Challenges for expatriate managers:an exploration of cross-cultural management, adjustment, and training issues faced by Anglo-American managers in Hong Kong

This field work study furthers understanding about expatriate management, in particular, the nature of cross-cultural management in Hong Kong involving Anglo-American expatriate and Chinese host national managers, the important features of adjustment for expatriates living and working there, and the type of training which will assist them to adjust and to work successfully in this Asian environment. Qualitative and quantitative data on each issue was gathered during in-depth interviews in Hong Kong, using structured interview schedules, with 39 expatriate and 31 host national managers drawn from a cross-section of functional areas and organizations. Despite the adoption of Western technology and the influence of Western business practices, micro-level management in Hong Kong retains a cultural specificity which is consistent with the norms and values of Chinese culture. There are differences in how expatriates and host nationals define their social roles, and Hong Kong's recent colonial history appears to influence cross-cultural interpersonal interactions. The inability of the spouse and/or family to adapt to Hong Kong is identified as a major reason for expatriate assignments to fail, though the causes have less to do with living away from family and friends, than with Hong Kong's highly urbanized environment and the heavy demands of work. Culture shock is not identified as a major problem, but in Hong Kong micro-level social factors require greater adjustment than macro-level societal factors. The adjustment of expatriate managers is facilitated by a strong orientation towards career development and hard work, possession of technical/professional expertise, and a willingness to engage in a process of continuous 'active learning' with respect to the host national society and culture. A four-part model of manager training suitable for Hong Kong is derived from the study data. It consists of a pre-departure briefing, post-arrival cross-cultural training, language training in basic Cantonese and in how to communicate more effectively in English with non-native speakers, and the assignment of a mentor to newly arrived expatriate managers.

The Role of the big five personality traits, proactive behaviour, and socialisation influences in newcomer adjustment

During the early stages of employment, newly hired employees find out what their new organisations are like. Their first impressions are extremely important in determining the course of subsequent attitudes and behaviour. Recently, a considerable progress has been made towards the understanding of adjustment process, however, the literature remain divided along a number of fronts. Moreover, newcomer research has been conducted independent and irrespective of newcomer personality individual differences. This seems to be a critical oversight because there is overlap in predictions involving these constructs. The current research extended the previous one by examining these multiple antecedents, including Big Five personality traits of newcomer to the tandem process of adjustment as well as outcomes that immediate, or ?proximal? to the process of newcomer adjustment. Following a cross sectional pilot study of recent college graduate, a three- wave longitudinal study of newcomers in seven organisations examined Big Five personality traits, proactive behaviour, and socialisation influence (formal training, leaders, co-workers) as antecedents of proximal adjustment outcomes (group integration, political knowledge of organisation, and task performance). The main study results suggested that personality traits were related to proximal adjustment outcomes, specifically, Conscientiousness was positively related to all proximal adjustment outcomes. Openness to experience was related to task performance and political knowledge. Group integration is independently related to Agreeableness, Extraversion and Neuroticism. The socialisation influence moderate these relations, for example, leader socialisation moderate Conscientiousness as it relates to political knowledge and group integration, while co-worker moderate Extraversion as it relates to task performance. Finally, it was found that, the relationship between proximal adjustment outcomes and the personality dimensions Openness was mediated by proactive behaviour. Overall, the results suggested that individual differences have a role in newcomer adjustment as it facilitate the socialisation influence, and Big Five was one of the key determinants of newcomer adjustment.

Contextual effects in speed perception may occur at an early stage of processing

How does nearby motion affect the perceived speed of a target region? When a central drifting Gabor patch is surrounded by translating noise, its speed can be misperceived over a fourfold range. Typically, when a surround moves in the same direction, perceived centre speed is reduced; for opposite-direction surrounds it increases. Measuring this illusion for a variety of surround properties reveals that the motion context effects are a saturating function of surround speed (Experiment I) and contrast (Experiment II). Our analyses indicate that the effects are consistent with a subtractive process, rather than with speed being averaged over area. In Experiment III we exploit known properties of the motion system to ask where these surround effects impact. Using 2D plaid stimuli, we find that surround-induced shifts in perceived speed of one plaid component produce substantial shifts in perceived plaid direction. This indicates that surrounds exert their influence early in processing, before pattern motion direction is computed. These findings relate to ongoing investigations of surround suppression for direction discrimination, and are consistent with single-cell findings of direction-tuned suppressive and facilitatory interactions in primary visual cortex (V1).

