The Family in the Classroom: An Experiential Exercise for Teaching Issues Related to Expatriate Assignments

Abstract

This paper presents an experiential exercise that focuses on issues related to workers facing international assignments. It illustrates that those workers face a multitude of issues. It further demonstrates that managers who want employees to realize the maximum benefits of international assignments should be aware of, and prepared to deal with, those issues. Some of the topics that are easily addressed with this exercise include the need for culture and language training for the employees and their families and the impact that international assignments may have on an employee’s family and how that may affect an employee’s willingness to seek such assignments.