1. ¹Department of Management and Decision Science, College of Business, Washington State University, Richland, USA
2. ²The Eli Broad Graduate School of Management, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
3. ³Krannert Graduate School of Management, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA

Correspondence: SJ Shin, 2710 University Drive, CIC, Richland, WA 99354-1671, USA. Tel: +1 509 372 7331; Fax: +1 509 372 7512; E-mail: sshin@tricity.wsu.edu

Received 18 September 2004; Revised 17 November 2005; Accepted 5 April 2006; Published online 21 December 2006.

Abstract

To empirically address the importance of the cultural context for successful assignments, we conducted two studies using a large sample of public-sector US professionals working in comparable jobs in 156 different countries. The results provided direct evidence that social and perceptual skill, reasoning ability, and adjustment- and achievement-orientation personality requirements are higher in expatriate assignments, which has implications for pre-departure selection. Also, the results partly supported the hypothesis that expatriates are required to adjust their behavior to be consistent with the local cultural values, which has implications for post-arrival behavioral training.