June, 2012-Anonymous Contributor (Japan)
Graduating with a degree in International Business, and from taking courses
regarding International Business. I was always fascinated with doing business
abroad and I hoped that I would be able to be an expat too in the future. But
from taking International Management courses and International Marketing
courses, the expats that were able to go to different countries to do business
overseas seem to be arrogant middle age men with a wife and kids. To make
matters worse, the wife usually seemed to be least supportive and made fun of
the different cultures.
This is coming from a standpoint of a typical American expat.
From taking courses regarding International Business, we learned the basic
components which are the 3 components polycentric, ethnocentric, and geocentric.
Geocentric meaning you're open to hire anyone and to take all perspectives of
both the host and home countries and other country's ideas. Polycentric is when
you feel the host country does the business the best way, and ethnocentric is
when you feel that your way is the best way. It seemed that the stereotypical
American expat had an ethnocentric attitude and felt that his way was always
and indeed the best way. In these textbooks, they also discussed various
ways on how to hire the right people for these missions.
They even suggested hiring single women because they had no
baggage and women tend to be more emotionally in tuned. From paying attention
in my courses, I felt that maybe there was a chance for me to do International
Business especially with that degree. Well, after graduating in the year 2011
reality finally hit me. Doing international business is indeed hard and it is
because even more non existent to be sent by an American company to do
international business. How is this so?! Well these days, more and more
companies are hiring consultants in their host country that they're doing
business with because it's cheaper.
In reality, many companies take the poly centric method and
really feel that the host country knows best which can take away the uniqueness
of the product or the service that the American company is trying to sell. Also
what they don't tell you in books is that in order to be considered to do
International Business is you have to work at the company for several years and
sometimes with a managerial position in that company. With the economy these
days in America and more companies wanting to be cheap, it's hard to put in
years of work when you're not even sure if you'll be able to be with that same
company in years due to frequent layoffs.
In other words, it's hard to have that trust with the company
with rampant corporate politics and instability. In addition, how can you
expect for a company to be able to give you an international business position
if the position may be here today but not here the next day. In other words, a
lot of American companies care about profit instead of trying to establish a
global relationship that will help in the long run. (No, exporting cheap
factory jobs to China does not count.)
Even with a foreign language, the foreign language that you have
varies from state to state in order to see how useful it is. For example, would
the use of knowing Japanese would be useful in Montana. But with learning
foreign languages, it's all about timing in order to benefit from the
opportunities. Right now, Chinese is one of the most useful languages to learn
because not only are doing more business with them but their economy is
becoming more stronger. In the 1980's learning Japanese was one biggest languages
to learn.
Overall, the learning a foreign language at the right time plays
a huge factor on doing international business. These days in order to do
international business it's all about timing and meeting the right person at
the right time. If the timing is off so are your chances especially these days.
These days the best way to do International Business in another country is to
literally go to the country you want to work in and apply and find an American
subsidiary. Also constantly networking and meeting the right people as well in
that country that you're in. Overall, doing International Business isn't as
easy as they claim in the books!
I'd love to here your views, please leave comments.
