Question

1. Do you think that Samuel is unfair in portraying the company as largely responsible for his failure? Using psychological insight to understand Samuel’s personal “crisis”, explain your viewpoint.
2. How could an executive development training program to staff international offices improve Focus Pointe’s relocation process?

Answer 1

Do you think that Samuel is unfair in portraying the company as largely responsible for his failure? Using psychological insight to understand Samuel’s personal “crisis”, explain your viewpoint.

Student’s answers should reflect the awareness that HR management must balance the needs of the company with those of the employee. Opinions may be based on whether or not Samuel took full advantage of the employee training program, on the length of time he was given to prepare, on whether he was made aware of all the support available to him; on how good the communication was between Samuel and the corporate office in New York; or on any of the other circumstances in this case. Some students may feel that Samuel should have given his relocation a longer trial. Perhaps he has yielded to family pressure to leave France against his own wishes, and is feeling guilty and defensive. All of the reasons given for his early return are personal; none are professional. Students may agree with Paul Fiolek, VP of Human Resources at Bertelsman that the company has been more than generous to Samuel, taking into account that it was he who asked to be let out of his contract.

How could an executive development training program to staff international offices improve Focus Pointe’s relocation process?

An executive training development program needs to be carefully planned to suit the needs of the business it will serve. Basic features of such a program would include education about cultural differences and the impact of these differences on business outcomes. Properly honed international management development strategies would eventually provide Focus Pointe with a pool of international managers, who in turn might form close ties to colleagues around the world.   Strategies may be as simple as cross-cultural training on the Internet or as complex as rotating foreign assignments and instituting a venue for ongoing training and development in all overseas offices.