An Expatriate Tour in EI Salvador

Presented By:-Dhananjay Kumar

Jaipuria Institute of management, Noida

Introduction of the CaseDecember 10,1998: The Job OfferJohn and Joanna Lafferty were newly married couple.Purchase a new flat in Toronto and share a bottle of wine

with friends who had come to see their new apartment.John is development economist specializing in Latin

America Joanna worked as a human resource management

consultant John worked with Toronto based NGO ; Focused on

research, Fund-raising and government lobbing on issues related to Central American political Refugees.

After joining in that NGO; He gained reputation as “ a savvy and politically astute advocate of refugee” cases.

Introduction Contin……..John’s work with refugees in Canadian NGO; caught the

attention of United Nations High Commission for refugees.

On 10th December ; U.N has offered a job to john for EL- Salvador .

December 17,1998: The Decision

The EL-Salvador assignment would be for 2 years.John as a program officer responsible for organizing the

repatriation of Salvador refugees from various refugee camps back to El-Salvador and developing the programs to ensure protection and well-being of such refugees.

On the other side; 2 questions would weigh heavily on Joanna’s mind:-

i. What about the political instability of the area?ii. What about the career of joanna’s?

Cause joanna gathered information that the civil war in El-Salvador had come to an end in 1992 with a U.N.-Brokered peace treaty between the ARENA (republican nationalist alliance)and FMLN(Marxict-led farabundo marti national lebration front).

Regarding career; she thought that may be it is a opportunity for her to develop her human resource consulting skills in an International context.

After much discussion, they decided that John would accept the assignment.

January-March,1999:Predepature Arrangements It was recommended in Assignment that they send the married

staff in such a way so that the first employee settled in the job before spouse and/ or family arrived.

Between the time of one month of span : Johanna has prepared herself

As she learn the Spanish language, read and learn as much about Salvadoran history and politics as she could.

May,1999: Joanna’s Arrived in El-Salvador John met Joanna's with Maria how is the house met of the

house . Joanna’s felt guilty many of the times like : When she came to know that john paid Maria 6 $ per day.Maria use to wash the cloths in the cement tub.When Maria refuse to take lunch with her on the same table.

She feel guilty because she cannot do any work herself cause if she do it by itself then she cannot hire local people for house work and the local people was in the need of money.

She also told always that, she felt guilty as she is maid and House mate (Maria) lives in a tin shack in a ravine 2 blocks from her house.

But in the argument john said ;my Salvadoran neighbors tell me that if I paid Maria or the gardener more they won’t respect me.

Is Joanna suffering from culture shock ? What elements of the Salvodor culture seem most difficult for her to adapt to ?

Question 1

Joanna was suffering from culture difference…Apartment styleWashing clothesPayment to domestic

servantAttitudes towards

domestic servant

She was not allow to do anything by herselfWashing her carGardeningShe was not able to get

a good job for herself.

Joanna’s dependence on domestic servant…

SHOULD JOANNA HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF HER PREPARATION FOR THE MOVING TO EL SALVADOR?WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE SHOULD DO NOW?

QUESTION 2.

Joanna has done enough preparation before coming to El Salvador, such as : read and learn things about the history and politicsShe took classes of SpanishShe consulted her friends, Joan, to have some

insight about the countryShe could have learn little more about the culture

especially about the lifestyle of people.She should have tried to get a job in Salvador

before shifting.

ANSWER NO. 2

HOW COULD JOANNA FURTHER HER CAREER AS A HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT WHILE LIVING IN EL SALVADOR? WHAT SKILLS COULD SHE DEVELOP?WOULD THIS SKILL BE TRANSFERABLE IF SHE MOVED BACK TO TORONTO? TO ANOTHER COUNTRY?

QUESTION 3

Joanna should have taken some short term course on human resource management in Salvador.

She should try to interact more with people and try to speak Spanish (to have idea about their lifestyle).

Joanna’s this skill will also help her when she goes back to Toronto to handle any client from central America.

She will be a value add to her international human resource

ANSWER NO. 3

IF YOU WERE JOHN WOULD YOU HAVE TAKEN THE JOB IN EL SALVADOR?IF YOU WERE JOHN WOULD YOU HAVE AGREED TO GO?

QUESTION 4

If I were Joan I would have definitely accepted the job, chance to know another cultureGrowth in terms of careerAssignment was for two years

ANSWER NO 4

DO YOU THINK INTERNATIONAL CAREERS ARE FEASIBLE FOR DUAL CAREER COUPLES? WHAT ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER FOR THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED?

QUESTION NO.5

No, it is not feasible unless and until both the partners have good career options available in that place.

Psycological factor: when you have to go for your career even incomparible environment becomes compatible. Professional lonely mind needs to work, which is happening in the form of guilty feel with joanna in the case.

Important issues to be considered:Wife’s career, children education, social

environment etc.

ANSWER NO.5

WHAT CAN COMPANIES DO TO MAKE FOREIGN ASSIGNMENTS MORE SUCCESSFUL FOR COUPLES AND FAMILIES? IS THE HAPPINESS OF EMPLOYEE’S SPOUSE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMPANY?

QUESTION NO.6

Yes, as far as present day corporate environment is concerned because it affects the mental status of the employee concerned in following ways:

1.If the partner is not happy as in the case, the employee would also not be happy with his personal life that might affect his professional life and hence the company.

2.If the couple wont stay together it might lead to frequent leaves and even lack of performance if things are thought from awider perspective.

ANSWER NO. 6

WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD YOU MAKE TO INTERNAL ORGANISATIONS AND COMPANIES SENDING EMPLOYEES TO POLITICALLY UNSTABLE REGIONS? DO COMPANIES HAVE A REESPONSIBILITYFOR THE PHYSICAL SAFETYOF EXPATRIATE EMPLOYEES? DOES THIS RESPONSIBILITY EXTEND TO LOCALLY HIRED STAFF AS WELL?

QUESTION NO.7

WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING THINGS:

1.THE COMPANY SHOULD DESIGN THEIR OWN APARTMENTS WHICH AN EMPLOYEE CAN LIVE IN TO OVERCOME THE COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

2.TO TAKE CARE OF EMPLOYMENT OF THE PARTNER ALSO ALONG WITH THE CHILDREN EDUCATION AS IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OF CONCERN FOR THE FAMILY OF EXPATRIATE MANAGER.

ANSWER NO. 7

DO YOU THINK JOANNA SHOULD PAY HER CLEANING LADY AND THE GARDENER MORE THAN THE STANDARD $6.00 PER DAY? WHY OR WHY NOT?

QUESTION NO.8

Though it has not been mentioned in the case that paying extra money to the made did a harm to the economic balance of the society, so there will not be any harm as such to her being there.

But it wont work because even after doing so she had that guilt feeling of not sharing it with john.

In case she shares the same with john, he would again oppose it. So, she should not pay her maid any extra money.

ANSWER NO.8