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The GMAC 2003/2004 also asked the participants to evaluate the
factors that are «frequently, sometimes or never» responsible for the failure
of the assignment.
It is obvious from Figure 1 that the most important factors in the
failure of the assignment are those related, on the one hand, with the
selection process and expatriate training, poor selection criteria (84%),
lack of clear expectations (71%), adaptation failure (71%) and poor
performance. (69%) and on the other hand, if we add the answers «frequently»
and «sometimes» the factors derived from the situation of the
expatriate’s family are shown to be the most important factors for failure,
i.e. the lack of satisfaction of the expatriate’s spouse (90%), and other
family problems (92%). Factors such as the salary and safety and guarantees
appear to be the least significant when considering the reasons
for the failure of the assignment.
Figure 1. Obtained and translated from Global Relocation Services 2003/2004, GMAC
2004, Figure p. 56 1.
Obtained and translated from Global Relocation
Services 2003/2004, GMAC 2004, p. 56
Reasons for assignment failure
Partner’s dissatisfaction
Other family problems
Lack of adaptation
Poor performance
Lack of knowledge of job expectations
Living Standards
Never
Sometimes
Frequently
Poor Candidate selection
Lack of satisfaction with
salary
Safety and guarantees
0 20 40 60 80 100
Source: Own Sources
Source: Own Sources
So as to understand the reasons behind the high rate of failure for
the expatriate, Gómez-Mejía et al. (2001) identify six factors which
So contribute as to understand to the the majority reasons behind of failures: the high career rate of stagnation failure for the of expatriate, the expatriate Gómez-
Mejía within et al. the (2001) company; identify cultural six factors shock which derived contribute from to the cultural majority confrontation
of failures: career
stagnation and misunderstandings; of the expatriate within poor the or company; complete cultural lack of shock previous derived training from cultural of
confrontation and misunderstandings; poor or complete lack of previous training of the
expatriate and an excess of prioritization of technical skills, leaving aside other factors
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such as considering expatriation a form of getting rid of an unwanted employee, or family
problems such as spouse’s or children’s maladjustment, spouse’s career expectations,
elderly parents and so on.
According to Schell (1994), President of the relocation services agency Windham
International in New York, “the recruitment process is faulty in nature … Assignments