Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,
The toughest
dilemma for a returning expat
Cultural
difference often gives challenges to returnees from a foreign country. Teaching
style is one. In many countries especially in Asia, listening to the teacher,
taking notes, memorizing things and taking exams still seem to be the most
common style at school, while western education requires participation and
contribution to the class activities. In work places, seniority and respect
mean more than the title in some countries but hierarchy and authority are the
absolute power in other places. In Japan, building good team work through
consensus is the must qualification for managers.
Working in
different countries and cultures require skills and patience, not to mention
understanding and respecting the local practices, on top of the expected performance
for the job.
But is that just
culture that makes difference in work places? What about the industry, the size
of the workplace or the management style of the organization?
Enjoy reading
and thinking what sorts of challenges expatriates face.
No comments:
Post a Comment