Cross-cultural training is a key business tactic in terms of Return on Investment and enhanced productivity.

Benefits gained will depend on the specific client’s objectives for the chosen program. However, it is our intention and goal that after completing any of our trainings, participants will:

• Understand how cultural values determine behavior
• Know how to prevent unnecessary cultural conflicts and misunderstandings
• Understand how culture can impact business methods and the bottom-line
• Have a comprehensive tool to understand other business cultures
• Have a better understanding of their colleagues and their colleagues’ culture
• Understand their own underlying individual and cultural values and how these differ from the values of others
• Know appropriate business etiquette, social rules, regulations and taboos
• Know what’s needed to work in a global environment, to motivate and negotiate in other cultures, and to create a long-term vision of how to operate and succeed in other countries

A small amount of money spent upfront in training or coaching can save a lot over the length of a working relationship or overseas assignment.

Why should you invest in cross-cultural programs or in coaching?

• 83% of participants in cross-cultural training programs rated them as having great or high value. (Source: The 2002 Global Relocation Trends Survey Report by GMAC/ GRS/ NFTC and SHRM Global)
• 89% of business expatriates felt that cross-cultural training should be mandatory for international business. (Source: Prudential Relocation Services 1998 survey)
• Expatriates who had cross-cultural training were three times as likely to rate their overseas assignments favorably. (Source: The 2002 CignaWorldatWork survey)
• Since 1999, about 70% of companies have been offering cross-cultural training for international business. (Source: The 2002 GMAC/NFTC/SHRM survey)
• Inability to adapt to another culture is a major cause for overseas assignment failure. (Source: The Global Relocation Trends 2002 Survey Report)
• 20% of expatriates return early from their assignments. (Source: The 2001 GMAC/NFTC/SHRM survey) Other studies have reported U.S. expatriate failure rates anywhere from 5-50%. The cost of a typical three-year expatriate assignment was estimated at about $1.3 million,* which could potentially mean a tremendous economic loss.
• There seems to be a perception gap between the business expatriates and the HR executives responsible for preparing them for overseas assignments. Only 15% of the HR executives thought the preparation was poor to very poor, compared to 40% of the expatriates who shared that view. (Source: The 2001 GMAC/NFTC/SHRM survey)*

Business is only as good as the ability of the different people to work together.

* Based on presentation by G.M. Wederspahn, Making the Case for Intercultural Services, SIETAR USA, 2001 Minneapolis, MN and SIETAR Rocky Mountain Region, 2002