The Challenges Facing Expatriate Managers Working in Foreign Countries
The Challenges Facing Expatriate Managers Working in Foreign Countries

Summary/Abstract: Expatriation or assignments overseas are key personnel strategies used by multinational organisations in their overseas operations to fill managerial positions. However, working in a foreign country is highly pressured, stressful and many expatriates fail. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to discover the challenges and complexities facing expertise (expatriate) managers working in foreign countries. A quantitative approach using an online survey was conducted with 54 participants who were randomly selected from both the private and public sectors in Kurdistan. SPSS software was used to analyse the data collected. The key results revealed that most expatriates in Kurdistan claimed that the language barrier is one of the most significant factors in the workplace and may hinder their ability to communicate effectively with Kurdish employees and individuals. Simultaneously, despite having cultural differences, expatriates were able to adapt to the Kurdish business culture and cultural adjustment. Future research should consider using a qualitative method and a large sample size, in addition to identifying what foreign organisations in Kurdistan must do to reduce the likelihood of their managers failing to fulfil their duties and roles.

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