Global E xpatriates Obser vator y 2011 White Paper

Transcription

1 Global Expatriates Observatory 2011 White Paper

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3 SYNOPSIS PREFACE 2 GLOBAL EXPATRIATES OBSERVATORY 1 GENERAL PROFILE OF EXPATRIATES AND EXPATIATION CONTEXT 5 2 EXPATRIATION EXPERIENCE 9 3 CURRENTLY ABROAD 11 4 RETURNING FROM ABROAD 14 5 OPINIONS FROM SPOUSES 19 CONCLUSION 20 SUMMARY OF STUDY RESULTS 22 WORK CULTURES 24 1 ASIA 24 2 UNITED STATES 26 3 EUROPE 27 4 THE CROSS CULTURAL CONTEXT AT WORK (MANAGERIAL VISION) 29 5 TYPOLOGY 31 EXPATRIATION: THE RETURN ORDEAL 35 1 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE UPON RETURNING FROM ABROAD 35 2 PROFESSIONNAL EXPERIENCE UPON RETURNNING FROM ABROAD 37 3 INNER EXPERIENCE UPON RETURNNING FROM ABROAD 38 NOTES 41 1

4 Preface If I had it to do over, I would start with the culture. This sentence, too beautiful to be true and long attributed to Jean Monnet, one of Europe s founding fathers, could today apply to globalization. First and foremost an economic phenomenon, globalization obviously manifests itself much more in commercial, rather than cultural, exchanges. Beyond a few traveling art exhibits or televised reports, do the Italian really know more about the American, Japanese, or Arab mindset now that globalization is in full swing? Nothing is less certain. What do they know of the psychology, way of thinking, wishes, or fears of these partners with whom they exchange only goods? And is the image that Mexicans or Russians have of the Chinese objective or a caricature? This persistent lack of understanding of others, this ignorance of their inner identity, which is often explained by an absence of curiosity, by a paradoxical closed-mindedness in the age of open borders, inevitably breeds withdrawal, distrust, and sometimes fear. Finding meaning in globalization and taking from it all the positives it can yield involves a discovery, learning about others, their complexity, their richness, but also their individual traits-in short, their differences, which go far beyond the national culture, to which we could never limit each individual with his own personality. Fortunately, effective pedagogical tools as well as links and aids exist that allow us to make progress in this mutual learning and relearning, enabling us to better understand situations that at first glance are so foreign to us. The millions of expatriates, who each year decide to work abroad in some 160 countries, certainly figure among these aids. They are pioneers in this necessary cross-cultural approach without which globalization would lose all meaning; however, they are misunderstood and, when they return from abroad, their value added is often underappreciated by their employer. As a major player in international mobility, Berlitz Consulting, of which I am Director, decided to accompany them on their assignment and to help them tell their story. This was a logical approach for a company that never separates mastery of languages from that of cultural idiosyncrasies. For more than twenty years we have been providing cross-cultural management training to executives for their assignments throughout the world. Since 2010, we have carried out, with the BVA partnership and Magellan Network, a sweeping annual study on the motivations, daily life, acquired knowledge, difficulties, and expectations of this group whose role in the age of globalization is a strategic one. For the 2011 release, we wanted to focus more specifically on expatriates return to their home country, for them a stage no longer about learning but of maturation, which should theoretically allow the company that paid for their experience abroad to see a return on investment, to make good use of their international savoir-faire-in short, their value 2

5 added, if only the systems and shifts necessary for it function at headquarters. According to this study, 68% of expatriates no longer feel quite like the same person upon their return, particularly in terms of knowledge of cultures, tolerance, and open-mindedness Discovering the real treasures of globalization: that s something. Patricia Glasel Director, Berlitz Consulting and Global Leadeship Training

6 GLOBAL EXPATRIATES OBSERVATORY -Summary of Main Findings- In 2009, the world leader in cross-cultural training, Berlitz International Consulting, in partnership with BVA, EuRA, and Magellan Network, implemented a study on international relocation for executives, managers, and employees involved in an upcoming assignment abroad. In order to deepen our understanding of the profile and the journey of expatriates, this study was expanded in 2010 to include the profiles of expatriates who are: - Currently working abroad - Back from their experience abroad In a context of growing internationalization of employees, this study should enable a deeper understanding of the expatriate population: What is the typical profile for the different populations involved? How do they envision or experience their expatriation? How do they assess their time abroad and how do they experience their return? These are the main questions that this study seeks to answer. The results of the study were collected between April 28, 2010, and March 20, 2011, and involved 404 expatriates and 124 spouses, broken down as follows: due to depart and 60 spouses currently abroad and 50 spouses - 60 back from abroad and 14 spouses In concrete terms, an Internet link to an online questionnaire was made available to expatriate populations in 5 languages: English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and German. This summary presents the study s main findings while attempting to highlight the profiles that stand out from the average. 4

7 1. GENERAL PROFILE OF EXPATRIATES AND EXPATRIATION CONTEXT 1.1. The typical expatriate profile is rather young, educated, and male Sixty-nine percent of expatriates are men and fall primarily into young age groups: 26% of them are younger than 30, while only 15% of all respondents are older than 45. Age of expatriates 15% 6% 15% years years 20% years years S/T 40 years and younger subtotal: 70 % 18% 26% years 46 years and older S/T 41 years and older subtotal: 30 % In the analysis, it appears that women expatriates are younger than the men: 31% are younger than 30, compared to 19% of men. The expatriation context is often the beginning of one s professional career and involves employees who are particularly well educated: although this statement is not surprising in itself, it is interesting to underscore the divide between expatriates and a representative sample of the population of salaried employees. Regardless of the stage in the expatriation experience, education levels are particularly high: 99% of those interviewed have at least a high school diploma. In a national representative sample, that number is 57%. Close to three-quarters of expatriates (72%) have completed five years of university coursework or more. Level of education Level High school diploma or less 12 % Bachelor s 16 % Master s 32 % Doctorate 2 % Professional degree/mba 38 % 5

8 Finally, in terms of language proficiency, the contrast is rather pronounced depending upon the language in question and the nationality of the future expatriate. Level of foreign-language proficiency of French expatriates Language Native Language Beginner Conversational Advanced English 2 % 4 % 36 % 56 % Spanish 1 % 22 % 21 % 7 % German - 17 % 15 % 5 % According to the French, besides their native language, English is the language spoken best (56% claim an advanced level), followed by Spanish, and German. Level of foreign-language proficiency of English-speaking expatriates Language Native Language Beginner Conversational Advanced English - 39 % 26 % 9 % Spanish 9 % 13 % 17 % - German 4 % 9 % 4 % 9 % English-speaking expatriates have a lesser degree of foreign-language proficiency, undoubtedly a result of the global dominance of the English language. Level of foreign-language proficiency of Japanese expatriates Language Native Language Beginner Conversational Advanced English 3 % 24 % 44 % 23 % Chinese 3 % 12 % 15 % 3 % In summary, languages besides English are not widely spoken. Even though English will be the commonly used language in professional settings, the lack of knowledge of other local languages fuels the idea that language constitutes the main challenge that expatriates will have to meet, in particular according to interviewees with English as a native language. 6

9 1.2 - Coming from a family with ties to foreign countries or studying abroad increases the desire to work abroad Just under 40% of those interviewed have already studied abroad, and an equal number come from a family with ties to foreign countries. Percentage of expatriates by age who have studied abroad 50 % 39 % 42 % 29 % 32 % 32 % All Interviewees 20 to 30 years 31 à 35 years 36 à 40 years 41 à 45 years 46 years and older Percentage of future expatriates with a connection to a foreign culture or who have lived abroad Future expatriates connection or prior experience with a foreign country or culture Have studied abroad 39 % Have a spouse whose family has lived abroad 21 % Come from a family who has lived abroad 22 % Come from a multicultural family 19 % Have a spouse who comes from a multicultural family 17 % Generally speaking, the expatriate experience occurs within a family setting: 85% of expatriates with partners will leave with their spouse; 79% of those with children will bring their children with them. Understandably, parents older than 45 are least likely to bring their children with them. 7

10 1.3 - High expectations for the experience In order to analyze in more detail how expatriation is viewed in its different stages, one will notice how high expatriates expectations are for this experience, particularly in terms of the position itself and the level of responsibility attached to it. Percentage who feel that the position abroad represents advancement compared to the current position Yes Yes, definitely (subgroup) The position itself 85 % 45 % Level of responsibility 74 % 39 % On-the-job independence 72 % 33 % Pay 67 % 32 % These high expectations and job history will contribute to making the expatriate s career management more complex upon his return. 8

