China is among the easiest countries to attract expatriate executives to work but is also one of the hardest places for them to succeed, according to more than 140 international recruiters who completed the tenth edition of the quarterly Executive Recruiter Index, released today by Korn/Ferry International (NYSE:KFY), a premier global provider of talent management solutions.
Other locations popular with expatriates are Western Europe (especially the United Kingdom), North America, and Southeast Asia (especially Singapore). Among the most difficult places to attract expatriates to work are the non-Gulf Middle East, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, and South America.
In terms of locations that provide expatriates with the greatest chances for success, recruiters selected Western Europe, North America and Southeast Asia. The most difficult places for expatriates to succeed, according to recruiters, are North Asia (especially China, Japan and South Korea), the non-Gulf Middle East, 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," said Chris van Someren, president of Korn/Ferry for Europe, Middle East and Africa. "Our findings suggest that expatriate executives are understandably hesitant to walk into unstable political or economic situations, and cultures that are perceived to be overly homogenous or insular. Global companies must find creative solutions to attract expatriates into these more challenging locations and nurture their success."
The survey also asked recruiters to evaluate the various merits and limitations of expatriate assignments. Recruiters gave expatriate programs high marks for promoting better cultural understanding, facilitating the opening of a new branch or office, and as a professional development tool. They said expatriate assignments were least effective for addressing local talent shortages, generating new business abroad and improving employee retention.
The most common reason for expatriate assignments to fail, according to more than half of recruiters (51 percent), is a lack of cultural fit. Other popular responses were family or personal issues (23 percent) and not enough direction or goal setting (12 percent).
Finally, an overwhelming majority of recruiters (91 percent) said that executives with international experience are either extremely or somewhat desirable candidates. The mean ideal length for an expatriate assignment, according to recruiters, is 32 months or approximately two-and-a-half years.
"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," van Someren added. "The key for employers is maintaining an appropriate balance between expatriate and local talent by understanding when, where and how expatriates can best help the business."
Methodology
The Executive Recruiter Index is based on a quarterly survey of 144 Korn/Ferry International consultants, who serve the world´s largest corporations and not-for-profit organizations.
About Korn/Ferry International
Korn/Ferry International, with more than 70 offices in 40 countries, is a premier global provider of talent management solutions. Based in Los Angeles, the firm delivers an array of solutions that help clients to identify, deploy, develop, retain and reward their talent. For more information on the Korn/Ferry International family of companies, visit www.kornferry.com.