Kineto-elastodynamic analysis of high-speed four-bar mechanism

This thesis addresses the kineto-elastodynamic analysis of a four-bar mechanism running at high-speed where all links are assumed to be flexible. First, the mechanism, at static configurations, is considered as structure. Two methods are used to model the system, namely the finite element method (FEM) and the dynamic stiffness method. The natural frequencies and mode shapes at different positions from both methods are calculated and compared. The FEM is used to model the mechanism running at high-speed. The governing equations of motion are derived using Hamilton's principle. The equations obtained are a set of stiff ordinary differential equations with periodic coefficients. A model is developed whereby the FEM and the dynamic stiffness method are used conjointly to provide high-precision results with only one element per link. The principal concern of the mechanism designer is the behaviour of the mechanism at steady-state. Few algorithms have been developed to deliver the steady-state solution without resorting to costly time marching simulation. In this study two algorithms are developed to overcome the limitations of the existing algorithms. The superiority of the new algorithms is demonstrated. The notion of critical speeds is clarified and a distinction is drawn between "critical speeds", where stresses are at a local maximum, and "unstable bands" where the mechanism deflections will grow boundlessly. Floquet theory is used to assess the stability of the system. A simple method to locate the critical speeds is derived. It is shown that the critical speeds of the mechanism coincide with the local maxima of the eigenvalues of the transition matrix with respect to the rotational speed of the mechanism.

Expatriate managers adjustment and its impact on subordinates reactions: a cross cultural leadership study of Kenya and Ethiopia

Research on culture, leadership and adjustment shows that societal culture influences leadership in such a way that it can impact on expatriate managers' effectiveness and adjustment in a new culture. In previous research, cultural background, personality, motives or behaviour of expatriate managers and their followers' reactions to them have been investigated in Europe, America and Asia. However, little attention has been paid on research on expatriate managers in African cultures especially in Eastern Africa. The present study represents an attempt to address the gap by examining how societal culture, leadership and adjustment success are interrelated for expatriate managers in Kenya and Ethiopia. Questionnaire data were obtained from a) local middle managers (N=160) for studying societal culture and leadership in Kenya and Ethiopia, b) expatriate managers in non-governmental organizations - NGOs (N=28) for studying expatriate managers' personality, motives and adjustment success and c) their immediate subordinates (N=125) for studying the expatriate managers' behaviours and their subordinates' reactions to them. Additionally, expatriate managers were interviewed and responses were coded for implicit motives, experiences and adjustment. SPSS was used to analyse data from questionnaires to obtain cultural and leadership dimensions, leader behaviour and subordinate reactions. The NVIVO computer based disclosure analysis package was used to analyse interview data. Findings indicate that societal culture influences leadership behaviours and leadership perceptions while the expatriate managers' motives, behaviours, personality and the cross cultural training they received prior to their assignment impact on the expatriates' adjustment success and on subordinates' reactions to them. The cultural fit between expatriate managers' home country (19 countries) and the target country (Kenya or Ethiopia) had no significant association with adjustment success but was positively related to expatriate behaviour and negatively associated with subordinates reactions. However, some particular societal practices - obviously adopted by expatriates and transferred to their target country - did predict subordinates' commitment, motivation and job satisfaction. Furthermore, expatriates' responsibility motivation was positively related to their adjustment success. Regarding leadership behaviours and effectiveness, expatriate' supportive behaviours predicted subordinates' job satisfaction most strongly. Expatriate managers expressing their management philosophies and experience shed light on the various aspects of adjustment and management of NGOs. In addition, review of Kenyan and Ethiopian cultures and the NGO context in these countries offers valuable information for expatriate managers. This study's general imphcation for Cross Cultural Management and lnternational Human Resources Management is that the combination of culture general and culture specific knowledge and reflections on Eastern Africa countries can inform senior management and international HR staff about the critical issue of what to include in training, coaching, and actual experience in a particular host country in order to ensure effective leadership. Furthennore, this knowledge is expected to influence expatriate managers' behaviour modification to enhance positive subordinate reactions. Questions about how to prepare expatriate managers and subordinates to work more competently and sensitively across cultures are addressed. Further theoretical implications, limitations of the study and directions for future research are also addressed.

