Managing International Contexts

Managing an international assignment can be cognitively, behaviourally as well as culturally challenging for individuals. This article discusses the challenges faced by individuals in managing international contexts, including cross-cultural maladjustment, reverse culture shock, conflicting career prospects, and discrepancy in posting and salary expectations. It also emphasizes the need for companies to be empathetic and understanding towards the experiences of repatriates and highlights the importance of intercultural communication skills in international assignments.

Running head: MANAGING INTERNATIONAL CONTEXTS
MANAGING INTERNATIONAL CONTEXTS
Name of the Student
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1MANAGING INTERNATIONAL CONTEXTS
Managing an international assignment can be cognitively, behaviourally as well as
culturally challenging for individuals. It is a commonly identified notion that every individual
is brought up in a particular cultural setting and surrounding that he/she has adapted to. A
sudden change in that culture also entails a break in the common lifestyle and habit which
that experienced for almost all his/her life. This might tend to induce a certain aspect of cross
cultural maladjustment resulting in feelings of disorientation and non – belonging. As much
as acclimatizing with a different culture is challenging, it is almost equally challenging to
return to the home culture after spending a considerable amount of time abroad. The latter
scenario might display significant aspects of cultural non conformity after spending a
significant amount of time attempting to adjust with another culture. This affects not only the
repatriates but also their immediate family members and close friend circles.
There are three problems that repatriates primarily face, namely reverse culture shock,
conflicting career prospects and discrepancy in posting and salary expectation. Reverse
culture shock is identified as the emotional and psychological distress that a person faces
when he / she returns home after speeding a considerable amount of time abroad. During the
time spent overseas, the person undergoes an initial phase of shock (culture shock) where
they find identifying with the changed culture distinctly different and difficult. In a globalised
business context, international transactions and dealings have become an important factor for
the sustenance of the business. This entails that the employees need to travel to distant
countries in order to complete projects and assignments. While coming back to their homes
after the completion of the assignment, that person might face instances of difficulties in
adjustment with the previously known culture given that the bigger the differences in culture
and the longer the time spent abroad, the greater the implications of reverse culture shock
would be.

2MANAGING INTERNATIONAL CONTEXTS
In the prospect of career also, the person faces great difficulty readjusting. Coming
back from an international assignment might be identified as a huge prospect for growth and
development by the person including a significant hike in position and salary. Yet the
company / employer might not hold the same values. The repatriates then face a serious
conundrum where the expected outcome and the actual outcomes differ significantly from
each other. In cases where the actual outcome ranks critically lower than the expected, the
person might face issues with self-identity, worth and eligibility as well as deeper personal
problems like depression and anxiety disorders.
The issues faced by repatriates can have widespread consequences. Not only does it
affect the repatriate personally, but also impacts his / her family and social relationships as
the previously comfortable dynamics tend to blur and become alien to them.
While adapting to sudden culture changes can be challenging. The companies should
be more empathetic and understanding towards the person’s experiences and based on the
cognitive and logistical complexity of the assignment, should provide for a benefit outcome.
Secondly, managing an international assignment automatically entails a sufficiently
developed skill set that allows for inter cultural communication. This needs to significantly
highlighted and referred in the person’s resume in order to provide for a prospective growth
in the career.