IHRM: Pre-departure Training & Expatriate Performance in China

This report assesses International Human Resource Management (IHRM) in the context of Visy Industries' expansion into China. It identifies key components for pre-departure training, including sufficient information, medical treatments, language instructions, and cross-cultural awareness. Furthermor...Read More

International Human
Resource Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the Scenario............................................................................................................3
Identify and discuss at least three important components that should be covered in this pre-
departure......................................................................................................................................3
Discuss three of the most important variables that may affect the performance of the
expatriate manager in the host country.......................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
International Human Resource management (IHRM) is basically referred to the
meaningful process of managing workforce or employees dispersed in foreign economic nations.
For instance, representatives engaged in the process of IHRM have roles and responsibilities of
recruiting, organising training, prior preparations, and appraisal of employees. The primary and
major importance of IHRM lies in ensuring prior preparations of employees before stepping into
foreign economic nations for carrying out business operations and activities. The chosen
business organisation i.e., Visy Industries is Australian based business group engaged in
Manufacturing and Recycling of Paper and Packaging bags. This report assessment will be
aimed at understanding of International Human Resource Management in context of respective
business organisation (Dickmann, 2021).
MAIN BODY
Overview of the Scenario
The respective business organisation i.e., Visy industries is tend towards further
expansion of business unit in economic nation of China. For instance, primary aim and purpose
behind this expansion of business unit lies in serving additional customer base residing in that
particular economic nation. In order to carry out this mentioned expansion of business, senior
level management representatives have considered a representative to be sent abroad to the host
country to look after their operations and activities for establishment of additional business unit
in that particular economic nation. Therefore, it will further facilitate in contributing values
towards additional customer base in foreign economic nation (Ozbilgin, 2020).
Identify and discuss at least three important components that should be covered in this pre-
departure
 Sufficient information and knowledge: The primary and foremost consideration in
training an individual in the pre-departure stage for expatriate is aimed at providing them
with sufficient amount of information and knowledge. For instance, Visy industries must
invest upright amount of capital in organising required workshops in order to meet their
informational and knowledge needs. In addition to that, it will facilitate respective
business organisation in ensuring upright preparation of that particular employee in
his/her pre-departure training. Though, China will be have needs and requirements for

products and services offered by respective business organisation but there will be
differences in business environment which will impact upon operations and activities of
respective business organisation (Primecz, 2020).
 Medical Treatments: The individual representative taken into consideration to be sent to
China must be gone through medical check-ups. In order to be precise, it will facilitate in
ensuring checking out if the selected employee or representative is fit for the particular
job role or not. Moreover, it will allow respective business organisation to arrange
required and necessary medications and medical facilities for the representative. On the
other hand, if the outcomes medical check-ups resulted in being a serious issue, then it
creates a necessity for respective business organisation to revise their decision-making
for consideration of representative to be expatriate in Host Country for carrying out
business operations and activities. Furthermore, it will facilitate in eliminating any sort of
wrong happening with employee as it would become a huge responsibility for respective
business organisation. Therefore, it could also impact negatively upon business
operations and activities (Carbery, and Cross, 2018).
 Language Instructions: Language is the most general and basic difference among
different geographical locations which creates a necessity for expatriate employee to look
out for sufficient command over the language. For instance, Communication is a basic
need for a an individual employee to carry out business operations and activities in a Host
Country which could be hindered in the absence of upright command over the language
(Morence, and et. al., 2021). In addition to that, intermediate knowledge of Chinese
language will allow the expatriate employee to communicate with people in surroundings
in order to carry out business operations and activities in an effective as well as efficient
manner. Furthermore, it will further facilitate that particular employee in settling down in
the new geographical location as well as allow the employee in building bonds and
network in society. Therefore, it will contribute various additional values towards
accomplishment of personal goals of employee in the Host Country (Dang, and Rammal,
2020).
 Cross-Cultural Awareness: Though, language is a major component of Culture of a
particular geographical location but still there are various other factors or elements that
make up a culture. For instance, these different factors or elements includes values,

beliefs, education, religion, etc. which may impact upon carrying out business operations
and activities. In addition to that, sufficient and upright knowledge of cross-cultural
differences is necessary for an expatriate employee in order to live and settle down in the
new cultural difference in foreign economic nations. Moreover, it will allow
representative of company in determining suitable strategies for success and growth and
success of organisation. Furthermore, consideration of all these determined factors and
aspects will facilitate the expatriate employee in fulfilling the purpose of expansion of
business unit in foreign economic nation of China. Therefore, it will contribute various
additional values towards respective business organisation as well as economic growth of
China with establishment of additional business unit of Visy industries (Chen, and
Shaffer, 2018).
Discuss three of the most important variables that may affect the performance of the expatriate
manager in the host country.
Business culture and ethics
The managers at Visy Industries have to take effective consideration towards
representing the decent amount of dedication towards following ethics and business culture as
per the Chinese business environment. It is being stated that the business environment of the
Chinese market is very different from any other market in the world. The ethics and culture in
the Chinese markets are to be integrated with the laws and regulations that are to be followed by
businesses being regulated by the Chinese government. Such laws and regulations are very
strictly followed in China and any business not following such devised laws or stated business
policies might be stuck in legal formalities. For the relative context of operational working at
Visy Industries which operates as a privately owned firm and is engaged in activities of recycling
and packaging work. Followed with the company’s expansion in the China, managers of the firm
have to integrate operations of the firm through regional laws and regulations related to the
business being followed in the respective region of working. Moreover, managers of the firm can
potentially face difficulties due to differences in the business culture and dealing with the
appropriate staff within the regional Chinese markets (Wang, and et. al., 2021).
Frequent changes in consumer behaviours
Taking into consideration that a business firm operates in a dynamic business
environment, there are several changes that are to be implied while performing a variety of

