Question

Try to think of international opportunities that would be attractive to recent college graduates. What would they be? What does the research suggest about the problems with expatriate attrition, performance and difficulties in repatriation and how would you recommend Marriott approach these challenges?

Answer 1

Expatriate: Expat is a person who is temporarily or permanently residing in a country other than home country. The term is often used to describe skilled workers, artists working in other countries.

Opportunities for Expat:

Now a days many companies try to establish their businesses out of their home country for the sake of growing business. This provide many opportunities for employees as companies send them to different part of the world to establish business. There are many benefits of being expat, few of them are listed below

1. High compensation: Generally expats are paid well for their jobs. They are also provided with host of benefits like car allowances, housing allowances etc. this helps expats to earn more then what they earn in home country.
2. Exposure: People working in different country are exposed to working culture of host country, this becomes handy as this provides boost for their career for future.

Challenges for expat:

1. Work culture: Generally work culture would be different in host country, this creates severe problems for expat. Expats have to adopt to new work culture quickly.
2. Language: Language is the biggest barrier for expats to get with locals
3. Family problems: Family members of expat face difficulty in adopting to social environment of the host country.
4. Isolation in workplace: There are changes that local employees might not get together with expat which results in isolation of expat in work place.

Difficulties in Repatriation:

There are many challenges in repatriation; few of them are listed below

1. Isolation in workplace: There are changes that local employees might not get together with expat which results in isolation of expat in work place.
2. Changes in home workplace: there might be many changes in home workplace since you left country. This might create some problem for readoption.
3. Unrealistic lifestyle in home: If expat has spent much of his life in western country and comes back to home countries located in Africa or asia, he might face lifestyle issue.
4. Social relationship with friends and family: Expat might face problem with friends and relation as their relationship might have changed.

Recommendations:

1. Marriott should provide pre entry training for expats regarding change in work environment.
2. Marriott should help in relocation of expat to his home country by providing relocation cost.
3. Marriott should send expat on leave for 2 to 3 weeks to get adjusted with friends and family.