11 2. THE EXPATRIATION EXPERIENCE An experience met with enthusiasm that is simultaneously a chance to advance professionally and an opportunity not to be missed Future expatriates view the prospect of expatriation enthusiastically, as evidenced by the particularly high average rating given to the experience (8.8/10). The experience generates strong optimism concerning a successful experience on a personal level (8.3/10) and a professional level (8.0/10); where the family is concerned, the rating is somewhat lower (7.8/10). By contrast, knowledge about the new country and its culture appears to be much more mixed (6.0/10). More precisely, the expatriation experience simultaneously addresses a personal plan (opportunity not to be missed, chance to see other countries) and a professional one (opportunity to advance professionally, career springboard). It is rarely cited as a duty related to professional imperatives (17%), except for Asians, 62% of whom say that expatriation is a duty related to professional imperatives. Perceived benefits of expatriation Perceived benefits of expatriation % who agree Opportunity to advance professionally 92 % Opportunity not to be missed 89 % Chance to discover other countries 89 % Professional springboard 80 % Family experience 76 % Opportunity to share expertise 59 % Satisfies a need to break from the everyday 55 % Duty related to professional imperatives 17 % In other words, the search for novelty, the desire to be confronted with ways of thinking and behaving that take one out of his comfort zone, and expatriation as a personal choice are the values that the interviewees mention the most (around 75% agreed for each statement offered) Main challenges to meet in order to succeed: the language barrier and being as efficient as in one s home country In order for expatriates to succeed, the challenges are numerous and it is not necessarily easy to rise above them. While only 1 out of 4 has real difficulties with the adjustment process, 1 out of 3 thinks that it will be difficult to adjust to a new cultural environment and to integrate socially. But out of the statements offered, the main challenges concern the language, the spouse s adjustment process, and the desire to be as efficient in the host country as in the home country, with 1 expatriate out of 2 believing that these challenges will be difficult to meet. 9

12 In light of this, the issues that one must address in order to successfully integrate are tied to cultural, interpersonal, and linguistic dimensions as well as a necessary degree of openmindedness. The biggest challenges for a successful integration and expatriation experience Challenges listed Most mentioned challenges Understanding the country s culture 75 % Maximizing social contact with the locals 65 % Learning the country s language or perfecting your skills in that language 58 % Avoiding prejudices 57 % Throwing yourself into your professional duties 56 % Touring the country 54 % Finally, in view of this experience, expatriates feel that the term expatriate is closely associated to several words: explorer, ambassador, adventurer, and traveler, but much less to missionary, mediator, and even less mercenary. Several possible responses Words associated with the term expatriate Assumed perception of colleagues from headquarters Explorer 39 % 17 % Ambassador 33 % 27 % Adventurer 31 % 36 % Voyager 30 % 28 % Missionary 17 % 20 % Mediator 14 % 10 % Mercenary 2 % 12 % According to the expatriate, his colleagues see him more as a mercenary or an adventurer but considerably less as an explorer. Finally, one should note that first-time expatriates on assignment abroad generally share the same outlook as the group of expatriates due to depart. However, they view this experience as a professional springboard slightly more than others do. 10

13 3 CURRENTLY ABROAD 3.1 Expatriation between general satisfaction and personal gain According to expatriates currently abroad, expatriation seems to have only positive effects. Living conditions-housing, ease of life, children s living conditions, quality of life-are satisfactory for more than 4 out of 5 interviewees. And the assessment is similar where professional life is concerned, be it regarding the job itself, the work conditions, or the level of responsibility. Out of these criteria for evaluating professional life, there is a slightly lower satisfaction rate when it comes to salary, but almost 3 out of 4 are nonetheless satisfied (versus 45% among a representative national sample of the labor pool). Personal success of the expatriation The expatriation Professional success of the expatriation Familial satisfaction with the expatriation 8,2 8,2 7,7 7,1 It should be noted that the outlook of expatriates abroad is excellent. Indeed, they say they are very enthusiastic about the expatriation in general, giving an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. More specifically, optimism is equally strong when it comes to a successful personal experience (8.2/10), professional experience (7.7/10), and family experience (7.1/10). However, this prevailing enthusiasm is lower in comparison to that felt by expatriates due to depart (regardless of whether they are first-time expatriates) and is not shared by Asian expatriates, who gave a rating of only 6.4 out of 10 when assessing their degree of enthusiasm for expatriation, a discrepancy that we can most probably consider to be the result of an involuntary expatriation. What s more, a majority of expatriates-more than 1 out of 2-feel that their degree of enthusiasm has not changed; expatriates are satisfied with the reality of living abroad. Where the degree of enthusiasm did change, it was usually an increase, whether it was for the expatriates themselves, from a professional standpoint, or for their family. Nevertheless, the number of expatriates who feel that their degree of enthusiasm from a professional standpoint decreased should be noted (17%). Change in degree of optimism during the experience abroad For yourself From a professional standpoint For your family 31 % 61 % 7 % 29 % 52 % 17 % 30 % 57 % 11 % It has increased It has stayed the same It has decreased 11

14 Still, it appears that the experience abroad has generated more open-mindedness among expatriates. More than 70% of those interviewed agree with the following statements: through my experience abroad, I learned to play the game using different rules, I like being confronted with ways of thinking and acting that take me out of my comfort zone, and contact with other cultures has led me to question certain aspects of my own culture. In addition, expatriation was more jarring for expatriates who had never really had any experience with foreign countries, without this generating more satisfaction or dissatisfaction than for others. Eighty-three percent (as opposed to 77% of the whole group) agree with the statement contact with the local culture led me to a keener awareness of my own culture, and 44% (compared to 38% of the whole group) with the statement at the beginning of my time abroad, I encountered cultural differences that were even greater than I had imagined. By the same token, those who had never studied abroad admitted to having changed the way they work; 65% changed their management style appreciably. Percentage of interviewees currently abroad who agree with the following statements Throughout my adjustment, I learned to play the game using different rules Contact with the local culture led me to a keener awareness of my own culture I like being confronted with ways of thinking and acting that take me out of my comfort zone Contact with other cultures has led me to question certain aspects of my own culture 78 % 77 % 74 % 70 % Keys to a successful experience abroad Incidentally, this personal enrichment through being more open-minded is at the heart of a successful experience abroad. When interviewees currently abroad were asked to name the components essential to a successful integration and expatriation, understanding the local culture and mastering the local language were deemed crucial, the former mentioned by 83% of those interviewed and the latter by 66%. These points are all the more essential given that interviewees currently abroad (first-time expatriates or not) underestimate their role in a successful experience (difference of 8 points for each of the two criteria between the two phases of expatriation). The most important criteria for a successful integration and expatriation Understanding the country s culture 83% Learning the country s language or perfecting your skills in that language 66% What s more, these keys for success are part of the toughest challenges to meet while abroad, particularly where language mastery is concerned. 12

15 Indeed, the adjustment process in general seems to be for its part one of the easier challenges to meet for an expatriate: 83% of interviewees currently abroad consider this an easy challenge, all the more so given that the number of those who consider this an easy challenge is lower among interviewees due to depart (75%, -8 points). The extent of challenges such as adjusting to a new cultural environment and adjusting to a new professional environment shows the same assessment: respectively, 79% and 71% of interviewees currently abroad judge them easy to meet compared to 65% and 61%, respectively, of interviewees due to depart. The 3 easiest challenges to meet Your adjustment process in general 19 % 64 % 16 % 1 % Adjusting to your new cultural environment 20 % 59 % 18 % 2 % Adjusting to your new professional environment 24 % 47 % 24 % 5 % Very easy Somewhat easy Somewhat difficult Very difficult In reality, it s not the adjustment but rather adopting the host country s culture that is the most difficult challenge to meet, and through this, the language, the ability to be as efficient in another country, and social integration. Indeed, these challenges are the most difficult to meet according to interviewees currently abroad. The 3 most difficult challenges to meet Your social integration, meeting locals 12 % 49 % 33 % 6 % The language Being as efficient in your host country as in your own culture 21 % 39 % 25 % 15 % 18 % 41 % 30 % 11 % Very easy Somewhat easy Somewhat difficult Very difficult 13

16 4 RETURNING FROM ABROAD A significant gain from a personal standpoint and in terms of skills development Returning expatriates viewed their recent time abroad very positively: their gains are particularly significant from a personal standpoint (8.4/10) as well as in terms of developing professional skills (7.8), acquiring new skills (7.8), or professional development (7.7). By contrast, opinions are more muted when it comes to the gains that the expatriation produced for the family (6.8). If we compare these opinions to those of expatriates due to depart, we see that the expatriation experience tends to put into perspective certain reservations expressed by those about to depart. Opinion about the experience being positive (avg. out of 10) given by expatriates Expatriates back from abroad Expatriates due to depart Difference From a personal standpoint 8,4 8,1 + 0,3 For your family 6,8 6,9-0,1 For your professional development 7,7 5,4 + 2,3 For developing your professional skills 7,8 5,6 + 2,2 For acquiring new skills 7,8 6,5 + 1,3 Expatriates back from abroad, then, rate the gains in skills development more highly; by contrast, the ratings are not comparable when it comes to gains for the family Challenges generally less significant than anticipated before departure Generally speaking, the expatriation experience tends to put into perspective the significance of certain challenges, particularly those related to cultural and social integration and adjusting to a professional environment. Challenges to meet - % who consider each of the challenges easy to meet Expatriates back from abroad Expatriates due to depart Difference Adjusting to the cultural environment 82 % 65 % + 17 The adjustment process in general 81 % 75 % + 6 Social integration, meeting locals 71 % 61 % + 10 Adjusting to the professional environment 68 % 56 % + 12 Child s adjustment process 55 % 52 % + 3 Spouse s adjustment process 53 % 56 % - 3 The language 53 % 51 % + 2 Being as efficient in your host country as in your own culture 50 % 50 % = 14

