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An analysis of undertaking a short term expatriation of a United States citizen to the United Kingdom / by Brian Maron.

by Maron, Brian.

International business enterprises -- Employees -- Relocation

Americans -- Employment -- Great Britain

Adaptability (Psychology)

Cultural awareness

Business etiquette

Manners and customs -- Cross-cultural studies.

viii, 100 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm.

Advisor: Terry Hoffmann.

Committee members: Kimbel Nap, Dr. Bruce Thompson.

Research -- History -- The United Kingdom today -- Costs and benefits of expatriation -- Preparedness and commitment -- Tips for a successful expatriation.

The overall benefits of an expatriation assignment to the United Kingdom outweigh the overall costs, when the expatriation is undertaken using criteria which will be detailed in this thesis. This thesis will consider all measurable costs but will also consider costs and benefits that are less tangible on the surface.

In addition, there is an extensive examination of how the social and business cultures in the United Kingdom relate to each other and how they are very different from those in the United States. The impact of social factors on the overall costs and benefits of an expatriate assignment is as significant as the tangible costs and benefits themselves. This is a point that is often overlooked when considering expatriate assignments. Because of this, a significant amount of personal experience from the author, a current expatriate, is also shared in this paper. In the end, it will become evident that with proper planning and in the appropriate situation the benefits of a short term expatriation outweigh the costs.

The failure rate of American expatriates on assignment in the United Kingdom is higher than that of any other country. SSocial adaptation and cultural adaptation are the biggest factors in the success or failure of an American expatriate relocating to the United Kingdom. This thesis includes extensive background information relating to British social and business culture and how these are related to American social and business culture.

The ideal candidate for expatriation to the United Kingdom is one who has a partner and no children. The second tier of candidates would be those who have a partner and preschool aged children. The candidate must possess a strong ability for social and cultural adaptation. The following items significantly improve the changes of a successful expatriation: cultural training, continued training while in the host country, and being expatriated to an office with an existing infrastructure and human resource network.

This thesis is based on extensive existing literature research along with first-hand knowledge of the subject. The literature research includes sources from both North America and Europe. The personal experience is based on the fact that the author was expatriated to the United Kingdom in 2004 for a professional position. This position was within a company that the author had been employed by for nine years prior to expatriation.

The primary target audience for this thesis is an American company considering sending American employees to the United Kingdom on short-term expatriate assignments. The secondary target audience is an American employee who is considering an expatriate assignment in the United Kingdom.

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