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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

Case:BrittanyMiller:InternationalAssignment

Internationalmarketsarebecomingincreasinglyimportanttosuccessforevensmall
andmediumcompanies.Globalizationhasopeneddoortoawiderrangeofoptionsof
employmentforworkersindifferentcountriesaroundtheworld.Moreandmoreworkers
aredecidingtoworkandliveinaforeigncountry.Withpotentialjobopportunitieslacking
athome,careersinemergingmarketslookveryattractive.
Inordertobesuccessfulinforeignmarkets,Internationalcompanies(ICs)must
haveverystrategicprocesseswhenstaffingpositions.Althoughmanyemployeesarehired
inthehostcountry,internationalcompaniescontinuetosendemployeesonforeign
assignments.Usuallykeypositionsarestaffedwithexpatriates,employeeswhoare
relocatedtothehostcountryfromthehomecountrywiththeassignmentlastingforan
extendedperiodoftime,anywherefromtwotofiveyears.About80percentofmedium
andlargecompanieshaveemployeesworkingabroad.Theaverageoftheexpatsisgetting
somewhatyounger,with54percentnowbeingbetween20and39yearsold.Also,the
percentageoffemaleexpatriateshasincreasedfrom15percentto21percentofallexpats.
Whenmakingthedecisiontotakeajobopportunityabroad,theexpatriateshould
takemanyfactorsintoconsideration.Someofthesekeypointsarefamily,whethertheyare
comingalongorstayingbackhome.Itissuggestedthat9out10expatriatesfailuresare
familyrelated.Spousesintwocareerfamilies,about82percentofexpatspouseshave
universitydegreesinthehomecountry.However,theymayormaynothavelegalrightsto

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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

workinthehostcountry.Anotherimportantfactorischildrenifany,willtheybeableto
adjusttothechangesandtotheculture?Thelanguage,costofliving,compensation,and
benefitsareotherfactorsthatanexpathavetoasseswhenmakingadecision.
Inthebook,wehavethecaseofBrittanyMiller,a37yearoldmanagerwith
TechtonicsInternational.Herbosshasofferedheranopportunitytobecomethemanagerin
chargeofestablishingthecompanysnewofficefortheEastAsiaRegion.However,taking
thejobmeansthatshewouldhavetorelocatetoShanghai,China.Sheismarriedtoa
successfulaccountantandhastwochildren,ages5and8.Inordertomakeadecision,
Brittanyshouldlookhowthemovewouldaffectherentirefamilyshorttermandinthe
longtermeffects.
ThecostoflivinginChinaisoveralllowerthanlivinginAmerica,butthecostof
livinginLosAngeles,whereBrittanyandherfamilylive,ishigherthanShanghai.Thisis
statedbythegraphbelow.EventhoughthecostoflivingislowerinChina,itisincreasing
everyyear.

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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

Belowaresomeapproximatecostsofrentandthepriceofanapartmentinthecity.

Thefoodpricesareasfollows.

Thereareotherissuestodecidewhenmovingtoadifferentcity,thisincludesthe
qualityoflife.AccordingtoLivinginShanghai,Shanghaistruggleswithenvironmental
problemslike
smog,waterpollution,andnoise,aswellasoverpopulation,trafficjams,and
ahousingshortage(InterNations).Brittanywouldalsohavetotakeintoconsiderationhow
thephysicalenvironmentwouldaffectherfamilyshealth.AccordingtotheOSACreport,
Shanghaiisarelativelysafecity.Ofcoursetherearepettycrimesbutoverallthecrimerate
islow.