17 On the other hand, fears related to children s or spouse s adjustment and learning the language are confirmed by prior experience. That also goes for the challenge of being as efficient in the host country. (Note that this challenge seems to be less of an issue for Western European expatriates.) Among expatriates due to depart, first-time expatriates have a good notion of the challenges to meet: they note a bit less the difficulty in adjusting to a new professional environment, the experience for them being more a professional springboard. Conversely, first-time expatriates think slightly more than others that it will be difficult to adjust to the cultural environment. In light of this, challenges related to language and to understanding the country s culture are, logically enough, those mentioned as the most important to address in order to succeed, expressed by more expatriates currently abroad than those due to depart. Conversely, increasing social contacts in-country is regarded as a less significant challenge than predicted and is not mentioned as much upon return. 5 criteria that were the most important for successful social integration and expatriation Expatriates back from abroad Expatriates due to depart Expatriation was an experience that changed one s cultural bearings (calling into question certain aspects of one s own culture, awareness about one s own culture) and that made it possible to learn other rules of the game. In this sense, it is a positive factor for growth from both a personal and professional standpoint. Percentage of interviewees who agree with the following statements Difference Understanding the country s culture 82 % 75 % + 7 Learning the country s language or perfecting your skills in that language 73 % 58 % + 15 Increasing social contact with the locals 57 % 65 % - 8 Avoiding prejudices 53 % 57 % - 4 Touring the country 38 % 54 % - 16 Statements offered Contact with other cultures has led me to question certain aspects of my own culture Yes 80 % Contact with the local culture led me to a keener awareness of my own culture 75 % Throughout my adjustment, I learned to play the game using different rules 73 % I particularly like being abroad in another culture 72 % I like being confronted with ways of thinking and acting that take me out of my comfort zone 70 % 15

18 Let us turn now to how the expatriate defines himself at the end of this period. If the terms in which he sees himself are rather varied, we see interesting changes as compared to his notions prior to the expatriation: less an explorer and voyager, the expatriate will define himself more as a mediator and a mercenary upon his return. Among Asians, this trend is much more pronounced. With what word do you associate the term expatriate? Back from abroad First-time expatriates Difference Explorer 32 % 38 % - 6 Adventurer 28 % 29 % - 1 Ambassador 28 % 35 % - 7 Mediator 27 % 10 % + 17 Voyager 22 % 34 % - 12 Missionary 17 % (53 %)* 15 % + 2 Mercenary 12 % (29 %)* 2 % + 10 * Percentages for Asians in parentheses What is assumed to be the colleagues view portrays the expatriate more as a mercenary upon his return (a trend that is stronger among Western European expatriates) and less as an ambassador. How do you think colleagues from headquarters view the expatriate? Back from abroad First-time expatriates Difference Explorer 18 % 16 % + 2 Adventurer 35 % 37 % - 2 Ambassador 17 % 28 % - 11 Mediator 5 % 12 % - 7 Voyager 30 % 27 % + 3 Missionary 23 % 16 % + 7 Mercenary 23 % 10 % A return context that remains difficult professionally, particularly for Western Europeans Returning from abroad is no small feat. Out of a total of 100 points to allot to the following two challenges, adjusting to another culture receives 70 points and readjusting to the home culture receives 30 points. Returning from abroad requires a readjustment period seen as difficult by 42% of returned expatriates (62% among Western Europeans). Asians for whom expatriation was more of an obligation are, by contrast, almost unanimous in saying that the readjustment was easy. 16

19 This difficult readjustment can be explained first by the fact that many expatriates wanted to pursue a professional experience outside of their home country: only 35% were planning to return to their home country, 30% wanted to stay and work in the host country, and 35% wanted to work in another country. It is also due to the company s difficulty in offering a position that matched the professional growth of the expatriate: - The company did not always take into account the expatriate s wishes in terms of position upon his return (only 35% with positive responses) - In many cases, this situation led to a change in company after the expatriate s return (47% and 62% for Western Europeans) or a change in industry (45%). Expatriates take a dim view of how their companies supported them upon their return: only 19% of Western European expatriates say that their company helped them in the readjustment process (71% for Asians). The main difficulties experienced stem from how the expatriate s international experience in the organizational structure of the company is valued and from rebuilding one s network. Experienced problems adjusting on each of the following points Adjustment problems % Yes Rebuilding your network 55 % Gaining an advantage from your experience abroad 50 % Coping with your company's hierarchy 44 % Readjusting to a different management style 42 % Readjusting to different management methods 40 % Organization of work particular to your country 38 % Work conditions particular to the company 32 % In concrete terms, regardless of whether or not it is in the same company as the one before, the position filled does not clearly signal progress in terms of level of responsibility, autonomy, and especially salary (only 34% positive responses on this point). 17

20 4.4 - Personal readjustment that was not necessarily anticipated but a genuine personal gain for the expatriate From a personal standpoint, 43% of expatriates back from abroad say that their readjustment period has been difficult but only 50% expected these problems. 55% say that no one brought up these problems with them before their departure. The fact remains that expatriation contributed much to interviewees in terms of developing personal qualities and increasing comfort with using foreign languages. % who say that the expatriation helped them grow for each of the following points Points offered % Yes Knowledge, culture 91 % Ease with foreign languages 90 % Flexibility 89 % Open-mindedness 87 % Self-confidence 84 % Tolerance 83 % Network development 80 % For its part, family readjustment did not pose major problems: 85% say that it went very well or rather well for the family, 88% for the children, and the number still positive but slightly lower for the spouse s adjustment (72%). The impact of expatriation on the individual appears to be substantial in light of the following statements: I feel that I have changed in many respects. (68% agree) After the expatriation, I am no longer quite the same person. (60%) Finally, 90% of expatriates back from abroad would like to repeat the expatriation experience. 18

21 5 OPINIONS FROM SPOUSES Heightened enthusiasm for the experience even if less pronounced than for the expatriate Where being abroad is concerned, the rating given by spouses is positive (7.9 for spouses due to depart) but lower than that given by expatriates due to depart (8.8). This trend is seen again when comparing the rating given by spouses abroad (8/8.8 for expatriates abroad). Spouses are rather optimistic regarding the potential for a successful experience, whether it is for them or for their family. This optimism is confirmed by actually going abroad: expatriate spouses in-country are even more optimistic than expatriate spouses due to depart Challenges to meet that differ slightly from those of the expatriate Spouses believe that the linguistic challenge will be more difficult than do expatriates themselves; even more so than expatriates, they dread the adjustment process in general, their social integration, and meeting locals. Believe that each of these challenges is difficult to meet Spouse Expatriate Difference Being as efficient in your host country as in your own culture 50 % 44 % + 6 The language 50 % 43 % + 7 Adjusting to the professional environment 32 % 33 % - 1 Your social integration, meeting locals 51 % 37 % + 14 Your spouse's adjustment process 16 % 40 % - 24 Your adjustment process in general 28 % 19 % + 9 Adjusting to your new cultural environment 26 % 23 % A desire to repeat the expatriation experience that is less pronounced than for the expatriate At the end of the expatriation experience, 42% of spouses wish to return to their home country, while only 35% of expatriates do. As for the desire to repeat the expatriation experience, 71% of spouses are open to the possibility, while 90% of expatriates are. 19

22 The expatriation experience to come is above all a personal and family experience; it is seen as valuable from this point of view more than it is in terms of professional gains. It mainly concerns the young and the educated, but especially those who have had contact with foreign countries, whether due to family ties or as a part of one s secondary school or university studies. Finally, expatriation brings about expectations on the part of future expatriates who seek to augment their career from their experience abroad (the appeal of the job, level of responsibility, or work autonomy). Expatriates due to depart are particularly enthusiastic concerning their future experience. They believe that is at the heart of both a personal undertaking (an opportunity not to be missed) and a professional one (a chance to advance professionally). While adjusting to a new environment is not considered one of the most difficult challenges to meet, the language and the ability to be as efficient in the host country as in one s own culture are, by contrast, challenges that almost half of those interviewed worry about. Interviewees currently abroad do not lose their enthusiasm while there. The level of optimism remained stable for a majority of them and, for some, even increased. It would seem, however, that the expatriate experience changes each individual s bearings. Three interviewees out of four said that they have learned to play the game using different rules and that [the experience] led [them] to a keener awareness of [their] own culture when exposed to the local culture. Ideas expressed by expatriates due to depart about challenges to meet are more or less confirmed by expatriates currently abroad, but the latter group stresses even more the difficulties in mastering the language and being as efficient in the host country. Adjusting to a new culture happens without incident, while the adopting of this new culture is a more delicate task. 20

23 Once they return, expatriates underscore the benefits of the experience, both from a personal and a professional point of view, though mostly the latter. The challenges sensed at the outset are generally seen as easier to meet in the end, particularly when it comes to adjusting to the new environment. Expatriates also confirm the importance of mastering the language as well as local norms and codes. However, returning to one s home country and the necessary readjustment are particularly difficult to live through, especially for Western European expatriates. On one hand, a majority of expatriates wish to continue their stay or at least continue the expatriation in another country. On the other hand, companies have difficulty offering returning expatriates a position that matches their professional growth. Moreover, the tendency to think that expatriation is a professional springboard clearly decreases as the experience becomes a reality. Although the return was sometimes difficult, interviewees gained much from their experience abroad in terms of knowledge, culture, mastery of foreign languages, or open-mindedness and self-confidence. 21

