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Running Head: CONDUCTING TRAINING PROGRAMS ABROAD 1

Conducting Training Programs Abroad: Factors to Consider and Aligning Learning Theories

James Madison University

Kelly Gooch

EDUC 641

CONDUCTING TRAINING PROGRAMS ABROAD 2

It is no secret that corporate globalization is expanding full force. As the world continues

to get “smaller”, individuals are spending more time in countries other than their own, interacting

with people of various other cultures (Zakaria, 2000). Anyone who has traveled abroad knows

that it takes some adjusting simply to exist in a foreign country. According to Zakaria (2000),

“international interaction creates problems, since people are separated by barriers such as time,

language, geography, food, and climate. In addition, peoples' values, beliefs, perceptions, and

background can also be quite different.” (p. 492). To conduct business in a foreign country

however, is a whole separate challenge. According to Douglas and Jones-Rikkers (2001), future

business managers must be prepared to interact with people and cultural situations that differ

significantly from their North American life experiences. The interactions involved highlight the

absolute necessity of some form of transnational competence (Koehn & Rosneau, 2002).

On deeper level, a specific component of this “transnational competence” is an

understanding of how to conduct training practices in foreign countries. When businesses send

representatives abroad to make proposals, pitch ideas, or sell products or services, they are often

required to provide training to the audience with whom they are engaging. According to

Rothwell (2012), “While many businesspeople know enough to explore the niceties of business

etiquette before entering a new culture, fewer people have developed sufficient cultural

intelligence to be sensitive to more profound issues when they embark on efforts to enter, and

conduct training in, other countries (p. 39).

For any individual who plans to represent his or her organization abroad, doing research

is crucial, however those who plan to conduct international training must look deep into several

different factors. Some of these factors include language, cultural customs, participation

practices, and technology use. The greatest challenge is doing this however, is aligning these

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factors with learning theories in order to create culturally considerate and theoretically efficient

instruction. This report will examine ways in which international training providers can pay mind

to the important characteristics of international training audiences while using acclaimed

learning theories to do so. It will take a look at the specific characteristics of different regions of

the globe, and how trainers and instructional designers should decide how to approach training

programs in those areas.

One of the most immediate differences that we notice when setting foot on foreign soil is

the difference in language. Often Americans who travel to other countries assume that the people

there will have basic English-speaking skills. While globalization has led to an increase in

bilingualism as a whole, assuming that the trainees you will be training can speak English is a

poor choice. As a training instructor, it is not your job to given the trainees a language lesson.

Therefore, the best option is to hire a translator for your training practices. According to

Rothwell (2012), it is best to hire a translator from the country that you are training in, and who

has a bit of experience with the subject matter in which you are training. By doing this, not only

will the trainees be able to understand the information being distributed verbally, but they might

also be able to make connections with the examples that the translator can provide.

In terms of learning theory, making language adjustments will have a positive effect on

how quickly and efficiently the trainees can learn the material. If the trainees are provided with a

translator who can not only interpret the information, but also provide culturally appropriate

examples, they will be more likely and able to create schemata. According to Schunk (2008), “A

schema (plural schemata) is a structure that organizes large amounts of information into a

meaningful system. Large units are needed to organize propositions representing bits of

information into a coherent whole” (p.155). Schunk (2008) explains that schemata can increase

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learning, especially when the material being taught involves specific steps. When engaging in

international training, it is important to provide the trainees with the opportunity to create

schemata for what they are learning by eliminating the language barrier.

The importance of eliminating this barrier is existent is most foreign countries. With this

said, there are many countries where English is the primary spoken language, and addressing a

difference in language is not as crucial as some of the other cultural factors. When conducting

research on the country in which you plan to deliver training, learning the language distribution

is a key step. As you can see in figure 1, you are more likely to encounter English in European

countries than you would in Middle Eastern or Asian countries. If you do your research ahead of

time, you will be able to determine whether or not hiring a translator is required. Rothwell (2012)

also suggests engaging in conversation with colleagues who might have worked with the

individuals with whom you will be training. This might eliminate the need to conduct extensive

research.

Figure 1 WikiTravel.org (2012)

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A second factor that is important to consider is differing cultural characteristics. Each

country has its own historical background, which influences the way in which its people interact,

how they go about their days, and what they consider appropriate or inappropriate. This is

important to keep in mind when developing training, as well as deciding how to socialize with

the participants before, after and during the training program. If the trainer takes the time to learn

these characteristics, the entire process will be much more comfortable and civil. At the same

time, it is critical to learn the similarities there are between the people of the particular country

and yourself. Rothwell (2012) notes, “…rare exceptions aside, the reality is that human beings

are pretty much alike everywhere. Most everyone wants a family, a good job, a nice home life,

good food, some freedom to speak their minds, and respect and dignity. While modes of dress

and beliefs about religion may differ, people are pretty much alike in what they want” (p.39). It

is key to find the similarities that exist between you and the trainees culturally in order to create

instruction that will make sense to both parties.

