n your opinion, what are the FIVE most important competencies for managing internationally in your country for these four department managers? You will need to justify your answer as there are more than five competencies needed in managing differences abroad. Also consider the countries of origin of the four managers in your answer. Managing abroad is challenging and living there with the family in a different culture is difficult. ‘Green Appeal Products’ has signed a contract with a company from my country name ‘khan Brothers’.
To establish GAP in my country, the management sent four managers and they are specialist in their own area of work. These managers are experienced as an expatriate before in another country. They will stay next two years with their family in Australia until the new venture established. The managers from UK will look after operations and product design side and French managers will look after marketing/sales and human resource side. Interpersonal skills: Interpersonal skills consign the ability to manage within business organisation through social communication and interactions.
By sharing knowledge and culture a manager can easily establish a good relationship and trust which will help them to reduce stressful uncertainties surrounding both work and personal life (Schneider 2003; Barsoux 2003). To succeed in global marketplace, they need specific attitudes and skills that enable effective and wise use of their knowledge and experience. Limited time (2 years) and strong task orientation can interfere with building relationships and trust. Manager should ask for feedback and suggestion to their employee and with that employee feel important and part of the project.
By managing people effectively these managers can make this venture profitable and fun place to work. The culture in Australia is welcoming and easy to adapt. The managers have to self motivated, energetic, enthusiastic in their work. Peoples speak English in Australia and that’s why British managers can easily set their target. They will get the advantage to motivate their employee. French managers might be struggling to adjust with new cultural country but they do know how to speak English. So they can organise themselves by their managing power and passion about work.
They have to show their eagerness to communicate and contact with the people. Motivation to work and live abroad: This is one of the key ingredients to be successful for the project. Managers and their family will live in a foreign country, so it’s important how they adjust themselves in different culture. GAP selected these managers on their interest to know other culture, strong home record of managing and motivating people and ready to take a new challenge (Schneider 2003; Barsoux 2003). They have to be confident, self motivated and strong ability to handle stress which will inspire them to finish the job successfully.
Ability to tolerate and cope with uncertainty: According to Schneider and Barsoux (2003), managers need to strong ability to cope with uncertainty and ambiguity to control any unexpected situation. The behaviour and reactions from local employee are unpredictable and as international manager they have to deal with mixed group of individuals at the same time. So they have to be flexible and it could be in decision making as well. Because GAP is a team oriented company. Cultural empathy: Schneider and Barsoux (2003) states that respecting the behaviour and ideas of others requires empathy.
Some managers easily understand and appreciate the feeling and experience of others. GAP’s managers have to understand the culture, peoples belief and importance others opinion. By respecting the culture they can also know about other company’s strategy and marketing policy. For example- peoples likes Rugby, cricket match in Australia. So it’s easier for the managers to communicate with the local people in the match day. Sense of humour: Humour is significant in human life and career advancement. It helps a manager in two ways: coping mechanism and relationship building.
Managers has to keep in mind these humours are depends on the culture as well. Humour can work proactively to build a relationship in a different situation. As an international manager they will face some unfamiliar environment and uncertainty in Australia but humour helps them to buffer their frustration. It is the key to reinforce the power distance and the tool of diplomacy. It opened the door to more frankness and less ritualized recitations (Schneider 2003; Barsoux 2003). As team oriented company GAP manager should make their work environment friendly and open to all.