24 SUMMARY OF STUDY RESULTS PROFILE AND EXPERIENCE OF EXPATRIATES DUE TO DEPART The expatriation context is often the beginning of one s career for salaried employees who are well educated. Having studied abroad or coming from a family with ties to foreign countries increases the desire to go abroad. The expatriation experience occurs most often within a family setting. High expectations with regard to going abroad involve the job itself, level of responsibility, work autonomy, and salary. The expatriation experience is lived enthusiastically, both professionally (chance to advance, professional springboard) and personally (opportunity not to be missed, chance to see other countries, family experience). It is rarely done as a duty related to professional imperatives (17%), but the opposite is true among the Japanese (62%). The search for novelty and the desire to be confronted with ways of thinking and acting that take one out of his comfort zone increase the desire to go abroad. The main challenges that expatriates anticipate concern the language, their spouse s adjustment process, and being as efficient in another context. The main keys to success according to the expatriates are understanding the country s culture and maximizing the number of social contacts with the locals. Using suggested terms in a word association, the future expatriate sees himself primarily as an explorer. He thinks that his colleagues in the home office are far less likely to see him this way and that some would not hesitate to call him a mercenary. CURRENTLY ABROAD The general level of satisfaction is very high (8.2/10) except among the Japanese (6.4/10). Enthusiasm and optimism seem to pervade the personal and professional spheres. The cross-cultural dimension clearly emerges in the expatriation experience : through my adjustment process, I have learned how to play the game using different rules (78% agree), contact with the local culture has led me to a keener awareness of my own culture (78%), I like to be confronted with ways of thinking and acting that take me out of my comfort zone (74%), contact with other cultures has led me to question certain aspects of my own culture (70%). Understanding the local culture and learning the language are recognized as keys to a successful integration. BACK FROM ABROAD The recent expatriation is evaluated very positively by the returning expatriate both personally (8.4/10) and professionally (7.8/10). Opinions, however, are more muted where the family is concerned (6.8/10). Post-experience, the challenges that had been anticipated before departure (concerning cultural and social integration and adjusting to the professional 22

25 environment) are finally seen as having been easier to meet. The cross-cultural dimension described above for those currently abroad becomes stronger (keener awareness of one s own culture, questioning, new rules of the game). In comparison to the expatriate due to depart, the expatriate back from his experience abroad sees himself less as an explorer and traveler and more as a mediator and a mercenary. He thinks that his colleagues at home office see him more as a mercenary than as an ambassador. The Japanese have a very different profile from Western Europeans (French in majority) where these issues are concerned. The Japanese expatriate back from abroad defines himself very strongly as a missionary (53% versus 17%) and strongly as a mercenary (29% versus 12%). Readjusting to the home culture is experienced with difficulty by a majority of Western Europeans and with ease by the Japanese. Generally, returning to the home culture represents 30% of the challenge of adjustment versus 70% for adjusting to a new culture. In the majority of cases, the company did not take into account the wishes of the returning expatriate regarding his job. Sixty-two percent of Westerners have changed companies since their return from abroad. A minority of Western expatriates believe that their company helped them in the readjustment process compared to a majority of Japanese. The main difficulties in readjusting are the problem of rebuilding one s network, international experience that is not valued, and assignment to a position that does match expectations in terms of level of responsibility, autonomy, and especially salary. This being the case, expatriates back from abroad are in remarkable agreement concerning the advantages derived from expatriation in terms of personal qualities (knowledge of cultures, flexibility, open-mindedness, self-confidence, tolerance) and ease in using foreign languages. The readjustment both for the family and for the children generally went well; the spouse s readjustment also went well but to a slightly lesser degree. The impact of expatriation on personal growth appears to be substantial in light of affirmative responses to the following statements: I feel that I have changed in many ways. (68%) After the expatriation, I am no longer quite the same person. (60%) Finally, 90% of expatriates back from abroad wish to repeat the expatriation experience. NOTE The results of the study show and make clear the cross-cultural dimension of the expatriation experience. They also show its complexity thanks to the differing ratings of the Japanese: the cross-cultural context is experienced differently by people from different cultures. Outside of France and Japan, the smaller size of national samples does not yet allow an international comparative analysis to be made that is likely to shed new light on expatriation. 23

26 WORK CULTURES Learning another professional mode of operation and adjusting to it as much as possible is the primary challenge of expatriates, whether or not they are managers. Becoming immersed in the culture of the host country seems to be the main condition for successfully adjusting to the expatriate s professional milieu because the work methods are in keeping with societal relationships. The fact remains that a number of expatriates are confronted not with bicultural but multicultural work situations, which gives a new dimension to the view that they have of their own experiences abroad. Indeed, since multicultural contexts engender specific work relationships, it is difficult to decide where the exact lines are between the national work culture, and, strictly speaking, the company culture. However, the accounts from expatriates reveal points in common in the notion that they have of the idiosyncrasies of certain Asian, European, and North American work cultures. Communication, degree of efficiency, initiative, and hierarchical relationships are only some of the themes related to this interpretation by expatriates of how others work. Their analysis makes it possible to not only define several things at stake within the cross-cultural context in a professional setting, but also to see how certain expatriates end up benefiting from situations that are sometimes perplexing in order to learn how to work and manage differently, whether at home or abroad. 1 ASIA China Despite culture shock described as huge and astounding, not one expatriate negatively judges China and its work culture. Fascinated by the pace of a country that is developing from one day to the next before their eyes, expatriates feel like they have been thrown into another dimension and endeavor to understand Chinese society and adapt to it. When it comes to work, the Chinese are viewed as extremely proud people who never let on if they have not understood something that has been asked of them. The issue of honor is very important and losing face is, for them, the worst thing that can happen. Within companies, few people appear to have genuine information, and that is the main difficulty with which expatriates are confronted. The Chinese function a lot in-network: information is only shared in person, never in meetings, which serve primarily to communicate the decisions of management to teams. Moreover, the Chinese do not appear to be very open to discussion; to them, it would even be disrespectful. It should also be noted that a difference exists between the older and younger generations when it comes to how they approach work relationships. Older generations are much more paternalistic, which is considered rather awkward not only by expatriates but also by younger Chinese. 24

27 1.2 - Korea While it would seem that Koreans are very good at executing, they appear to lack initiative and seem to go about their work without any strategic vision. Once a decision has been made, everything happens very quickly in sequence and the work is done rapidly and in detail. Again, as in China, decisions are made unilaterally by managers without ever being discussed with teams. According to interviewees accounts, however, there appears to exist a very strong spirit of teamwork and mutual aid that the majority of expatriates say they have never experienced elsewhere. Koreans are viewed positively as people ready to stand up for the interests of their group and not their personal interests, which, by contrast, would be the case in certain European work cultures. Highly structured and hierarchical, Korean society appears to have the same generation problem as its neighbor China. Members of the younger generations are viewed by expatriates as much more open, particularly because they have traveled and have learned foreign languages. However, young Koreans seem to show initiative more often Thailand If there were a single characteristic of note in how the Thai operate, it would surely be the great reserve with which they build their work relationships. Those who spent their expatriation experience in Thailand recall a permanent need to work with consensus, a way of being and doing that barely tolerates direct interaction and instructions that appear to be explicitly stated. To manage a team of Thai workers, one should be patient, a good listener, and know how to intervene, if necessary, as a mediator. For European expatriates, it is a real challenge to learn how to be less pushy with people whose culture is so unobtrusive and contained. Resolving conflicts can prove difficult if one does not know how to go about it with skill and tolerance. Relationships based on trust are often built in more select groups, even with each of the employees individually. As in the majority of other Asian countries, meetings do not lend themselves to genuine discussions, and it is rarely advisable to try to solve problems in the presence of all parties concerned Singapore In the eyes of expatriates, Singaporean culture does not exist as such, because Singapore, a country built on immigration, welcomes many other Asians (Indians, Malaysians, Thai, Indonesians, Chinese, etc.). The culture at work appears to be made up of several local cultures, but in a professional milieu that is very much exposed to the West, especially to American culture, from which it appears to have borrowed reflexes and behavior principles. The English language is used perfectly by everyone or almost everyone, and all writing is done in English as well. Still, expatriates who had to manage local teams noted the need to supervise them very closely. Several characteristics of working like Singaporeans include the need for very clear instructions, reticence when it comes to autonomy that enables managing tasks and deadlines oneself, and a habit of working with a schedule and obligatory results. 25