The effect of spectral filters on reading speed and accuracy following stroke

Purpose - The aim of the study was to determine the effect of optimal spectral filters on reading performance following stroke. Methods - Seventeen stroke subjects, aged 43-85, were considered with an age-matched Control Group (n = 17). Subjects undertook the Wilkins Rate of Reading Test on three occasions: (i) using an optimally selected spectral filter; (ii) subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: Group 1 used an optimal filter, whereas Group 2 used a grey filter, for two-weeks. The grey filter had similar photopic reflectance to the optimal filters, intended as a surrogate for a placebo; (iii) the groups were crossed over with Group 1 using a grey filter and Group 2 given an optimal filter, for two weeks, before undertaking the task once more. An increase in reading speed of >5% was considered clinically relevant. Results - Initial use of a spectral filter in the stroke cohort, increased reading speed by ~8%, almost halving error scores, findings not replicated in controls. Prolonged use of an optimal spectral filter increased reading speed by >9% for stroke subjects; errors more than halved. When the same subjects switched to using a grey filter, reading speed reduced by ~4%. A second group of stroke subjects used a grey filter first; reading speed decreased by ~3% but increased by ~4% with an optimal filter, with error scores almost halving. Conclusions - The present study has shown that spectral filters can immediately improve reading speed and accuracy following stroke, whereas prolonged use does not increase these benefits significantly. © 2013 Spanish General Council of Optometry.

The effect of universal futures on opening and closing stock market price discovery

Purpose – On 29 January 2001, Euronext LIFFE introduced single security futures contracts on a range of global companies. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact that the introduction of these futures contracts had on the behaviour of opening and closing UK equity returns. Design/methodology/approach – The paper models the price discovery process using the Amihud and Mendelson partial adjustment model which can be estimated using a Kalman filter. Findings – Empirical results show that during the pre-futures period both opening and closing returns under-react to new information. After the introduction of futures contracts opening returns over-react. A rise in the partial adjustment coefficient also takes place for closing returns but this is not large enough to cause over-reaction. Originality/value – This is the first study to examine the impact of a single security futures contract on the speed of spot market price discovery.

A Tale of Three Countries: Recovery after Banking Crises

Highlights: • Iceland, Ireland and Latvia experienced similar developments before the crisis, such as sharp increases in banks’ balance sheets and the expansion of the construction sector. However the impact of the crisis was different: Latvia was hit harder than any other country in the world. Ireland also suffered heavily, while Iceland came out from the crisis with the smallest fall in employment, despite the greatest shock to the financial system. • There were marked differences in policy mix: currency collapse in Iceland but not in Latvia, letting banks fail in Iceland but not in Ireland, and the introduction of strict capital controls only in Iceland. The speed of fiscal consolidation was fastest in Latvia and slowest in Ireland. • Economic recovery has started in all three countries and there are several encouraging signals. The programme targets in terms of fiscal adjustment, structural reforms and financial reform are on track in all three countries. • Iceland seems to have the right policy mix. • Internal devaluation in Ireland and Latvia through wage cuts did not work, because privatesector wages hardly changed. The productivity increase was significant in Ireland and moderate in Latvia, yet was the result of a greater fall in employment than the fall in output, with harmful social consequences. • The experience with the collapse of the gigantic Icelandic banking system suggests that letting banks fail when they had a faulty business model is the right choice. • There is a strong case for a European banking federation.

Kiigazítás recesszió nélkül. Esettanulmány a magyar stabilizációról = Adjustment without recession: A Case Study of Hungarian Stabilization