Albert Bandura (2002) has provided extensive remarks on how Social Cognitive Theory

can be applied in a cultural context. He explains, “Because of the expanded conception of human

agency, social cognitive theory is well suited to elucidate human personal development,

adaptation, and change in diverse cultural milieus. Cultural analyses must address the basic issue

of whether there is a universal human nature or many human natures spawned by diverse cultural

milieus” (p. 271). Social Cognitive Theory is a framework that can be used for designing,

implementing and evaluating instructional programs, and according to Bandura, can be

specifically applied to audiences of varying cultures. When a trainer is sent to provide instruction

to a foreign audience there are two nationalities involved: that of the trainer, and that of the

trainees. The trainer can use both the similarities and differences he or she has with the audience,

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as well as the similarities and differences the audience shares with one another to create a

training program that fosters a social learning environment.

In terms of regions and cultural characteristics, Hofstede’s Four Cultural Dimensions

provide an excellent cultural overview of for each country. These dimensions are: Power

Distance, Individualist VS. Collectivist, Masculinity VS. Femininity, and Uncertainty Avoidance

(Cronje, 2011). In Figure 2 you can see descriptions and global distributions of these

dimensions. Before engaging in training abroad, this information might be useful for instructors

to use for gauging the cultural characteristics of the country they will be traveling to, and

deciding whether or not Bandura’s (2002) Social Cognitive Theory will be applicable.

Figure 2 Pinterest.com (2012)

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International trainers should also pay mind to the differing participation practices of

certain cultures. This directly relates to the Uncertainty Avoidance dimension of Hofstede’s Four

Cultural Dimensions (Cronje, 2011). An important part of delivering training programs is

encouraging participation among the trainees, however for individuals with high uncertainty

avoidance, this might seem threatening. Rothwell (2012) notes, “Americans often are quite

willing to publicly pose embarrassing business questions directly to senior leaders such as CEOs.

But not all cultures are so open. Before arriving to conduct a seminar in a foreign country, ask

others who have been to that country what participation style is typical and what strategies might

work to get more participation” (p.40).

Learning theory suggests that in order for trainees or students to take away the

information in an instructional program, participation is vital. According to Brewe, Kramer and

O’Brien (2010), “Instructional practices which engage students in interactions with other

students provide students with opportunities to learn to negotiate meaning, to learn the norms

and practices of the discipline and to become members of a learning community” (p.88). The use

of participation also correlates directly with Bruner’s theory of Constructivism with the idea that

those who participate are actively learning, and therefore creating experiences to develop and

store knowledge. Learning theory suggests that the participation of trainees is of great

importance.

Those creating and delivering the instruction must conduct research on how to convince

the trainees to engage in the training program, and actively participate. By referencing Figure 2,

you can see some countries whose people are generally okay with uncertainty, and some whose

are not. Once this has been taken into consideration, the instructor can determine whether he or

she will encourage spontaneous participation, or incorporate planned and structured

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participation. You can see in Figure 3 a more detailed list of countries with high uncertainty

avoidance. In this figure, the higher the avoidance level, the more preparation necessary to

convince trainees to participate. Additionally, this is another situation where consulting with

other trainers about their experiences in training those from other countries.

Figure 3 Globallearningpractices.wikispaces.com (2013)

A fourth factor that instruction designers and deliverers traveling abroad must pay

attention to is differences in technology across the globe. In the United States, technology is

evolving at a rapid pace, and instructional designers have seemingly unlimited platforms through

which they can create or design instruction. Rothwell (2012) notes that developed economies like

the U.S. love technological tools such as mobile learning, wikis, or iPad-based instruction. Some

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highly developed countries enjoy even more rapid connection speeds than the U.S. On the other

hand, there are many developing economies that do not have access to connection speeds that

support advanced technological tools. Says Rothwell (2012), “Never take technology for granted

when working abroad. Check and verify what they have, and how well it works, first” (p. 42).