28 1.5 - Hong-Kong Expatriates who worked in Hong Kong generally were happy with their experience, and enjoyed above all the multicultural dimension of the city and its population. The work culture appears to be imbued with an Anglo-Saxon style way of operating, with a manner of doing things directly and very systematically, and by the book. Hong Kongers are goal-oriented, and, it would seem, are quick and efficient, committed and very professional. The level of responsibility is very high, as is involvement. Few people are resistant; when a decision is made, everyone gets to work and moves in the same direction to get the job done. However, in the accounts of expatriates in Hong Kong we again see the same problems as those already mentioned about other countries in the region, particularly the mentality of older generations and the lack of autonomy and initiative. Working with older generations appears to have been an unnerving experience for the majority of expatriates interviewed. They are unanimous: when with traditional management made up of Chinese and Hong Kongers older than 50, one must at any cost seek to position oneself and make one s point of view known. The additional problem with traditional management appears to be a strong reluctance towards any systematization, which is seen as a symbolic threat to authority. In the traditional mentality, decisions made by management are not discussed, and misunderstandings can quickly arise, the use of English as a lingua franca being a possible contributing factor. For Europeans, who made up the majority of our interviewees, finding themselves in a management position in such a context is an experience as trying as it is enriching. Because Hong Kongers have a tendency to say yes to everything, it is highly advisable to start a discussion with teams to ensure that what is being asked of them is possible and that the envisioned stages of progress are in fact reachable by all. The lack of autonomy and of a sense of priorities generally noticed by expatriates also would seem to make progress checks necessary. Not very responsive when confronted with problems that they are not always able to solve themselves, and too proud to ask others for advice, Hong Kongers also appear to have a tendency to let problems fester or do the same thing twice. When it comes to the power of networks, Hong Kong is no exception to what we see with other Asian countries: the most important decisions are never made in offices, but instead in restaurants, at weddings, or even in homes, while the only means of getting genuine information is to establish relationships built on trust, face-to-face with colleagues. 2 UNITED STATES Most of the people who lived and worked in the United States admit to having experienced real culture shock during their time abroad. They had thought they knew North American culture, so the gap in their understanding that they discovered there made a big impression on them. Direct and frank communication seems to be the main key to success in relationships with Americans, whether those relationships are personal or professional. The misunderstandings that can arise therefore stem mainly, it would seem, from an ignorance of the rules of communication, which must be clear and open, with no ambiguity. American society is generally seen as tough, too individualistic, and competitive in the extreme. The approach is functional and the goal is well established: get results and make money. Managers are autocratic, and the management of qualified personnel by some is abysmal. Working in a team does not appear to have the same significance as it does elsewhere: it seems to be a simple assembly of elements prepared individually and reconstructed collectively for the needs of presentations or reports. In the American style of working, a 26

29 true sense of cooperation appears not to exist. The spirit of competition, it would seem, is by contrast highly developed and the search for efficiency ever-present. Despite their oft-expressed negative views, expatriates remain taken with the American system and regret their inability to fully share its values that leave little chance to the weak. They describe their time in the United States as surprising and enriching, but not very appealing in the medium and long terms. The United States is also seen as a country where people have a hard time self-evaluating, both in general and in established procedures in the work domain. 3 EUROPE 3.1 -England Appreciated by expatriates for their ability to execute and an open and delegating management style, the English appear to practice a different kind of communication, which is difficult to decode for the foreigner. Confrontation and conflicts are rare. Sometimes even described as hypocritical and arrogant, the English appear to be advocates of a type of language that is full of overtones and they have a tendency to remain polite all while making comments behind your back. With zero support between colleagues, a logic of every man for himself also appears to be one of the characteristics of the English work culture. Where management is concerned, opinions are rather positive: not very hierarchical and good at listening, English-style management, it would seem, makes it possible to develop initiative and to bring out the best in coworkers, who are judged on results and not on how they achieve those results. Each person is given much leeway in his day-to-day work, and is free to direct his own course of action and to develop his expertise, the only problem being conflict resolution. Indeed, this type of management, which some describe as self-effacing, can prove problematic in times of internal conflict or with clients; the English culture is seen as one in which people avoid conflicts at all costs, which consequently makes their resolution long and difficult Germany/Luxembourg/Switzerland Does the Germanic mindset at work really exist? To hear our interviewees tell it, yes. Several of them were sent to Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, and are all fascinated by the professionalism that characterizes the work cultures in these three European countries, the credo of which seems to be avoid waffling. Germanic people are very organized, and seem to be more inclined to learn a single job in depth and stay in it for the majority of their career. Skills acquired in this way appear to facilitate in turn a way of working in which the main characteristics are speed and efficiency. Communication is very direct and not superficial in the least, precision and discipline being the operative words that make it possible to make progress very, very quickly and to be exceptionally efficient. Remarks, reports, or assessments that could open up to debate all or part of what is materializing are rare and poorly received: First, we see things through, as they should be done, and then we do the assessment This unyielding attitude, it would seem, is the only weak spot in the Germanic work culture: When there is too much precision and discipline, people don t necessarily have good ideas they have blinders on, explains a former trader expatriated in Luxembourg. 27

30 People from Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland are often described as solitary, not very talkative, efficient, pragmatic, but it is not certain whether these descriptors are enough to speak of exoticism, as one interviewee does. What is certain is that we are often more surprised by the differences that separate us from our neighbor and what is geographically close than by the differences that we might experience in distant countries Scandinavia Calm, kind, attentive, and respectful, Scandinavians have the reputation of being very efficient and extremely pragmatic. Immersed in Anglo-Saxon culture, the Northern European way of working is also characterized by a certain period of preparation and decision-making: coming together, thinking, discussing, and making compromises seem to be the essential stages prior to implementing actions that, afterwards, take place quickly and with a high degree of efficiency. The notion of respect, viewed as fundamental in the Scandinavian culture, is also seen in the work domain. Respectful of others, Scandinavians are also respectful of the company for which they work. We can therefore say that rationalism and pragmatism are seen as two main characteristics of the way in which people work in Northern European countries Spain/Portugal If English management is considered self-effacing and not very hierarchical, Spanish management is seen as very authoritarian and hierarchical. Meetings do not seem to be places for genuine discussions or a real exchange of ideas; rather, they are a chance for people to get themselves noticed by others. Credit seems to go to the one who speaks the loudest. Although rather individualistic and poorly organized, the Spanish are very responsive and intuitive, bubbling with ideas and quick at implementation. Respect for the hierarchy is also insisted upon in Portugal, and education is mentioned as the main reason for this. The sense of competition is not highly developed, and other people s word plays a very important role France As if there were a barrier to foreigners stronger than that felt elsewhere, the French mindset in the workplace is often seen as too closed in on itself. A little bit too self-absorbed, the French appear to often operate using reference points that they consider universal, while they are valid only in their own country. Incapable of mixing in with others, divided into castes, always negative and critical, the French abroad are even seen as particularly arrogant, and full of themselves. The example of the Frenchman, who, upon going abroad, immediately enrolls in the local French club, is for our respondents a typical sign of a lack of flexibility and adaptability. One other element is seen as a lack of openness from the French: the duty to perfectly master the French language, both spoken and written, and this, even at multinational companies in positions that are completely international in scope. As a general rule, French society is seen as too elitist, and unreceptive to the qualities and practical experiences brought in by foreigners, which affects the performance and the careers of those foreigners. Interviewees repeatedly underscored the problems with the French educational system, the 28

31 outdated procedures of which are echoed at work. Failing to bring out the best in students and too severely stigmatizing failure and mistakes, French schools seem to promote the mentality of every man for himself and the general distrust that one often finds in work relationships. The deficiencies in the teaching of foreign languages, and above all English as the lingua franca of the business world, was also regularly mentioned by expatriates, who consider it the main hurdle to the opening-up of France to the outside world. The positive aspects of doing as the French do include, above all, team professionalism and a certain flexibility in work methodology. The French tendency to intellectualize things is not seen as a negative element of their mentality. On the contrary, the fact that they need a way that is rational and not intuitive in the least to solve problems generates, by all accounts, an almost constant stream of new ideas. An analytic approach and a fondness for discussion are the two main elements of a French-style meeting. Contrary to Anglo-Saxon culture, debates and analyses that take place most often during meetings offset a certain detachment in the preparation of a topic. Giving an opinion, challenging, and making suggestions are therefore part of how things progress à la française. 4 THE CROSS-CULTURAL CONTEXT AT WORK (MANAGERIAL VISION) Regardless of the difficulties experienced and the hurdles overcome while trying to optimize one s own skills as well as those of the team in a new professional environment, there is no conclusion other than that expatriated managers always end up benefiting from the cross-cultural situations with which they are confronted on a day-to-day basis. Two main themes related to the expatriation experience stand out in their accounts, one with a rather negative connotation: communication problems and identification/ management of terms with multiple interpretations within the cross-cultural context, and the other positive: mutual enrichment, development of new skills, and knowledge being valued in new situations. Communication and terms with multiple interpretations in the cross-cultural context Although new technologies and the Internet have contributed to erasing cultural differences, communication problems remain the major stumbling block to mutual understanding between people from different cultures. When people stay within a representation system that is more or less similar, such as the Anglo-Saxon work culture, differences tend to become blurred, and communication happens more smoothly. But as soon as cultural boundaries become impermeable, misunderstandings increase and the dialogue needs to be reinforced in order to arrive at acceptable solutions that are satisfactory for all involved. People think they agree, but they don t, because they ve understood differently what was said, explains a bank executive currently abroad in the United States. Speaking the language well is therefore not a guarantee of perfect communication. It can even be deceiving inasmuch as if we speak well, other people think that we understand all the nuances of their language and culture. Those who encountered communication problems during their time abroad suggest making sure to convey simple ideas on all sides, and as soon as it starts to break down, recap everything. 29

