts (Chen, Lin & Sawangpattanakul, 2011).
Returning back to home
It all depends on the duration of stay in any foreign environment. It may create reentry
problems for a sojourner when he/she plans to return back to home. It generally seems that the
process of returning back home is easy but in fact it is a complex task. The sojourner may likely
to change based on the new language, culture, rituals, customs and environment. The original
culture can also be changed till that particular period of time. It is responsibility of both the
individual as well as corporation to accept the changes and work according to it through reentry
process. Thus, a culture shock is again experienced when a sojourner plans to return back to
home country (Marx, 2011).

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. Figure: The W-Curve of Re-entry Shock
Source: http://www.mythsdreamssymbols.com/images/w99hartf2.jpg
Conclusion
Thus, from the above essay it can be concluded that international mobility is a quite
glamorous term which may seems interesting to hear but difficult to actually understand it. But
when it comes to international assignments, it must not be treated as exotic extended vacations.
The location to work plays a very important role in the life of any individual. The location can be
foreign and intriguing. The changes can definitely be seen during the sojourn and also when he
plans to return back to home country. A person must be personal as well as professionally
developed. Today every business has plans to expand their business internationally, and they
have faced high failures because of the lack of skilled business managers. They fail to have a
sufficient international outlook which creates issues and challenges for the employees to adopt
new culture and new environment. The failure for such business operations may lead to culture
chock which can be managed too by developing several training programs and developing
managerial skills as well (Cameron, 2017).

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