Download Unit 7 Case StudyColumbia Southern University Intercultural and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! Unit 7 Case Study Columbia Southern University Intercultural Management Unit 7 Case Study AstraZeneca has a lot of experience with the managing expatriates. They are one of the largest pharmaceutical companies to date. Since they are so large and well versed in the business of managing expatriates. They have many policies and procedures that they use when dealing with all of their aspects for their expats. AstraZeneca, in my opinion, goes above and beyond what I would have assumed they did for their potential expats. They offer many training opportunities for the employee as well as for their families, if it is necessary. They give them so many tools to be successful, that it is amazing. They give their expats and their families so many opportunities to learn the language, if necessary, give them important information on cultural differences, and many other great things. AstraZeneca also is so amazing at making sure they stay connected to the home country as best as they can once they go on assignment. The company gives them a point person that they are able and expected to interact with regularly in order to stay in the loop and to be given some kind of support. It is important that this happen so that the expats are able to keep from being disconnected to their home company. AstraZeneca also ensures that all expats are given a relatively flexible work schedule so that they are able to keep a healthy work-life balance, even when on assignment. That is also another reason that their home side point person is important. This person would know how and when would be the best times to get ahold of the expat so that information does not get lost. AstraZeneca genuinely cares about their expats and their families. It is important that expats utilize all of the amazing tools and benefits that they are offered. There are many things that companies can do it help their expats when they are trying to learn how to adjust to the new work and home environments. With AstraZeneca, they start off by ensuring that their expats are well trained and fully understand their upcoming assignments. They even go so far as to ensure that their expats families are understanding what their new situations will be like. Another really important aspect that helps the expats is the constant link to the home office. By assigning them a specific person to keep in contact with for support and communication, they are given a life line. If there were to be any issues or concerns when they get over to their assignment, they are able to talk to that person in order to get through whatever they needed. Also, another great thing that they do is by making sure that the expat has some down time. It is important for them to be able to take time to really get to know their new area and be able to settle in. By allowing them the time to get comfortable and get a real feel for their new situation, they are allowing them to get any of their issues or hesitations worked out before they start full force at work. This also gives them time to take any of those anxieties they may be feeling and really work through them so that they are more comfortable when they get started. Also, “the company also helped connect new expats with those who had already served in that location.” (Deresky, 2016). It is important for expats to have a connection with someone who has been in their shoes recently so that they can ask any important questions or even just get some insight on what they can expect. I think that having that person to be there who has personally been in that situation is one of the most beneficial things a company could do for their expat when trying to find ways to help ease them. It is important for any organization, regardless of the economic situation, to thoroughly consider why and who they are sending on these international assignments. It is important that they send people who genuinely want to go and who are going to continue doing great work for the company while on the assignment. A company should also consider all of the things that go