1995. március 12-én a magyar kormány és a központi bank szigorú kiigazítási és stabilizációs programot hirdetett meg. A cikk az első eredmények számbavételére tesz kísérletet. A program meghirdetése előtt Magyarország két egymást követő év- ben hatalmas fizetésimérleg-hiányt mutatott fel, és nemzetközi megítélése romlani kezdett. A program radikális intézkedései nyomán elkerülhetővé vált a mexikói vál- sághoz hasonló pénzügyi katasztrófa. Sok makrogazdasági mutató jól érzékelhető javulást jelez: lényegesen csökkent a kereskedelmi mérleg és a folyó fizetési mérleg hiánya, a költségvetés elsődleges egyenlege pozitív lett. Az ilyesféle stabilizációs programokat rendszerint súlyos visszaesés és a munkanélküliség nagy növekedése kíséri. Magyarország elkerülte ezeket a mellékhatásokat: a GDP drasztikus vissza- esés helyett valamelyest tovább növekedett, és a munkanélküliség változatlan ma- radt. A javulásnak nagy ára volt: az életszínvonal erőteljes csökkenése, az infláció felgyorsulása, bár a magyarországi infláció még mindig a kézben tartott, mérsékelt infláció sávjában maradt. A cikk ismerteti a program heterodox módszereit: 1. nagy leértékelés, az előre meghirdetett csúszó árfolyam rezsimjének bevezetése, valamint ideiglenes import- vámpótlék kivetése; 2. határozott jövedelempolitika, amely 12 százalékos reálbércsök- kenést kényszerített ki; 3. fiskális intézkedések, köztük jóléti jogosultságok csök- kentése (a program meghirdetése előtt ezek a jogosultságok tabuk voltak); 4. a hitel- kínálat átcsoportosítása a vállalati szektor javára, a jövedelmezőség növekedése; 5. feszített (bár nem mértéktelenül feszített) monetáris politika, amely lehetővé tette a sikeres vállalatok expanzióját; 6. a privatizáció felgyorsítása, nagy és sikeres lépé- sek egyes kulcsszektorok (energia, telekommunikáció) privatizációjában. Végezetül a tanulmány óva int a túlzott magabiztosságtól és felhívja a figyelmet a potenciális veszélyekre. A makrogazdasági javulás még törékeny. A magyar fejlődés legbiztatóbb sajátossága a termelékenység erőteljes és folyamatos növekedése. / === / On March 12, 1995 Hungary s government and central bank announced a tough program of adjustment and stabilization. This study is an attempt to asses the first results. Before the announcement of the program Hungary had a huge current account deficit for two consecutive years, and her international reputation started to decline. The program s radical measures made it possible to avoid a Mexico-style financial catastrophe. Many macroeconomic indicators show tangible improvement: the trade deficit and the deficit on the current account have been reduced significantly, the primary budget shifted to surplus. These kinds of adjustment programs are usually associated with deep recession and a large increase of unemployment. Hungary avoided these adverse side-effects: GDP instead of a drastic decline, continued to grow somewhat, and unemployment remained unchanged. There was a high price for the improvement: a sharp decline in the standard of living, and an acceleration of inflation, although Hungary is still in the range of controlled, moderate inflation. The paper describes the heterodox instruments of the program: (1) large devaluation, followed by a new exchange rate regime of pre-announced crawling peg, and a temporary import surcharge, (2) energetic income policy, enforcing a 12% cut in real wages; (3) fiscal measures, including cuts in welfare entitlements. That happened for the first time: before the program entitlements had been regarded as taboo ; (4) reallocation of credit supply in favor of the enterprise sector; increase of profitability; (5) tight (but not excessively tight) monetary policy, allowing the expansion of successful private busi- ness; (6) acceleration of privatisation, including large and successful steps in the privatisation of some key sectors (energy, telecommunication). Finally the paper warns against excessive self- confidence and draws the attention to potential dangers. The macroeconomic improvement is still fragile. The most reassuring feature of Hungary s development is the impressive and persistent improvement of productivity.

Szimulációk és érzékenységvizsgálatok a magyar gazdaság egy középméretű makromodelljével = Simulations and sensitivity analyses with a medium-sized macro model of the Hungarian economy

A tanulmányban a Pénzügyminisztérium gazdaságpolitikai főosztálya és az MTA Közgazdaságtudományi Intézete által kifejlesztett középméretű negyedéves makrogazdasági modell segítségével elemezzük a magyar gazdaság legfontosabb mechanizmusait. A modellezés során követett alapelvek és a modell blokkjainak bemutatása után egy forgatókönyv-elemzés keretében vizsgáljuk a makrogazdasági és költségvetési folyamatokat befolyásoló főbb faktorok hatásait. A - tágan értelmezett - "bizonytalansági tényezőket" három csoportba soroljuk: megkülönböztetjük a külső környezet (például árfolyam) változását, a gazdasági szereplők viselkedésében rejlő bizonytalanságokat (például a bérigazodás sebességének vagy a fogyasztássimítás mértékének bizonytalanságát), valamint a gazdaságpolitikai lépéseket (például állami bérek emelését). Megmutatjuk, hogy e kockázatok makrokövetkezményei nem függetlenek egymástól, például egy árfolyamváltozás hatását befolyásolja a bérigazodás sebessége. ______ This paper analyses the most important mechanisms of the Hungarian economy using a medium-sized quarterly macroeconomic model developed jointly by the Economic Policy Department of the Ministry of Finance and the Institute of Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. After introducing the fundamental principles of modelling and the building blocks of the model investigated, within a scenario analysis, the authors present the effects of the main factors behind the macroeconomic and budgetary processes. The sources of uncertainty - defined in a broad sense - are categorized in three groups: change in the external environment (e.g. the exchange rate), uncertainties in the behav-iour of economic agents (e.g. in speed of wage adjustment or extent of consumption smoothing), and economic policy decisions (e.g. the increase in public sector wages). The macroeconomic consequences of these uncertainties are shown not to be independent of each other. For instance, the effects of an exchange rate shock are influenced by the speed of wage adjustment.

