Assigning Expatriates to Eastern Europe: Challenges and Solutions
This paper examines the key challenges multinational corporations encounter when assigning expatriates to Eastern Europe, with a particular focus on cultural differences originating from language barriers, communication styles, leadership norms, and organizational structures. Drawing on research by Suutari, Nardon and Steers, and Javidan et al., the paper argues that most of these difficulties can be mitigated through thorough pre-departure preparation and ongoing in-country support. Proposed solutions include language study, cultural briefings, mentorship pairings, and organizational resources that help expatriates adapt to the more formalized, bureaucratic business environment characteristic of Eastern Europe.
- Introduction: Cultural Barriers for Expatriates in Eastern Europe: Overview of cultural challenges multinational expatriates face
- Language Barriers and Their Professional Consequences: How language gaps undermine relationships and performance
- Communication, Leadership, and Organizational Differences: Cultural divergence in leadership style and communication norms
- Solutions: Language Learning and Cultural Briefings: Pre-departure and in-country preparation strategies for expatriates
- Organizational Responsibility and Mentorship Support: How corporations must resource and support expatriate success
- Conclusion: Preparing Expatriates to Succeed: Shared responsibility between expatriate and organization
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What makes this paper effective
- It balances problem identification with concrete, actionable solutions, giving the essay a clear and practical argument arc.
- It integrates peer-reviewed sources (Suutari, Nardon & Steers, Javidan et al.) to support each major claim rather than relying on unsupported assertions.
- It distinguishes meaningfully between individual-level responsibilities (the expatriate learning the language) and organizational-level responsibilities (providing mentorship, literature, and resources), adding analytical depth.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the problem-solution essay structure effectively, systematically identifying categories of difficulty (language, communication, leadership, organization) and then pairing each with a corresponding remedy. This mirrors a common business-writing framework where diagnosis precedes prescription, making the argument easy to follow and practically oriented.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with a broad framing of cultural challenges facing expatriates in Eastern Europe. It then narrows into specific barriers — language first, then communication style, leadership norms, and organizational culture — before pivoting to solutions. The middle sections address both individual preparation strategies and corporate support mechanisms. The conclusion consolidates responsibility between the expatriate and the multinational organization, reinforcing the paper's dual-level analytical approach. Citations are integrated throughout rather than clustered, reflecting sound academic practice.
Introduction: Cultural Barriers for Expatriates in Eastern Europe
There are a multitude of problems that multinational companies encounter when they attempt to send expatriates to assignments in Eastern Europe. The vast majority of these problems expressly pertain to cultural differences. Global and cultural differences are decidedly commonplace among executives from different nations (Nardon and Steers, 2007, p. 47). These differences apply when utilizing an expatriate from virtually anywhere in the world outside Eastern Europe, but are particularly pronounced when sending individuals from Western Europe or North America to Eastern Europe. Although there are a variety of challenges, a significant number of them can be rectified through adequate preparation on the part of both the individual expatriate and his or her organization.
Language Barriers and Their Professional Consequences
Cultural differences frequently encountered when individuals from multinational companies go to work in Eastern Europe for an extended period of time include language barriers. Although most people throughout Europe know English and use it as a neutral language, some do not. Moreover, there are a host of other languages that expatriates may encounter while working in that part of the world — languages that individuals may prefer to converse in during social settings, for example — which may hamper the progress an expatriate could otherwise make were he or she more familiar with such casual, conversational forms of speech. There is a documented correlation between inadequate language preparation and an inability to create contacts and maintain professional relationships because of this issue (Suutari, 1998).
References
Javidan, M., Dorfman, P., De Luque, M., & House, R. (2006). In the eye of the beholder: Cross-cultural lessons in leadership from project GLOBE. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20(1), 67–90.
Nardon, L., & Steers, R. (2007). The new global manager: Learning cultures on the fly. Organizational Dynamics, 37(1), 47–52.
Suutari, V. (1998). Problems faced by western expatriate managers in Eastern Europe: Evidence provided by Finnish expatriates in Russia and Estonia. Journal for East European Management Studies, 3(3).
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