Skills and knowledge in cross-cultural communication are important for both personal advancements and professional business management. The ability to relate with people of different ethnic, demographic, religion and economic backgrounds translates to a healthy business environment. In the present day, there has been great developments in the global communication channels making cultural sharing and amalgamation a reality. The use of technological gadgets for information sharing and learning has led to the bridging of many cultural gaps that have existed for many years. However, it comes without say that communication across cultures comes with many drawbacks. First, language barrier may precede a cultural exchange making the flow of information difficult. In response to this, an individual should remain composed, calm and avoid aggression. Expatriate families, which are composed of individuals who migrate and work in a foreign land, need the cross- cultural communication skills for survival on the new land. These families can reside either permanently or temporarily in their new country far from their homeland.An exploration of the challenges faced during a cross-cultural exchange and how they affect families living in foreign countries together with their management of these backdrops is essential. This paper focuses on case 8, which describes the expatriate life of MacDougall Lachlan Lisa.
Summary of the Case
The family Of MacDougall is composed of multinationals, Lachlan and his wife Lisa. Initially, this family used to live in Philadelphia, in the United States of America where Lachlan enjoyed the benefit of working in a society that was highly capitalized and individualistic. The vast experience in in cooperate management had allowed Lachlan acumen and competency in his professional environment. This thus enabled the family to transcend the cultural barriers and gain the flexibility to work in foreign countries (Meyer, 2016).
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Lachlan getsan offer of a job in Singapore they move with his wife and two children. He establishes himself in the business markets and starts to amass wealth in the foreign land. For the fear of being getting the label of a trailing spouse, Lisa finds herself a job after ten years of stay in Singapore. She develops her career well with the aim of settling down. Lisa and her family also acquire permanent residency in Singapore, buy themselves a house to call home of their own and take their kids to school to earn an education. In the midst of all this, the company that Lachlan works with assigns him a mission, which requires him to move to China. Although Lachlan and wife are accustomed expatriates, they find the decision of abandoning their home and leaving for China very challenging (Meyer, 2016)
First, the family would incur financial costs in transferring their residency to a new country. This would even be more difficult considering the fact that they had settled permanently in Singapore. Secondly, in consideration that their children Amelia and Emily had already started school and became assimilated into the culture in Singapore. Changing schools for these kids was an eminent drawback since the kids would need one of the very best institutions. The kids would also need to adjust culturally in terms of language, their feeding habits, and their social circles in order to in order to adapt to the new environment. Psychological impacts of the migration may also bring with them loneliness and depression due to inability to form new friendships as it may happen in a culture block (Meyer, 2016).
Reasons Why I Chose This Case
I chose this case because it is interesting and focuses on an issue that many families suffer in the contemporary society. In the face of modernization, there is an increased need to explore the global sharing of work force through establishment of expatriate families. Lachlan and Lisa are hardworking and initially find it interesting and adventurous working in different locations as they travel around the world. As their family grows and the need for a permanent settlement their priorities shift. The challenge of that this couple faces in trying to balance the maintenance of their income against the need to offer their kids a stable family life is intriguing. Such struggles that this family undergoes through are quite educative to the modern couples who may have the desire to venture into becomingmultinationals. I chose this case because it presents the classical examples of challenges that such a couple may encounter.
Answers to Questions
Lisa and her husband have diverse cultural experiences and competencies in their work hence this makes them unique in the way they display their performance in the intercultural surroundings. This makes them suitable for a multinational organization.
On a reflecting on Lisa’s journey of being a spouse career trail, I would learn more languages, and diversify my work skills in order to tackle the problem she faces in this journey differently. I would also broaden my perspective on life’s issues and challenges to be able to combat them in a more informed manner.
If Amelia and Emily encounter another move after Shanghai, they may later develop lack of cultural identity, difficulties in forming and maintaining relationships and poor decision-making.
The problem that international mobility has posed to the MacDougall’s marriage is that Lisa has always had to play the role of a trailing spouse and she has had to move together with the husband in order to maintain the relationship. As their globetrotting continues, however, she becomes used to her husband’s job status and welcomes the ideas of moving until their last offer to China.
Conclusion
In conclusion, expatriate families have to undergo many challenges when either or both of the spouses gets a foreign assignment. There is the dilemma of moving to a new country with a better job offer and start a fresh life versus the need to maintain the old home for the sake of the children and other dependents. Cultural barriers, deprivation of the educational needs for the children and psychological implications obtained through constant change of jobs across countries are some of these challenges.
References
Meyer K. & Peng M. (2016). International Business. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.
PoelmansS. (2005). Work and Family: An International Research Perspective. Millan: Psychology Press.
Makela L. &Suutari V. (2015). Work and Family Interface in the International Career Context. New York, NY: Springer.