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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

Shanghaiisknownallovertheworldforitsgreateducationsystem.Theytake
educationveryseriouslythismightbeachangefromLosAngelespublicschools,where
childrengotoschoolandsocializewithfriendsandcaremoreabouthavingfunthan
strictlylearning.
BecauseShanghaihasanexcellenteducationsystem,Brittneyschildrenwould
havetheopportunitytoexperiencelifeinShanghai.Sincethechildrenareyoung,they
wouldhavethechancetointegratethemselvesintotheChinesecultureandlearnthe
language.AccordingtoEducationinShanghai,thereare20internationalschoolsthatthe
expatchildrencanpossibilityattendfromkindergartentohighschool.Theeducation
curriculumistaughtinEnglishbutcanstillbeimmersedintotheculture.Whileattending
theseinternationalschools,SusanandJerryJr.wouldbeabletomeetkidsfromall
differentcountries.Therefore,theywouldbeexposedtonotonlyShanghaisculturebut
alsogaingreaterinsightsaboutothercultures.SusanandJerryJr.wouldalsobecome
excellentproblemsolversastheywouldhavetofaceachangeoflifestyleandlearnto
adapttolifeinShanghai.However,Brittanyskidswouldexperiencealackofbelonging.
ThekidswouldhavetolearntoassociatethemselvesasAmericanslivinginShanghaior
ThirdCulturekids.AccordingtoThirdCulturekids:expatriatechildren,thesimple
questionofwhereareyoufrom?cansometimesleavekidsconfusedaboutwherethey
belongsincetheywouldnothavegrownuppermanentlyintheU.S.AlthoughShanghai
hasanexcellenteducationsystem,ifthekidsweretogrowupandgotocollegetheywould
wanttoattendaU.Sinstitution.U.Saccrediteduniversitiesareindemandoverseasin

Group9
LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

countriessuchasChina,India,andAfrica.Whichiswhytherearesomanystudentswho
comefromtheseplacestostudyschoolinAmerica.
MovingtoShanghaifromtheUnitedStateswoulddefinitelytakesome
adjustments,butBrittanysfamilywouldbecomeaccustomedtotheculture.Brittanyand
herfamilycouldbeginbytakingsomeclassesontheMandarinlanguagepriortomoving
there.Theseclasseswouldallowherfamilytolearnsomebasicwordsthatareusefulin
everydaylife.Uponthemovetheywouldnaturallylearnthelanguageduetoprogressive
useofthelanguage.AlthoughmajorityofthepeopleinShanghaispeakMandarin,the
peopleofShanghaidohavetheirowndialectcalledShanghainese,whichisstillspokenby
olderlocals.WiththisinminditispossibleBrittanymightfacealanguagebarrierwhenit
comestocommunicatingtotheeldersofthecompany.Alongwithlearninganew
language,Brittanywouldhavetobecomeawareoftheculturaldifferencesinregardsto
bodylanguageandgestures.Forstarters,somegesturesthatareconsideredfriendlyor
affectionateinourWesternculturetranslatesasrudebehaviorinChina.Brittanyshould
refrainfromhuggingorgivingpatsonthebacktoanyofhercoworkers,althoughthis
mightbenormalinwesternculture,thephysicalcontactisseenasuncomfortablebythe
chinese.Chineseculturestressestheuseofbothhandwhileperformingtasks.Asagesture
ofpolitenessitimportantthatBrittanyusesbothhandswhilepresentingorreceiving
something.Brittanyisalsogoingtohavetobuildupheralcoholtoleranceifshewantsto
makeagoodimpressionthepeopleofhercompany.TheChineseareheavydrinkersand
takeoffenseifsomeonedoesnotfollowsuit.Itisbestforhertomirrortheiractions,ifthey
lifttheirglassestodrink,sheshouldalso.

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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