operations working in the business firm. The changes in consumer behaviour can lead to failure
in business strategies which could also result in potential competitors taking over the market.
The considered company has experience working in its domestic markets in Australia. However,
the operations of the firm are shifting to Chinese business regions which are also considered to
be the greatest opportunity for the respective firm at all times (Dang, and Rammal, 2020). It is to
be considered by the business managers that behaviour of consumers in the Chinese market will
be different from what is seen while operating a business working in the domestic market. With
the rise in competition and lack of support for international business, it could be hard for the
business firm to perform enough research in the Chinese markets. This acts as one of the major
issues for the business firm in which hard times can be faced by the firm while developing better
performance in the given marketplace. Therefore, tracking the changes in behaviour of
consumers could be one of the most important variables that might impact the performance of
the business firm. The managers of the firm by relating the operational working of the firm to
consumer behaviour can establish better terms of working. On the other hand, if no such
considerations are made could potentially degrade the productivity of the business firm while
operating in the business market (Guo, Rammal, and Pereira, 2021).
Irregular or Interruption in Communication
The expatriate employee is required to have assistance from the headquarter business unit
in the home country. In order to be precise, business unit of company in Australia is required to
provide upright assistance to the expatriate employee in order to ensure smooth functioning of
the business operations and activities. Moreover, it will facilitate the employee in effective
decision-making as well as consideration of suitable strategies in order to cope up with
differences in business environment. In addition to that, this aspect is inclusive of support and
assistance from the host as well as the home country of respective business organisation in order
to eliminate factors that could result in being a barrier in establishment of additional business
unit. Therefore, lack of support and assistance to employee could result in degradation of morale
and confidence of employees in performing their professional roles and responsibilities in an
efficient manner (Noethen, and Alcazar, 2020).
Work Life Balance
Work Life Balance plays an important role in life of an individual which encompasses
effective time management for personal as well as professional activities. For instance, the

expatriate employee will face various issues and challenges in settling down in the new
environment. Inability of employee as well as organisation to provide the expatriate with work
life balance will result in degrading morale of employee in carrying out his assigned roles and
responsibilities. In addition to that, it could lead to negative impact upon that particular employee
as well as business operations and activities of respective business organisation. Moreover, it
will further lead to lack of expected efforts and initiatives from expatriate employee which could
result in being a barrier in success and growth of respective business organisation. Therefore, this
factor or aspect will impact upon performance of employee in a negative manner which could
lead to challenge in accomplishment of organisational goals and objectives (Mane, and Arora,
2018).
CONCLUSION
From the above report assessment, it has been analysed that International Human
Resource Management is based upon international expansion of business into foreign economic
nation in order to serve additional customer base. For instance, Sufficient information and
knowledge, Medical Treatments, Language Instructions, and Cross-Cultural Awareness are some
of the primary components that are required to be taken into consideration in pre-departure
training for expatriate employees. On the other hand, Business culture and ethics, Frequent
changes in consumer behaviours, Irregular or Interruption in Communication, and Work Life
Balance are some of the challenges or issues that could impact performance of expatriate
employees in host country.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Carbery, R. and Cross, C. eds., 2018. Human resource management. Macmillan International
Higher Education.
Chen, Y. P. and Shaffer, M., 2018. The influence of expatriate spouses’ coping strategies on
expatriate and spouse adjustment: an interdependence perspective. Journal of Global
Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research.
Dang, Q. T. and Rammal, H. G., 2020. Japanese expatriates' management in global assignments:
A review and research agenda. Thunderbird International Business Review, 62(6),
pp.689-705.
Dang, Q. T. and Rammal, H. G., 2020. Japanese expatriates' management in global assignments:
A review and research agenda. Thunderbird International Business Review, 62(6),
pp.689-705.
Dickmann, M., 2021. INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT–HISTORICAL
DEVELOPMENTS, MODELS, POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN MNCs (p. 225). SAGE.
Guo, Y., Rammal, H. G. and Pereira, V., 2021. Am I ‘In or Out’? A social identity approach to
studying expatriates’ social networks and adjustment in a host country context. Journal
of Business Research, 136, pp.558-566.
Mane, P. and Arora, C., 2018. Challenges of expatriate management with special reference to
compensation. Journal of Commerce and Management Thought, 9(3), pp.377-386.
Morence, and et. al., 2021. Types and challenges of expatriation. In Encyclopedia of
Organizational Knowledge, Administration, and Technology (pp. 2522-2532). IGI
Global.
Noethen, D. and Alcazar, R., 2020. Experimental research in expatriation and its challenges: A
literature review and recommendations. German Journal of Human Resource
Management, 34(2), pp.252-283.
Ozbilgin, M., 2020. International human resource management: Theory and practice.
Bloomsbury Publishing.
Primecz, H., 2020. Positivist, constructivist and critical approaches to international human
resource management and some future directions. German Journal of Human Resource
Management, 34(2), pp.124-147.
Wang, and et. al., 2021. Becoming competent expatriate managers: Embracing paradoxes in
international management. Human Resource Management Review, p.100851.