International management

Question 1. What is the substantive question? International job opportunities and international job assignments have mostly been occupied by men, and women only comprise a small percentage of the population. The small number of women on international job assignments are more often anchored on the myth that women are not willing to work abroad, aside from the perception that men are better performer in international assignments; but the recent increase of women expatriates have increased contradicting the myth. The intention of women expatriates influences how well they are able to adapt in terms of interaction adjustment, socio-cultural adjustment, general and work adjustment and consequently determine how well they perform their jobs.
Question 2
2. What is the key opinion/position or argument of the author?

The key opinion/position or argument of the author is that women expatiates perform well as women are good at interpersonal adjustments; but all these are true when women expatriates are truly determined to pursue an expatriate career. Women’s ability to establish good public relationships and their determination, assures the possibility of their success in their foreign assignments; proving that they can be as good, if not better than, their male counterparts.
Question 3
3. What evidence does the author use to support their opinion/position or argument?

As evidenced by research, results show that women managers get their motivation from the setting and achieving of organizational goals that promotions, and are more interested in challenging tasks that involve personal growth (Alamo –Metcalfe, 1995). Women also have no problem adjusting internationally, as stated by Bochner (1981), in the study conducted, results show that female expatriates, even as a newcomer, are aware of when and how to display appropriate behaviors in the country they work in and act as sources of information, facilitating understanding. This is also one proof that women expatriates have overcome language barriers, a factor that determines how well one can adjust internationally.
Question 4
4. What are the strengths or weaknesses of the opinion/position or argument?
Strengths:
Due to the innate nature of women of establishing good relationships, women are indeed capable of pursuing an international career or assignment. In addition, due to the fact that women have always been compared with men in terms of what they can or cannot (able and not able to) do, women are also innately motivated to prove themselves; but their motivation is not on how many promotions are possible for them to achieve, but on the satisfaction of being able to handle and perform a job as well (if not better than) as men.
Weakness:
Although women are as determined as men, and performs well too, the author was not able to present the side on whether family concerns are also a factor on women’s motivation to accept an international assignment; and if so, whether or not family matters affect women expatriate’s job performance
Question 1
1. What is the substantive question?
Globalization has resulted to the expansion of business on a global scale, consequently employing people with different cultures and nationalities. Such a mixture of cultures in one organization has led to the belief that cross-cultural business practices, involving cultural values is an essential strategic method of handling employees in running a company because it facilitates understanding while implementing company business policies, technology, company principles and managerial values, in line with global norms.
Question 2
2. What is the key opinion/position or argument of the author?
The key opinion/position or argument of the author is that cross-culture business practice is a convergence of various cultures in one company leading to the acceptance and respect in relation to the cultures differences is an important factor in maintaining business process and in determining whether or not a global company will be able to succeed.
Question 3
3. What evidence does the author use to support their opinion/position or argument?

In support of the authors argument, the statement of Mazenski (1994) which states that cross-cultural awareness facilitates the success in the performance of a set of tasks. In addition, Bruce Lloyd and Trompenaars (1993) of the Strategic Planning Society said in an interview that cross-cultural practices generates greater strategic options because a global company does not only have one particular culture, but rather, it is a “ world where differences are accepted and valued.” With this, employees would certainly feel that they are indeed contributing to the growth and success of the company. In so doing, employees feel important, boosting their confidence and self-esteem, leading to job satisfaction which results to higher productivity and/or efficiency.
Question 4
4. What are the strengths or weaknesses of the opinion/position or argument?
Strength:
The strength of the argument is that, due to the fact that the trend of globalization has indeed been accepted and prepared for by almost all of the countries in the world, people from different countries are already open to the idea of having to work together with people from different countries with different cultures.
Weakness:
The weakness of the argument is that the implementation of cross-cultural business practices are more likely to succeed in a hypothetical level, but in reality, it is much easier said than done because the author was not able give support that the acceptance of the differences in culture also erases or removes bias, prejudice and the valuing of ones own culture than others. In the long run, the company who is not aware of such, still would experience a lot of problems and difficulties is the future, proving that cross-cultural business practices are not always a good way of implementing business processes.