A Study of Intercultural Adjustment Regarding Time Orientation of Russian Students in the U.S. Academic Environment

The study investigates intercultural adjustment (IA) of Russian students to the U.S. academic environment. IA is examined through the lens of the Time orientation (T orientation) of Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck’s (1961) theory of value orientations. The study reveals students’ T orientation and degrees, perceived difficulties, and strategies of adjustment.

Development of Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography and Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy: Improved Imaging Speed and Handheld Applications

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive three-dimensional interferometric imaging technique capable of achieving micrometer scale resolution. It is now a standard of care in ophthalmology, where it is used to improve the accuracy of early diagnosis, to better understand the source of pathophysiology, and to monitor disease progression and response to therapy. In particular, retinal imaging has been the most prevalent clinical application of OCT, but researchers and companies alike are developing OCT systems for cardiology, dermatology, dentistry, and many other medical and industrial applications.

Adaptive optics (AO) is a technique used to reduce monochromatic aberrations in optical instruments. It is used in astronomical telescopes, laser communications, high-power lasers, retinal imaging, optical fabrication and microscopy to improve system performance. Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) is a noninvasive confocal imaging technique that produces high contrast two-dimensional retinal images. AO is combined with SLO (AOSLO) to compensate for the wavefront distortions caused by the optics of the eye, providing the ability to visualize the living retina with cellular resolution. AOSLO has shown great promise to advance the understanding of the etiology of retinal diseases on a cellular level.

Broadly, we endeavor to enhance the vision outcome of ophthalmic patients through improved diagnostics and personalized therapy. Toward this end, the objective of the work presented herein was the development of advanced techniques for increasing the imaging speed, reducing the form factor, and broadening the versatility of OCT and AOSLO. Despite our focus on applications in ophthalmology, the techniques developed could be applied to other medical and industrial applications. In this dissertation, a technique to quadruple the imaging speed of OCT was developed. This technique was demonstrated by imaging the retinas of healthy human subjects. A handheld, dual depth OCT system was developed. This system enabled sequential imaging of the anterior segment and retina of human eyes. Finally, handheld SLO/OCT systems were developed, culminating in the design of a handheld AOSLO system. This system has the potential to provide cellular level imaging of the human retina, resolving even the most densely packed foveal cones.

Preschoolers’ Executive Control and Diurnal Cortisol as Mediators of the Relations of Prenatal Stress to Child Adjustment

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Effect of ray and speed perturbations on ionospheric tomography by over-the-horizon radar: A new method

International audience

Effects of Drive Speed Modulation on Dynamics of Slender Rotating Structures

Slender rotating structures are used in many mechanical systems. These structures can suffer from undesired vibrations that can affect the components and safety of a system. Furthermore, since some these structures can operate in a harsh environment, installation and operation of sensors that are needed for closed-loop and collocated control schemes may not be feasible. Hence, the need for an open-loop non-collocated scheme for control of the dynamics of these structures. In this work, the effects of drive speed modulation on the dynamics of slender rotating structures are studied. Slender rotating structures are a type of mechanical rotating structures, whose length to diameter ratio is large. For these structures, the torsion mode natural frequencies can be low. In particular, for isotropic structures, the first few torsion mode frequencies can be of the same order as the first few bending mode frequencies. These situations can be conducive for energy transfer amongst bending and torsion modes. Scenarios with torsional vibrations experienced by rotating structures with continuous rotor-stator contact occur in many rotating mechanical systems. Drill strings used in the oil and gas industry are an example of rotating structures whose torsional vibrations can be deleterious to the components of the drilling system. As a novel approach to mitigate undesired vibrations, the effects of adding a sinusoidal excitation to the rotation speed of a drill string are studied. A portion of the drill string located within a borewell is considered and this rotating structure has been modeled as an extended Jeffcott rotor and a sinusoidal excitation has been added to the drive speed of the rotor. After constructing a three-degree-of-freedom model to capture lateral and torsional motions, the equations of motions are reduced to a single differential equation governing torsional vibrations during continuous stator contact. An approximate solution has been obtained by making use of the Method of Direct Partition of Motions with the governing torsional equation of motion. The results showed that for a rotor undergoing forward or backward whirling, the addition of sinusoidal excitation to the drive speed can cause an increase in the equivalent torsional stiffness, smooth the discontinuous friction force at contact, and reduce the regions of negative slope in the friction coefficient variation with respect to speed. Experiments with a scaled drill string apparatus have also been conducted and the experimental results show good agreement with the numerical results obtained from the developed models. These findings suggest that the extended Jeffcott rotordynamics model can be useful for studies of rotor dynamics in situations with continuous rotor-stator contact. Furthermore, the results obtained suggest that the drive speed modulation scheme can have value for attenuating drill-string vibrations.