TORONTO - China is one of the easiest places for recruiters to lure
expatriate executives, but is also one of the hardest places for them to
succeed, according to a study released on Tuesday.
A survey of more than 140 international recruiters by executive recruitment
firm Korn/Ferry International found other popular places for expatriate workers
were Western Europe, especially Britain, and North America, as well as Southeast
Asia, especially Singapore.
The firm's 10th quarterly executive recruiter index found that the most
difficult places to attract expatriates to work included the non-Gulf Middle
East, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, and South America.
"High-growth emerging nations often offer the greatest opportunities for
expatriates, but they can also come with the most challenges," Chris van
Someren, president of Korn/Ferry for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said in a
statement.
Reasons that assignments failed included the lack of cultural fit, family or
personal issues or a lack of direction from managers, the survey showed.
Things were toughest for expatriates in China, Japan and South Korea, the
non-Gulf Middle East, and in Central and Eastern Europe, and South America, the
poll found.
But 91 percent of the recruiters surveyed said executives with international
experience were either extremely or somewhat desirable candidates.
"Expatriate assignments can be extremely beneficial for developing emerging
leaders and for providing solutions for organizations undergoing significant
growth or change - but expatriates are clearly not a substitute for local
talent," said van Someren.
Recruiters said expatriate programs helped promote better cultural
understanding, facilitated the opening of a new branch or office, and were good
as a professional development tool.
But expatriate assignments were least effective for addressing local talent
shortages, generating new business abroad and improving staff retention.
The poll found the average ideal length for an expatriate posting was about
two-and-a-half years.
