Training Global Managers to Prepare and Train Expatriates for More Efficiency and Effectiveness

While many employees have become expatriates and traveled thousands of miles to represent their companies and organizations in overseas ventures and start-up new locations, a common problem experienced by many is the lack of proper training and preparation. The cause for this ill-preparation or training can be linked to many different causes, but the aim of this paper will be to focus on what can be done to break down the barriers of miscommunication or improper training (or lack of it) in order to help prepare and training global managers to better prepare their expatriate staff or better efficiency and effectiveness. The paper will examine the past and current ways expatriates have been recruited, selected, and trained for overseas placement. Then there will be a focus on what happens to the expatriate once he or she is overseas and the role and function of the global manager. Finally, the last segment of this paper will look at how expatriates deal with the process of repatriation and if it is effective or note. While some organizations have developed best practices in this area, not all organizations take the time to benchmark what other organizations have been doing to better prepare expatriates and global managers in these areas.