32 Terms with multiple interpretations in the cross-cultural context prove to be particularly difficult to understand and to deal with. American-style teamwork and management in Spain attest to this: a) There are a number of words like teamwork. Obviously, people will say that it s very important for everybody to work as a team, but people don t attach the same meaning to it. ( ) It s something that is very hard to decode. b) The Spanish style is generally very hierarchical and very authoritarian. However, Spanish managers do not consider themselves to be very authoritarian. In the eyes of the French, they are very authoritarian So it s necessary to navigate in between ways of interpreting behavior that are often contradictory. Despite the perplexing nature of this type of experience, expatriates end up learning these ways more or less with ease and adjusting to the new professional and cultural setting: My own management style was considered too weak. The cultural context therefore led me to become more authoritarian. Mutual enrichment, development of new skills, and knowledge being valued How do expatriate managers benefit from their experiences abroad? What are the best ways to reconcile one s own work culture with that of the new professional environment in the host country? The personal qualities of flexibility and adaptability are certainly important in this kind of experience, but they are not the only ones. As we closely analyzed the opinions of our interviewees, the notions of straightforwardness and respect for others in work relationships stood out as the determining factors for the success of a professional experience abroad: You have to be humble, extremely humble. No, it s not a joke! Above all, you can t arrive with a superiority complex. You need to be up on things, curious, asking questions, recommends an expatriate based in Sweden for more than ten years. For many expatriates, the experience is also a chance to make significant changes to their management style. Such is the case for this U.S.-based executive of an American company who has already lived through several expatriations in Europe and Asia: Today, my management style is much more open, I m attentive. ( ) You need to provide a spirit of leadership without losing authority. Accept discussion more, explain the why of decisions, and at the same time involve people in certain decisions. Bring out the best in the teams we have around us, make them feel involved, so that they take ownership of what the company does. Without this we ll have a hard time getting anywhere. Making an effort, being attentive, and learning how to handle the cultural idiosyncrasies of one s coworkers seem to be prior conditions for the success of any management project in the expatriation context: Leading a local team is a real challenge. ( ) I have had to make an effort to be more patient, and more attentive, too. This doesn t mean that I wasn t like that before, but these are the skills that I really had to rely on in managing the on-site team. Patience! I learned not to underestimate problems and differences and to accept them. ( ) It doesn t do any good to insist on your own way of operating, you need to understand the rules of the game, and learn to play by them, recommends a Mauritian woman who has been abroad for years, first in Europe (Luxembourg and England) and now in Singapore. Patience, respect, and modesty must, however, be accompanied by a healthy dose of straightforwardness, the ability to explain things to and train others, and a fondness for dialogue to allow the manager to win the trust of his team members and avoid possible cross-cultural misunderstandings. Interactions have to be transparent, and self-censorship 30

33 would be the worst reaction to have in such situations: You need to support [your team]. Suggest, challenge a little bit, and then above all take the time to do it. ( ) And then position yourself so that you can intervene if necessary. Adapt the operation method to day-to-day duties as quickly as possible. Even if something seems to be only a detail, even if it s a little delicate, you can never self-censor, because that s what creates misunderstandings. Professionally, expatriation also provides the satisfaction of mutual enrichment in the interaction with local teams. Exchanging ideas, comparing practices, and looking for the best solutions together are considered the best ways to bring out the best in one s team members, all while providing a new vision: I think it s also our role as expatriates to provide a different vision, says a young IT executive abroad in Hong Kong. There s the general vision, the way it s done at headquarters, with its rules and operating procedures, but where you need to be tactful is in the local context. While trying to do what you ve always done, you need to know how to separate the real problems from the non-issues ( ) After all, experience and specific knowledge must come and does come from the people who work for you, he continues. With few exceptions, we can say that cross-cultural management is an experience appreciated by expatriates. It makes it possible to develop many skills and at the same time better adapt one s management style to other work contexts. Several keywords that came up repeatedly in expatriates opinions, such as real challenge, very interesting, and enriching, are the best indicators of this. 5 TYPOLOGY Despite the differences among interviewee profiles and the diversity of their experiences, we can come up with a certain typology for expatriates, a necessary summary for any comprehensive approach such as ours. The qualitative methodology that we have employed has allowed us to build this typology not on the basis of traditional sociological variables (sex, age, socio-professional category, nationality) but by relying on correlations between different phenomena, using the criterion of the motivation to work abroad as a starting point. Indeed, given that expatriation is a priori a voluntary act, it is legitimate to ask what predisposes these individuals to live and work abroad and what connection exists between the intentions behind the business trip and the different aspects of the experience while abroad. Thoughtful observation, then, demonstrates that the behavioral logic while abroad is strongly influenced by one s motivation at the outset, which is in turn, of course, influenced by each person s individual career path. In the case of our study, the application of the motivation criterion leads us to distinguish three types of expatriates. The first concerns expatriates whose decision is influenced above all by a desire to capitalize on their experience abroad for their career; the second, those whose departure is primarily motivated by a desire for personal growth; and the third, by contrast, involves people who have a need to break from their professional and/or personal environment. We will see throughout this analysis how the motives for expatriation follow from, on one hand, one s family past, and interact, on the other hand, with different observed phenomena, such as the type of company one keeps in the host country, the connection with the home country, or even how the return is experienced. 31

34 5.1 - Expatriation for professional reasons The desire to work abroad is, in a number of cases, heavily influenced by a strategic component and the understanding of international mobility as a tool for career advancement. Expatriations offer so many chances to enrich one s profile and to acquire professional and cross-cultural skills that are seen as indispensable for career development. People whose motivations are in line with this kind of ulterior profitability come, for the most part, from families who managed to inculcate a willingness to travel as an asset to obtain privileged roles and status. Understanding this type of population therefore cannot be separated from an understanding of family parameters, as well as of the ensuing personal experiences (travels and different foreign languages mastered for instance). Motivated above all by career success, individuals in this category are generally on board with the development projects of the companies that pay them. Indeed, the potential for international recruiting often determines their choice of employer, and the desire to go abroad meshes perfectly with the company s needs. Once abroad, this category of people seeks out contact with the expatriate community. Their first reflex appears to be to contact the authorities from their home country and establish social connections with their compatriots. Private schools and clubs play a central role in the socialization of these expatriates. Relationships with the locals are often superficial, unless the latter have already integrated into the expatriates privileged milieu. We see a certain professional curiosity towards other ways of operating and a propensity to integrate them to the extent that they can contribute to skills improvement and the enrichment of background knowledge. However, given the fact that these expatriates think their role is to provide a different vision and to contribute while respecting norms, a true immersion in the local work is only rarely achieved. This type of expatriate maintains rather strong ties with his home country. Social and professional networks are generally well maintained, and there is a rather strong awareness of their utility in preparation for the return. Returning from abroad can prove difficult in certain cases, but these are primarily because of problematic practical aspects of repatriation (administrative, logistical). Introspection is not very prevalent in the opinions of these expatriates. Indeed, they give the impression of being so strongly anchored to their home country that no experience abroad seems to significantly affect their identity. We note, then, that the behaviors that this type of expatriate adopts while abroad (but also before and after the expatriation) result naturally from an approach that fits into a focus on their career. Indeed, from the outset these expatriates keep a certain distance from the cross-cultural dynamic, as the intended goal is not so much discovering countries and local cultures but above all beneficial training for capitalizing later on their experience. 32

35 5.2 - Expatriation for personal reasons If the first type of expatriate is primarily motivated by professional development, another kind of expatriate views working abroad in a more personal light. The logic that underpins this type of expatriation should be looked at from the standpoint of a desire to leave one s home country and to break from a known and mastered environment. Influencing these individuals choice are a curiosity towards other cultures and countries and a willingness to engage in introspection, despite the objective reasons for the expatriation, which can be strictly professional. A number of these individuals come from expatriate families and knew living conditions during their childhood that, it would seem, they are looking to reproduce in one way or another. By contrast, others come from geographically stable families and subscribe to a logic of novelty and of challenges to meet. Whether they belong to one group or the other, personal growth is the point in common for these expatriates. They are generally rather critical of their home country prior to the expatriation, sometimes even more upon their return. Relationships in the host country are made primarily from multicultural settings: mixed couples, expatriates from other countries, and natives. The expatriate community from their own country is seen as an environment that is too closed in on itself, sometimes even sectarian. Upon their return, the majority of these expatriates experience problems reintegrating and express disappointment regarding their social relationships. As a matter of fact, they often end up spending time in international environments only. It can be said that these individuals, who often have been abroad multiple times, are, because of their past, predisposed to living abroad. Their interest in foreign countries and languages was developed all throughout the construction of their identity. Either children of mixed couples, former students in international schools, or study-abroad scholarship-winners, these people for the most part have already experienced extended stays outside their home country. The vision of internationality as a way of life seems to us to be the main explanation for the attitudes and behaviors of this type of expatriate. New realities to face, numerous challenges to meet, and an unknown environment that sets into motion introspection and reshapes perceptions are just some of the hidden motives that appear to explain the actions of these expatriates. In conclusion, their main characteristic seems to be the search for coherence between a certain view of the world and life choices, among which expatriation plays a large part Expatriation to break from the norm Beyond a desire for professional or personal growth, the decision to live abroad can also be triggered by a need to break from one s environment. For individuals in this category, it is a way of turning the page and vesting a new, unexplored land with memories and personal connections, with a view towards personal and/or professional reconstruction. Once again, this type of expatriation can take the shape of a departure for professional reasons, but, at its core, meets a need to break away from the individual s various affiliations, whether they are passed down or created. Expatriates whose motivations are in line with this deliberate act of breaking from their personal background come for the most part from geographically stable families and, as a general rule, go abroad while single and relatively young. The choice of country is made primarily in relation to the cultural distance that the country represents in the mind of the future expatriate; the greater it is, the greater the feeling of success in the desired separation. The degree of immersion in the local culture is fairly significant; relationships are almost 33