According to Schunk (2008), the use of technology for learning purposes has grounds in

learning theory. In his textbook Learning Theories, An Educational Perspective, he mentions

several different technological applications, including Computer-Based Instruction, Simulations

and Games, Programming, Multimedia/Hypermedia, Network and Distance Learning, E-

Learning, Virtual Reality, and Critique. The theories that support these applications include those

about feedback, motivation, social constructivism, and blended learning (Schunk, 2008).

Particularly with computer-based instruction, feedback can be provided through individualized

content and rate of presentation. Through the use of simulations and games, motivation can be

increased because an endogenous (natural) relationship exists between the content and the means

by which the game provides the content (Schunk, 2008). Programming allows for social

constructivism because working in technological environments makes for social situations, and

web-based learning partnered with face-to-face instruction provides the opportunity for

successful blended learning (Schunk, 2008).

In theory, instructional programs that use technology for enhancement are beneficial on

many levels. With the constant advancement of technological tools, it seems to be a no-brainer

that these tools should be put to use. International instruction designers and deliverers must be

careful not to fall into the assumption that this is the case everywhere they travel. These

individuals must take a careful look at the status of technology growth in the country that they

will be traveling to. Researching the number of owners users is a great place to start. A global

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distribution of computer owners can be seen in Figure 4 by the thousands. The next factor to

acknowledge is the amount of Internet usage that occurs in the country. This is can be found in

Figure 5 by the millions. Taking both of these factors into consideration will help you to

determine if putting to use high technology tools is the right choice.

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Those who deliver training programs in foreign countries have their work cut out for

them. Not only must they design an effective training program with learning theories in mind,

but they also must make considerations and assumptions based on their foreign audience. It is

important for these individuals to conduct extensive research on the country that they will be

traveling to, as well as the people who will be participating in the training program. This is a

difficult and time-consuming task, but is absolutely essential to ensure that the training is

designed and delivered in an effective and respectful way. Rothwell (2012) urges, “As

globalization continues with the advent of more sophisticated technology and easy travel, more

Figure 4 Philip’s Atlas of World History (2007) Figure 5 Wikipedia.com (2012)

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learning and development professionals will work in other countries. As they do, they need to be

aware of some practical realities to achieved continued success” (p. 42).

Aside from research, one of the quickest and easiest ways to accumulate this information

is to engage in conversation with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who have developed and

delivered training to the country of interest. Personal experience is one of the most effective

ways to learn. In working with foreign trainees, there is great opportunity for both success and

failure. SMEs can provide insight on what worked well, and what went wrong. This is why it is

extremely important for individuals providing foreign training to document any personal

feedback they might have in order to help those who engage in this process in the future.

When working with foreign trainees, there are a great deal of factors to pay attention to in

both the design and delivery processes. This paper has acknowledged four of them, and aligned

them with some learning theories that will help to make the training as effective and respectful as

possible. There are several other factors to consider, however, and these factors can be aligned

with theory as well. This report has acknowledged some of the most important cultural

considerations that trainers should consider when they go abroad, and how they should go about

making these considerations.

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References

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International Review, 51(2): 269.

Brewe, E., Kramer, L. H., & O'Brien, G. E. (2010). Changing Participation Through Formation

of Student Learning Communities. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1289(1): 85-88.

doi:10.1063/1.3515255

Computer Ownership [World Map Image]. (2007). Retrieved April 20, 2013 from:

http://qed.princeton.edu/index.php/User:Student/Computer_Ownership,_1995

Cronjé, J. C. (2011). Using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to interpret cross-cultural blended

teaching and learning. Computers & Education, 56(3): 596-603.

doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2010.09.021

Douglas, C. & Jones-Rikkers, C.G. (2001). Study Abroad Programs and American Student

World-mindedness. Journal of Teaching in International Business. 13(1): 55-66.

Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J066v13n01_04.

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http://wikitravel.org/shared/File:World_map_percentage_english_speakers_by_country.s

vg

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Koehn, P.H., & Rosenau, J.N. (2002). Transnational Competence in an Emergent Epoch.

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http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1528-3577.00084/abstract

Rothwell, W. J. (2012). 13 PRACTICAL TIPS for Training in Other Countries. T+D, 66(5): 38-

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Schunk, D. H. (2008). Learning theories, an educational perspective. Prentice Hall.

[Table of Hofstede’s Dimensions]. (2012). Retrieved April 20, 2013 from:

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Uncertainty Avoidance [Bar Graph]. (2013). Retrieved April 20, 2013 from:

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[World map image of Internet usage]. (2012). Retrieved April 20, 2013 from:

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Zakaria, N. (2000). The effects of cross-cultural training on the acculturation process of the

global workforce. International Journal of Manpower. 21(6): 492 – 510.