Source: Personnel Today – article
Date: Thursday, June 01, 2006

Different management styles to blame for most of unsuccessful assignments abroad.

Cultural differences are the most common reason that expatriate managers and executives fail in their assignments.

Forty per cent of senior staff sent to work abroad fail, according to a survey by consultancy Personnel Decisions International (PDI). And 85 per cent of these failures are down to variations in management styles worldwide, such as being open or secretive. In Japan and Saudi Arabia for example, maintaining group harmony is the most valued management quality. Yet French and Mexican leaders are likely to speak their mind even when their views are unpopular. In China, the business culture encourages individual problem-solving and brainstorming is frowned upon. While UK managers and executives are more extrovert and prefer working in groups.

“Problems arise when an individual’s own attributes don’t match those of the culture where he or she is sent,” said Bob Lewis, vice-president of research for PDI. “A leader who favours individuality will rub co-workers the wrong way in a country where group needs traditionally take precedence. Likewise, an even-keeled leader in a culture where emotional expression is the norm, will likely be seen as cold and unfeeling.”

The survey, which questioned 12,000 business leaders worldwide, estimated that the average cost of a failed assignment is up to four times the expatriate’s salary.