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The Influence of Pre-departure Training on Expatriate Adjustment: An Empirical Investigation with Portuguese International Assignees

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International Human Resources Management

Part of the book series: Management and Industrial Engineering ((MINEN))

Abstract

This chapter examines the cross-cultural influence of training on the adjustment of international assignees. We focus on the pre-departure training (PDT) before an international assignment. It is an important topic because in the globalized world of today more and more expatriations are needed. The absence of PDT may generate the failure of the expatriation experience. Companies may neglect PDT due to cost reduction practices and ignorance of the need for it. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews to 42 Portuguese international assignees and 18 organizational representatives from nine Portuguese companies. The results suggest that companies should develop PDT programs, particularly when the cultural distance to the host country is bigger and when there is no previous experience of expatriation to that country in the company. The study is original because it details in depth the methods of PDT, its problems, and consequences. Some limitations linked to the research design and detailed in the conclusion should be overcome in future studies.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ESEIG, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, 4480-876, Vila do Conde, Portugal

    Dora Martins

  2. Unit Research, GOVCOPP, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Dora Martins & Eduardo Tomé

  3. Universidade Europeia, 1500-200, Lisbon, Portugal

    Eduardo Tomé

Authors
  1. Dora Martins
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  2. Eduardo Tomé
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Correspondence to Dora Martins .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Management School of Economics and Management, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

    Carolina Machado

Appendix 1. Questions for Interviewees

Appendix 1. Questions for Interviewees

  1. (a)

    Guide of the interview to the Organizational Representative

    • How long have you been carrying out international assignments?

    • How many expatriates do you have?

    • How long have you been carrying out repatriations?

    • Average duration of an international assignment?

    • Country/ies of destination?

    • What kind of PDT support there is?

    • How is the adjustment process of their expatriates (host country and host company)?

  2. (b)

    Guide of the interview to the international assignees

    • Duration of the international assignment?

    • Country/ies of destination? (Did you know it on a personal or professional level)?

    • Does the expatriate go alone or with company? (Who accompanied him/her)?

    • Was the international assignment fulfilled to the end?

    • What function/activities/tasks did you perform during that international assignment? (Where they identical, better, or worse than those you already performed before going)?

    • What kind of PDT support you beneficiated?

    • How was your adjustment process (host country and host company)?

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Martins, D., Tomé, E. (2015). The Influence of Pre-departure Training on Expatriate Adjustment: An Empirical Investigation with Portuguese International Assignees. In: Machado, C. (eds) International Human Resources Management. Management and Industrial Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15308-7_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15308-7_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-15307-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-15308-7

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