Brittanywouldalsohavetoconsiderhowherhusbandwouldrespondtothe
proposition.Ifsheweretotakethejobandmove,herhusbandwouldhavetoleavehisjob
andbasicallyrelocate.Brittanyshoulddiscusswithherbossifthecompanycanprovide
herhusbandassistanceinfindingemploymentinShanghai.Accordingto
Shanghaiata
Glance
,itcanbedifficulttogetajobinShanghaiifyoudonothavepersonalnetworksin
China.Brittneyshusbandwouldprobablybemoreflexibleifheknewhewouldhaveajob
alsowaitingforhimaswell.Oneofthedisadvantagesisthatinmostcompaniesin
Shanghai,alevelofmandarinchineseisstronglydesirablewhichcouldlimittheamountof
opportunitiesthatMr.Millercouldhave.
Overall,thebestdecisionforMrs.Millerwouldbetorelocateandacceptthis
wonderfulopportunity.Therearebothprosandconstothisdecisionhoweverthe
advantagescertainlyovercometheunfavorableconditions.ThisoffermayleadBrittany
andherfamilytovariousopportunitieselsewhere.Byacceptingthisopportunityand
receivingexperienceasthemanagerofaupandcomingcompanyinChinathiswould
definitelyappeargreatlyonherresumeifnotcomfortablewiththisposition.Aswiththe
family,thehusbandismorethanlikelytobeabletolocateajobinthisnewlocation.Since
thechildrenareofyoungage,thiswillleadtoafasteradaptationtothenewcultureand
environment.Finally,thefamilywillcertainlybefinanciallystableastothefactthatthe
costoflivinginChinaisfairlylowerthanthatofLosAngeles.
Formanyhundredsofyears,womenhavestrivedforgainingequalitywithmen.
Theyhavebeenheldbackandtheiropportunitiestakenawayfromthembecauseofthefact
thattheywerewomen.Feminismisthebeliefinsocial,political,andeconomicequalityof

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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

thesexes.
TheopportunityforBrittanytomovetoShanghaimayaffectherfamily,butthis
isanopportunitythatmayonlycomeonceinalifetime.InShanghaitherewillbemany
difficultiesandchallengesthatBrittanysfamilywillhavetoovercomebuttheendresult
wouldmakeitallworthit.BrittanycangoontoliveoutherdreamoflivinginChinaand
exploringtheworldanddifferentculture.Shewillalsobeabletobecomealeaderinthe
workforceforherupandcomingcompanyaswellasbearolemodelforfemalesinChina.

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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

WorksCited

"Blog."
DoTheyEvenSpeakMandarininShanghai?
N.p.,n.d.Web.15Apr.
2015.
<http://www.studychineseinchina.com/community/blog/40howtolearnchinese
/516dotheyevenspeakmandarininshanghai#.VS3llEuAZg0>.

"China2014CrimeandSafetyReport:Shanghai."
China2014CrimeandSafety
Report:Shanghai
.N.p.,18July2014.Web.15Apr.2015.
<https://www.osac.gov/pages/ContentReportDetails.aspx?cid=16023>.

"CostofLivingComparisonBetweenShanghaiandLos+Angeles,+CA."
Cost
ofLivingComparisonBetweenShanghai,ChinaAndLos+Angeles,+CA,
United+States
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Apr.2015.
<http://www.numbeo.com/costofliving/compare_cities.jsp?country1=China&c
ountry2=United%2BStates&city1=Shanghai&city2=Los%2BAngeles%2C%2B
CA>.

"EducationinShanghai."
EducationinShanghai
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Apr.2015.
<http://www.shanghai.gov.cn/shanghai/node27118/node27880/u22ai65366.html
>.

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LizzethA,SherylC,DaisyV,BinarF,FarhaatA,KimG

Larsen,John,andDianeLarsen."ThirdCultureKids:ExpatriateChildren."
ChristianMissions:ThirdCultureKids
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Apr.2015.
<http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/tck.htm>.

"LivinginShanghai."
LivinginShanghai
.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Apr.2015.
<http://www.internations.org/shanghaiexpats/guide/livinginshanghai15424>.
"ProsandConsofMovingtoShanghai."
ExpatArrivals
.N.p.,2014.Web.15
Apr.2015.<http://www.expatarrivals.com/china/shanghai/prosandconsofmovi
ngtoshanghai>.Xueqin01,Jiang.

"HowShanghaiSchoolsBeatThemAll."
TheDiplomat
.N.p.,01Aug.2011.
Web.15Apr.2015.
<http://thediplomat.com/2011/08/howshanghaischoolsbeatthemall/>.