Pre-departure management of expatriates - Effective enough to adjust overseas?

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Chapter 1
  • Introduction
  • Reason for choice of topic
  • Academic objectives of dissertation
  • Outline of chapters
• Chapter 2 Literature Review
  • Introduction
    • The expatriate employee
    • Failure rate
  • Selection of expatriates
    • Selection process
    • Selection recommendations
  • Preparation
    • The need of cross-cultural competences
    • Training of expatriates
  • Adjustment
    • Adjustment definition
    • Expatriate adjustment
    • Spouse adjustment
    • The U-curve theory
• Chapter 3 Methodology
  • Introduction
  • Research purpose
  • Research philosophy
  • Research approach
  • Research strategy
  • The questionnaire
  • Limitation of using questionnaires
  • Ethical issues

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation aims to analyze the effectiveness of pre-departure management strategies for expatriates, focusing on their adjustment to overseas assignments. It investigates how companies select and train expatriates, and how these processes influence their success in adapting to a new culture and environment.

• Selection of expatriates for international assignments
• The role of training in preparing expatriates for cross-cultural challenges
• The process of expatriate adjustment and the factors influencing its success
• The importance of spouse adjustment in the overall expatriate experience
• The impact of cultural differences on expatriate effectiveness.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter 1 introduces the topic of pre-departure management for expatriates, highlighting its importance in the increasingly globalized business environment. It outlines the dissertation's academic objectives and provides a roadmap for the following chapters. Chapter 2 presents a comprehensive literature review on expatriate management. This chapter delves into the definition of an expatriate, discusses the challenges they face, explores the importance of cross-cultural competence, and examines the various aspects of selection, preparation, and adjustment. Chapter 3 focuses on the methodology employed in the dissertation. It details the research purpose, philosophy, approach, and strategy, outlining the use of questionnaires for data collection and addressing potential limitations and ethical considerations.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The dissertation focuses on the key areas of expatriate selection, training, adjustment, and assignment. The analysis draws upon research findings and practical insights to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with managing expatriates effectively. Key terms include expatriate management, cross-cultural competence, pre-departure training, adjustment, and cultural adaptation.