36 exclusively with natives of the host country, and mastery of the language quickly becomes satisfying. Returns are particularly difficult when it comes to identity, and the repeat expatriate syndrome is widespread. In cases where the return is final, social networks are almost entirely rebuilt; a strong feeling of no longer finding a place in one s own country means that the expatriate sees himself demoted to the ranks of foreigners and only spends time in international environments. In contrast to the first two types of expatriation, which aim for development of professional skills and/or cross-cultural competence, this third type indicates a choice that is not logically integrated into the life path of the individuals whom it concerns. Indeed, it would almost be necessary to reexamine the primary definition of expatriation, namely as an act of leaving one s country, to understand this desire to give oneself a new point of departure, or at least to conduct a psychological and identity separation through geographic mobility Motivation explanatory key for the expatriation phenomenon If we have constructed this typology from the motivation criterion, it determines, as we have seen, behaviors while abroad and upon return, even as it is dependent on a number of factors, especially family factors. Motivation is indeed a key component of the expatriation phenomenon. The resulting typology here is obviously only a rough outline of an analysis that could be done in greater depth, but it makes it possible to gain a greater understanding of the expatriation process. The methodology that divides our analysis into three time periods (before, during, and after) is only justified by the fact that it gives us answers to the phenomenon as a whole, to this process that, in the end, can only be understood in its entirety. What role do mental constructs, the representations on which we all depend in our life choices, play in the case of expatriation? How do they influence motivations and in what way do they participate in integrating a new land and a new identity? What we can already see is that these various representations become the trigger in the acting out of the expatriation and that, moreover, they are used as a master plan for individuals actions, practices, and behaviors during and after the expatriation. 34

37 EXPATRIATION: THE RETURN ORDEAL The objective of the Expatriation Study is to better understand the characteristics of expatriates, learn what their assets are, and identify their difficulties and expectations. Among the topics broached in the responses provided in the questionnaire and during individual interviews carried out for this study, led from now on each year by Berlitz Consulting, the return from abroad in 2011 makes up its own category. The majority of expatriates speak unprompted about it as a trying experience, not to say painful, which was seen in the majority of cases as a failure to reintegrate within the company or consortium of companies. A failure and a frustration that often give rise to the desire to go abroad again as an escape. The views of participants about the return experience are certainly ones of depiction, occasionally a caricature or given while in an emotional state. Consequently, it is difficult to determine what is objective in expatriates perceptions of problems they encountered. However, it is possible to extract a number of common traits from individual paths. Three major themes stand out: the first applies to the personal experience of the return (personal in the sense of private), the second focuses on the professional experience, and last, the inner experience, reveals the deeper feelings about the return. This study should thus allow us to look in depth at the genuine stakes of the return and to suggest several possible conclusions. 1 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE UPON RETURNING FROM ABROAD On a personal level, an expatriate s return is often complicated by administrative formalities and red tape, problems with reintegration at school for families with children, difficulty readjusting to the climate, a certain awkwardness in relationships with old friends, and the worry over finding suitable housing and material living conditions similar to those he had in the host country. Although expatriation is paradoxically only rarely a guarantee of professional promotion and better pay, the life of the expatriate is generally seen as very pleasant in its day-to-day aspects (climate, food, household help, activities, trips, and acquaintances). While abroad, the expatriate generally enjoys a special living environment that he has a hard time replicating upon returning to his country: We had better housing; there was a maid who did everything: watched the children in the evening, prepared breakfast in the morning, etc. The social life was rich, we went out to dinner every other night and often took trips, at least once a month ( ) And the climate there was just ideal, it was summer year-round, a bank executive who was an expatriate in Singapore nostalgically recalls. The downgrade in material conditions and administrative problems seem to be at the core of the first return shock. Hard, unenjoyable, complicated, and frustrating are some of the words used by expatriates to describe their return experience. Even in cases where the return is preceded by a feeling of failure regarding the period of expatriation or a premature and/or poorly prepared departure, the personal experience of the return is influenced by other, more personal factors. Family cohesion plays a major role. Having gotten through the expatriation ordeal, the couple is, as a general rule, sufficiently united to face the difficulties of the return without major problems. A rapid readjustment by the children and their success in school often provides satisfaction that offsets the negative effects of the return. On the other hand, relationships with old friends, even those from childhood, are often affected, and the majority of expatriates are inclined to break away from these old friendships 35

38 in favor of new friendships established with people who also have lived abroad: It s much easier to maintain ties with people who have also experienced living abroad, says an expatriate s spouse who lived on the island of Mauritius for two years. We hit it off more with people who have traveled, confirms another expatriate due to depart for the Czech Republic. It s as if there were an invisible boundary between us. When I got back I found myself on a completely different wavelength, even with those who were among my closest friends (A French executive back from Japan) When it comes to friends, the return is a moment filled with misunderstandings and a lack of understanding, sometimes even negative sentiments like jealousy. Several years of different life experiences create a gap, even with childhood friends: I left for the Netherlands with a friend, and when we got back, I got along better with him than with my French friends who hadn t been abroad but whom I had known since I was a kid, says a petroleum industry executive currently living in the United Kingdom. Sometimes, ties are permanently severed among social and professional networks in the home country: When you re abroad, people usually socialize a lot. One of the problems with expatriation can be a lack of building social or professional networks in your own country, explains an executive of an American company that makes office furniture, due to depart for the United States after a series of expatriations in Asia and Europe. This problem seems to be the consequence of a psychological distancing that happens with expatriates, which is the result of continuous efforts to adjust to a new environment: I don t even really miss my family and it wasn t a problem for me to leave, the fact remains that I appreciate it when people come to see us, admits a young woman expatriate currently in Turkey. In certain cases, the break is even more apparent, and the feeling of distance reinforced with each new return from abroad: When I arrived, I no longer saw eye to eye at all with French people. It was even worse than the first time. Now, my friends are very international. I have a really hard time having friendships with those who are typically French. I feel like French people no longer understand me, relates a French expatriate who has been back for several years but who now wishes to have a new experience abroad. There is also a disconnect with one s inner circle: It was very strange, I had to readjust in the other direction, shares a young woman who lived abroad in the south of Italy. Another French expatriate upon returning to his country laments that now his compatriots seem to him by comparison to be always negative and arrogant and self-absorbed. External elements (family circle, friends, environment) determine only in part the personal experience: internal resources such as a desire to readjust and an ability to bounce back are essential for a successful reintegration process in one s home country. Obviously, the duration of this process varies from one individual to the next. However, in the majority of cases, even before it has been definitively accomplished, the reintegration is interrupted by the desire to go abroad again and to find oneself anew in an expatriation situation. Even if preparing for the return seems to be the best remedy against the loss of one s emotional and social bearings, few expatriates admit to having already resorted to it: This time we re preparing for our return, which we didn t do the previous times ( ) We d really like to anticipate things, says one mother due to depart for the third time. You can never be too careful about the return ( ), you need to prepare for it from the moment you leave the country. A former French expatriate who has experienced several difficult returns). 36

39 2 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE UPON RETURNING FROM ABROAD Contrary to the personal experience, most of the accounts do not mention a particularly difficult professional experience upon returning. Most often, it is professional reasons that are behind the return, but subsequently also give rise to new departures. Indeed, the life of an expatriate is above all marked by professional challenges; returning to one s country or embarking on a new experience abroad is a decision that is made according to career opportunities: There was a position in New York, one in London, and another in Paris. The most interesting one and the one that opened up first was in Paris. So I came back to Paris. ( ) Pretty soon, I wanted to get back to things that were more operational and I said to myself, I ll find it abroad instead, explains a bank executive who has already been abroad several times. In all cases, whether it is a return to one s country or a new trip abroad, moving around is most often the result of a personal decision. As much as a first expatriation happens, the majority of the time, at the behest of the company, subsequent professional moves are decided by the employee: The few leads that I ve been able to find, particularly the one that worked out, I found through personal contacts ; I expressed a desire to leave again, but I ended up looking for it myself, share two expatriates, one back in France, the other due to depart for the United States, echoing each other s sentiments. Even if the professional experience of the return is as a whole viewed positively, for certain expatriates it did not go as they had wished: The return to Paris hasn t been very easy professionally ( ) I wasn t getting what I needed out of my new position; there was a sort of barrier, and what s more, things had changed. This account from a former expatriate in Hong Kong confirms the opinion of specialists, who note that after having enjoyed a great deal of autonomy, the ex-expatriate often finds himself facing the indifference of his colleagues and penalized by networks that have changed and departments that have been reorganized. Others react by downplaying the professional effort that they have had to put forth upon returning and by comparing it to what they were able to learn while abroad regarding personnel management in a multicultural context: The return hasn t been a problem; however, what was difficult for me was to leave the people whom I had known there. While it is sometimes difficult to come back, companies themselves are not very inclined to reintegrate expatriates, underscores this bank executive who has been back for several months: There are costs involved (fares, moving expenses, housing ) that make it so that some companies may be reticent to hire people who have just been abroad. Whether it is in the context of a return to the company that sent them abroad or from the standpoint of a job search, expatriates are generally disappointed by the lack of interest others show in their experience acquired abroad. The issue of whether the skills acquired internationally will be valued most specifically affects expatriates who are looking for work and who most frequently express their disappointment on returning. Here are two accounts: When I looked for work, I was told that having worked abroad did not make any difference. The search for employment here in France is very complicated; they don t ask you about your reasons, they don t look at your people skills. I didn t want to come back at all because I found that experiences abroad did not interest my company, which was shut off from the outside world. Or this: At the Unemployment Office, none of the listings matched my profile. 37

