Unit 18

1) Actually, there are a lot of problems that a worker may have after his/her posting but I would like to specify the next:

First of all, as you spend all your time abroad, in other country, you are not able to maintain contacts with your home country, your collegues. Thus, you will find it quiet difficult to readjust and reintegrate on your return.

Another problem concerns your position in your home company. It is very vital because your position in overseas firm may be very high (as Paul Richardson in the article) but when you come back, you may become a divisional manager, work as part of a team and your achievements abroad will count for nothing.

2) Undoubtedly, international experience plays a great role in lives of all managers who want to achieve their goals and to become outstanding specialists. In my opinion, every international manager should spend no more than 3 years in foreign company. It is enough in order to exercise all your talents, initiative, acquire valuable experience, pick up necessary skills, implement new techniques and so on.

3) It is true that Paul Richardson enjoyed his time more than other manager. There are a lot of arguments supporting this fact. Firstly, he was like a big fish in a small pond. Secondly, as a general manager, he was able to show his talents, implement new strategies, use his outgoing personality and help the firm make lots of profit. He was not underestimated there and was considered a valuable specialist.

4) In fact, Andy Spriggs found his international experience more useful than Paul Richardson. After his posting, he had a lot of problems with local community but working overseas broadened his perspectives. Moreover, he quited from the Shell and this fact improved his employability too. After that, he did not have any problems with finding a good job because he looked in demand on the labour market.

5) He came back because there were not places else where Paul could go career wise. Furthermore, his wife was keen on pick up her own career.

6. The two men had different experiences when they returned to the UK. Which man is now unhappy? What reasons does he give?

Paul Richardson, the first man, is now unhappy. His success abroad had made him arrogant, and he ignored the need to network and research the new job back in England before he returned. He lost a link with changes in Head Office, so his success and his achievements abroad count for nothing in England. Thus, his career has regressed.

7. What did Andy Spriggs gain from his time abroad?

Andy Spriggs gained from his time abroad an enormous amount of technical experience and a superb overview of the industry of production oil and an ability to adapt to the new community and new organisations.

8. What recommendations are given in the text to ensure a successful return home?

Time abroad should be considered carefully and worked into the career development strategy. So:

- try to go away no more than two years

- maintain contact in your home country

- don't lose your network of contacts

9. Paul Richardson decided to return because «there was nowhere else I could go career-wise and stay out there». What exactly does this mean?

To develop his career he needed to leave the Middle East.

10. If you were going to work/study abroad, what are the positive benefits and experiences you would hope to get from this? What difficulties would you expect to have?

Benefits:

- new experience and new skills

- new overview of the industry/the studying proccess

- an ability to exercise your talents, use your skills

Difficulties:

- difficult integration with a local community

- probability to lose touch with changes at head office/home country

- difficult reintegration on your return