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    The Floundering Expatriate

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    Abhishek Jain
    The document presents a case study about Bert Donaldson, an American expatriate struggling in his role as CEO of Argos Diesel Europe. There are issues with culture, communication, and leadership. Donaldson lacks cultural awareness of European business practices and is unable to adapt. He does not speak the local languages or understand the various European subcultures. Both Donaldson and his supervisor Frank Waterhouse contribute to problems. The case discusses solutions like providing cultural training to Donaldson and improving communication between European and American offices.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    The Floundering Expatriate

    Uploaded by

    Abhishek Jain
    288 views14 pages
    The document presents a case study about Bert Donaldson, an American expatriate struggling in his role as CEO of Argos Diesel Europe. There are issues with culture, communication, and leadership. Donaldson lacks cultural awareness of European business practices and is unable to adapt. He does not speak the local languages or understand the various European subcultures. Both Donaldson and his supervisor Frank Waterhouse contribute to problems. The case discusses solutions like providing cultural training to Donaldson and improving communication between European and American offices.

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    85018711 the Floundering Expatriate

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    The document presents a case study about Bert Donaldson, an American expatriate struggling in his role as CEO of Argos Diesel Europe. There are issues with culture, communication, and leadership. Donaldson lacks cultural awareness of European business practices and is unable to adapt. He does not speak the local languages or understand the various European subcultures. Both Donaldson and his supervisor Frank Waterhouse contribute to problems. The case discusses solutions like providing cultural training to Donaldson and improving communication between European and American offices.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    288 views14 pages

    The Floundering Expatriate

    Uploaded by

    Abhishek Jain
    The document presents a case study about Bert Donaldson, an American expatriate struggling in his role as CEO of Argos Diesel Europe. There are issues with culture, communication, and leadership. Donaldson lacks cultural awareness of European business practices and is unable to adapt. He does not speak the local languages or understand the various European subcultures. Both Donaldson and his supervisor Frank Waterhouse contribute to problems. The case discusses solutions like providing cultural training to Donaldson and improving communication between European and American offices.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 14

    The Floundering Expatriate

    Case Study Presentation



    Case Presentation By: Siraj Kureshi, Anil Kumar, Mayank Verma, Nishant Raj
    Introduction
    Characters in case:
    Argos International's CEO and chairman, Bill Loun.
    Frank Waterhouse, CEO of Argos Diesel, Europe.
    Bert Donaldson faces the company's European
    managers--executives of the parts suppliers that Argos
    has acquired over the past two years.
    Frau Schweri, Donaldsons assistant and Frau Lindt,
    Waterhouses assistant.
    Sauras, the Spanish director. Maurizio, the director in
    Rome.
    Paul Janssen, vice president of human resources for
    Argos Europe.
    Introduction
    At present the organization is not fully utilizing the
    resources which it possess.
    Donaldson does not have the ability to speak to write in
    any European language, yet his Personal Assistant does.
    Frank Waterhouse is disappointed with Donaldsons
    performance.
    Donaldsons was a well known performer in Detroit head
    office.
    There are lot of directors from various region facing
    problem in working with Donaldson.
    Waterhouse is worried about the completion of
    assignment in Europe.

    Problem In Case
    There are three major issues at the heart of the problems
    of the organization- culture, communication and
    leadership and motivation.
    Donaldson is not the only one guilty of causing problems
    in the Zurich office. Frank Waterhouse has also added to
    the woes of the company.
    Problems In case
    Cultural Differences-
    Bert Donaldson has a lack of cultural savvy and sensitivity.
    Ethnocentrism- Donaldson assumes the way he has been taught to
    perform a task is the best way of performing that task and is averse to
    listening to other ways of achieving results.
    Ignorance of sub-cultures- Donaldson has also failed to consider
    that within the confines of the European culture and even within the Swiss
    culture, differing sub-cultures exist.
    Problem In case
    Inability to Adjust- Donaldsons wife is distressed and
    Donaldsons daughter is failing school.
    Individualism- Waterhouse had been enthusiastic. Donaldson could
    help him reach the top.
    Masculinity- European workers are concerned with Donaldson working
    late. Workers in Germany would be happy with him saying what he has to
    and then leaving, while workers in Portugal would prefer a long lasting
    conversation.
    Relates to the degree of masculine values - assertiveness, materialism, and a lack of concern for others.
    Problem In Case
    Communication- managers have failed to adapt their skills to new
    cultures. Again, Donaldson is not the only culprit, Bill Loun, CEO and
    Chairman of Argos International also has communication problems.
    Paralanguage- the conversation between Waterhouse and Loun, when
    Louns voice boomed down the phone line.
    High vs. Low Context- Donaldsons lack of cultural awareness has
    caused problems for him, this time based on the context of the
    communication.
    Lack of communication between United States and Zurich
    Offices- there seems to be no communication between the United
    States Headquarters and Donaldson, and only very little between
    them and Waterhouse.
    Low Context cultures use formal, direct communication that is verbally expressed.
    High Context cultures use extensive nonverbal information to convey the message: cues, gestures, and facial expressions.

    Problems In case
    Leadership and Motivation- from the evidence provided in the
    case Donaldson is not good leader.
    - Donaldson has no idea of best practice ways of doing
    things in Europe.
    - Donaldson has not been able to adapt his approach so as
    to more suitably fit the European environment.
    - Donaldson being an ineffective leader, and have
    contributed to his inability to motivate his employees.
    Solutions
    Solutions to problems with Donaldson
    - International Management Studies. an awareness of European
    culture and what is expected of a manager in a European context.
    - Send Donaldson Home. Send Donaldson back to the US without
    completing his duties and replace him with a European, who would be
    more adept in the handling of European cultural issues.
    - Use Waterhouse to train Donaldson.
    - Increase reliance on personal assistant or liaisons.
    - Local Mentor and Support Groups.
    Solutions
    Solutions to problems with Waterhouse.
    - Seminars to teach Waterhouse. In this case that Waterhouses
    preoccupation with his personal well being is hindering both the company
    and Donaldsons progression.
    - Send Waterhouse back to the United States. Waterhouse
    back to the United States during the first year of his second, three year
    contract is a drastic measure, the company cannot afford to employ a
    manager who is solely devoting his time to three projects and letting the
    internal culture of the firm diminish.

    Solutions
    Solutions to problems with Loun.
    - Accompany Waterhouse to Seminars. By suggesting that Loun
    accompany Waterhouse to the management seminars it will give him a
    chance to refresh management ideas and communication skills.
    - Schedule meetings between the United States and
    Europe. By ensuring communication lines are open with Donaldson,
    Loun will be able to make sure that he has settled properly.

    Recommendations & Conclusion
    International Management Studies.
    Schedule Meetings between the United States and
    Europe.
    Seminars to teach Waterhouse.
    Increase reliance on Personal Assistant
    Final Thought
    Human Resource Management practices vary across
    borders.
    Both home-country and host-country economic, social,
    cultural, political, and legal factors influence and
    constrain HR functions.
    Corporate strategies guide and determine how HR works
    in an organization.
    Global experience and good knowledge of IHR can
    enhance ones career as a successful manager whether
    one works at the home-country headquarters or
    overseas.
    Thank You!
    Ques & Ans ?

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