40 They were not used to dealing with a profile like mine, there was a total disconnect. (An expatriate speaking about his return to France) Despite several bad experiences of this type, the majority of expatriates rely on their professional mobility capital built up over the years to advance their career in their home country or elsewhere. The decision to work abroad may sometimes be influenced by a strategic dimension aiming for ulterior profitability in one s home country or elsewhere, even if the return on investment does not happen right away: You have to be patient, warns an expatriate spouse who has been back from the United States for six months. For certain expatriates, notably those who have been abroad for more than ten years, the accumulation of experience and an awareness of their professional mobility capital may also be a motive in the decision to return to the home country with an idea of serving one s country : There are many things to do in my country and it would please me greatly to add my piece, shares an expatriate currently working in Sweden in the health sector. 3 INNER EXPERIENCE UPON RETURNING FROM ABROAD Bringing together the components of the personal and professional return experience, describing them, and pinpointing the aspects common among them make it possible to predict the main stakes of this phenomenon: a lack of preparation for the return and the resulting reintegration problems shared by many, followed by a desire to go abroad again; a declared wish to put one s international experience to good use, and disappointment when confronted with the reality that one s mobility capital is not always taken into account In order to be able to outline several common traits from individual feelings, let us first ask the question: What kinds of statements can we consider to be revealing about the inner experience of the return? Expatriates opinions about their personal and professional experience often take the form of concrete examples, perfectly identifiable in time and space, most often referring to material problems and practical aspects of the return. On the other hand, we have observed another register in expatriates comments, one that simultaneously covers emotional aspects and thoughts that, when put into context, make it possible to spot a number of contradictions, revealing the ambiguous connection that expatriates have with their home country and main identity. The presence of these contradictory views tells us that the complexity of the return experience, or more generally the expatriation experience, is much more significant than we think, and that a reliable analysis must take it into account What do expatriates opinions reveal about the inner experience of the return? First, we are struck by how many accounts mention difficulty in sharing one s experience abroad with those who have not lived it, a phenomenon that is not anticipated and that leads to isolation and socializing exclusively with the expatriate community: I was surprised to see that people asked me questions but, when I told them about my experience, they lost the thread. With my husband, we ve noticed this and have told ourselves that it was better to share this experience with people who had lived through the same thing as us. ( ) With them, we had the opportunity to speak again about our time abroad. 38

41 The problem is not only with the person to whom one is talking, the entire communication process seems to be compromised: I tried to find the words to explain my experience, but I didn t know how to do it. They can t feel it; it s as if there were an invisible boundary between us. When the expatriate cannot find the words to verbalize his emotions and memories and when simultaneously the expatriation context does not fulfill its referential function (since the two people speaking do not share the experience), it hardly comes as a surprise that the message recipient is not very receptive and that the verbal exchange is seen as a disappointment by both parties. It is common to be unable to find the words to convey one s experience, and not just for expatriates. Other types of displaced persons (mixed couples, immigrants) experience the same thing: When I came back, I had lost my language reflex. People would ask me a question in French and I would answer in another language. ( ) It s scary, because you come back home and yet you re forced to open a dictionary to find a word in your native language. The boundary is drawn starting with the first experience abroad, this sensation of being different that people feel vis-à-vis others who have not had the experience of living in another country. Here is how a young executive in the petroleum sector, currently in the United Kingdom, describes it, in a manner that is both strong and detached: I imagine that I experienced my return like all people who have had an experience abroad. We lived through things that people can t understand. We tried to explain, we tried to tell them, [but] they didn t experience it and they can t understand. It s as extreme as people who have lived through war. I mean, our experience can t be communicated. (An executive abroad in Great Britain) In the life of the expatriate, then, there is definitely a before and an after. It is evident in relationships with others upon returning from abroad. Nationals who have not lived abroad become, in turn, foreigners: ( ) they lost the thread, they can t feel it, there was an invisible boundary between us, ( ) they can t understand. And all this without one s own national membership necessarily being questioned: [I] come back home, a word in [my] native language. The comparison with living through war is not all that insignificant, either: allowing for the difference in degree, isn t it a sort of test of survival to be in a strange land, in situations that are often confusing, and facing people whose way of operating is unknown? Sometimes the two experiences, the expatriation and the return to one s country, are simply two sides of the same reality. Such is the case for repeat expatriates, for whom life is just an alternating cycle of departures and returns: The thing that is always strange is closing the door on an empty apartment. I left, and I left the apartment. Now, upon arriving, I go into an empty apartment and life begins again. After a while, we get our bearings, we get settled in the country, we meet people, and we start to think about the differences, to see what s better, what s not as good. Then there are things we have to accept, there are day-to-day things that we re going to find annoying in comparison to our own culture, and then, on the other hand, when our experience is over, everything is reversed. We see our friends again, our family, it s much easier, and then there are things that are annoying because we start to compare with the situation from before. A string of experiences abroad and returns to one s country can become an escape from the problems of reintegration and a necessity for staying balanced: When I m abroad, I m happy, but when I come back, I feel a certain satisfaction. ( ) then, when I have been here for a while, I m happy to go abroad again. This cycle suits me well, explains an expatriate from a German company currently in Thailand. 39

42 Starting over, with a new blank page that we turn to, is a real challenge. (An expatriate who has experienced return shock several times) Ambiguous relationships are often established between expatriates and their countries. This is particularly noticeable with France: critical of its educational system among other things, French expatriates are yet willing to come back to give their children a French education or to leave children already in French schools in France while they go abroad but, on the other hand, they are rather intolerant of, or even insulting towards, French society: a) I prefer not to think about the return. b) Even though I m really enjoying myself abroad, I still want to go back. c) If I have to go back to France, it will be a source of frustration. ( ) And if it doesn t happen [staying abroad], I won t be disappointed. d) I don t intend to go back to France for the time being. e) After two years, I felt the need to come back. f) This cycle [of going back and leaving again] suits me well. ( ) I know that I will eventually come back to France After the return? What we can say about the return experience in the home country is that it is a veritable second expatriation, a second culture shock. A jarring of one s identity so profound that the individual is unable to find his place again and, quite often, ends up forever on the move. Identity and country: two complementary notions that explain the idea of once an expatriate, always an expatriate that we see in the majority of interviews, and notions that characterize any type of mobile population but that take on a rather particular dimension for expatriates. Indeed, despite numerous similarities (feeling of being disconnected, loss of the language reflex, difficulty in establishing new friendships), expatriates choose not to live in this space between that is so characteristic of other mobile populations. The profound upheaval felt upon returning from the first expatriation leads, indeed, to a desire to experience other countries where the ability to adjust will again be severely tested. By continually updating the territorial aspect of his existence, the expatriate seeks to remake himself without ever being able to return to the home to which he so deeply longs. The space between, then, turns into mobility capital, an asset of which we have a hard time depriving ourselves, and also a means to offset the shifts in identity that living abroad brings about. Feeding off past experiences, it continues to encourage future experiences and makes the transient nature of the expatriation obsolete. 40

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44 42 NOTES

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46 We would first like to thank all our partners, who have greatly contributed to this study, especially: Claude MULSANT - Cercle Magellan Anne- Laure BUDIN - Cercle Magellan Gillles LOCKHART - L Expansion Virginie MATRAT - L Expansion Antoine - L Expansion Christophe BOURUET - BVA Caroline De BRANCHE - BVA Estaban PRATVIEL - BVA André LAURENT - INSEAD Nathalie BOURDIN GAZAL - EuRA Tad ZURLINDEN - EuRA Dominic TIDEY EuRA We would also like to thank: Yukako UCHINAGA, President & CEO Berlitz International, Inc. Vice Chairman Benesse Corporation Tadashi OKAMURA, Director of Strategy & PR/Communications Berlitz Corporation Marc VERGER - PDG Berlitz France Keiko HARADA - Berlitz Corp Linh HOANG - Berlitz Corp James DAY - Berlitz Corp Myriam HAMEZ SPY - Berlitz Gail CODY GUNTZ - Berlitz Asja PROHIC - Paris V Alain LOUYOT - Journalist Prix Albert Londres Corinne ROBERT - Noir sur Blanc And of course, we also thank all the expatriates who agreed to be interviewed and participate in this study. Relocation companies: INEXPAT - Cosmopolitan Services Unlimited - Ad Verbum - All Denmark Relocation - Clapham Gmbh Relocation Service - In Touch Relocations - Aef.info - Classe Export Focus RH - Newzy - France Expatrié - UFE - Travailler en Suisse - Dualexpat Dubai Madame - Expat Blog

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48 Contact : Berlitz Consulting 38 Avenue de l'opéra Paris Tel: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0) berlitzconsulting@berlitz.fr What trace would you like to leave? SeeYouSoonOnTheMoon 2011