Expatriate success may depend on a "learning orientation": Considerations for selection and training

To support globalization, managers increasingly are sent to live and work i n other countries. An unsuccessful expatriate assignment is costly for the organization and damaging to the individual's career, yet few companies hav e adequate processes for selecting and training expatriate managers. The co ncept of "Learning orientation" is proposed as a valuable dimension for ass essment and training. Employees with weaker learning orientation tend to wi thdraw from situations that could result in low judgement of performance; t hose with stronger learning orientation adapt and continue. The described a pproach can benefit employees and their families and can increase the organ ization's chance for international success. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc .