The expatriate experience

1
The expatriate experience

• Key issues with When in Bogata case study
• How does is relate to Hofstedes cultural
  dimensions?
• Why would this situation be stressful?
• Battling overseas blues
• Situational factors that lead to stress when
  working in a foreign country?

2
Reminder Culture refers to both within the
organization and within the external environment

• Hofstedes Theory
• Individiualism/collectivism
• Power Distance
• Uncertainty avoidance
• Masculinity/Feminity
• Long term vs. short term orientation

3
Model of Stress

• Stressors
• Strain
• Moderators

4
Stress

• Stress experiencing any environmental, social,
  or internal demand that requires a person to
  change behavior or patterns of behavior (ability
  to cope is important)
• Type of Stressors
• Major Life Events
• Chronic Stressors
• Daily Stressors

5
Sources of Stress

• Situational stressors aspects of the
  environment
• Stressful occupations
• Dispositional stressors personal characteristics

6
Examples of Situational Stressors

• Work overload/underutilization
• Ambiguity
• Role conflict
• Job uncertainty
• Lack of control
• Physical work conditions
• Interpersonal stress
• Organizational change
• Work-family conflict

7
Individual differences

• Personality type Type A vs Type B
• Personal control
• Hardiness

8
Dispositional characteristics

• Type A behavior pattern
• Characterized by ambitiousness, impatience,
  hostility, time urgency
• Achievement strivings and impatience/
  irritability
• Type B
• Described as relaxed, patient, easy going

9
Strain Effects of Stress

• Physical
• Health problems-headache, backache, increase in
  colds and flus
• Ulcers, heart disease
• Psychological
• Conflicts with others
• Depression
• anxiety
• Behavioral
• Lower levels of productivity
• Absenteeism from work or school

10
Relationship of Stress and Performance
11
Burnout

• Emotional Exhaustion
• Depersonalization
• Personal Accomplishment

12
Social support

• Moderator of stress and strain relationship
• Moderator effects social support is
  particularly beneficial to those under high
  levels of stress (acts as a buffer)
• Direct effects social support actually reduces
  stress (helps someone with a stressor) or
  improves well-being (just being with a friend
  makes you feel less depressed)

13
Demand-Control Model
14
Organizational Strategies

• Primary prevention-eliminating the stressor
  (e.g., noise, work hours, rotating shifts, etc.)
• Secondary prevention-providing employees with
  coping resources (e.g., workshops, exercise
  class, etc.)
• Tertiary prevention-helping employees deal with
  problems after they occur (EAP programs)

15
Coping with Stress-Individual Level

• Determine problem solving strategies-Can you find
  appropriate solutions to the problem?
• Change your thinking-Can you focus on learning or
  any positive aspects of the experience
• Turn to your support network

16
Plan for the stress of the next few weeks

• Define the specific stressors that are most
  relevant in this situation
• Describe how students can cope with the kind of
  stress experienced?
• Provide specific examples of primary, secondary
  and tertiary prevention strategies for college
  students