Deck 12: International Employee Performance Management

Question 1

The PM process is commonly described by practitioners in Western enterprises as the "performance wheel."

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Western companies have moved towards the use of more objective measures of performance, involvement of multiple raters and ongoing coaching and development of employees as critical features of their performance management system.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

There are two broad purposes for performance appraisal: evaluation and remuneration.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In collectivistic, high-power distance cultures, PM is culturally more compatible with a focus on broad performance targets than with specific performance criteria.

Question 5

Cultural value dimensions such as power distance, collectivism, harmony, and face have been shown to have minimal influence on the way in which performance is evaluated.

Question 6

Companies with strong corporate cultures and decentralized decision making may be less inclined to favor a more standardized PM system.

Question 7

The evaluation phase deals with the choices that management of an MNE must make with regard to its PM system.

Question 8

Conducting 360-degree reviews for an IA is logistically simple.

Question 9

In view of the geographical, communicative, and cultural distance between the foreign subsidiary or JV and the home-country appraiser, local management is seldom called in to give an opinion.

Question 10

The many difficulties involved with the performance appraisal of international assignees in international operations indicate the need to collect multiple perspectives to enhance the accuracy and validity of an expatriate's performance evaluation.

Question 11

International PM systems are complex because

A) managing the PM of international assignees presents particular challenges.
B) of the impact of culture on management practices.
C) decisions about standardized practices versus divergent systems must be made.
D) all of the above.

Question 12

Critical components of PM in large Western firms have shifted towards

A) greater accountability of employee performance, and involvement of multiple raters.
B) use of more objective measures and metrics.
C) ongoing coaching and development of employees.
D) all of these.

Question 13

Helping managers to improve their performance, develop future potential, motivating employees by recognizing their efforts and career planning are all forms of

A) evaluation goals.
B) developmental goals.
C) appraisal goals.
D) none of the above.

Question 14

_________________ in PM is the application of a relatively similar appraisal concept but adapting the process to align with cultural characteristics.

A) Divergence
B) Convergence
C) Crossvergence
D) Emergence

Question 15

The impact of culture is particularly evident in which area of PA?

A) Performance criteria
B) Method of appraisal
C) Performance feedback
D) all of these

Question 16

Developing a PM system in the home country and transferring it to foreign units is a(n) _________ strategy

A) adaptive
B) exportive
C) integrative
D) differentiation

Question 17

Developing unique PM practices in each foreign unit is a(n) _________ PM strategy

A) adaptive
B) exportative
C) integrative
D) differentiation

Question 18

Combining local PM practices with those in the region and around the world is a(n) _________ PM strategy

A) adaptive
B) exportative
C) integrative
D) Differentiation

Question 19

Which of the following is a factor affecting PM practices?

A) International mergers
B) Joint ventures
C) acquisitions
D) All of the above

Question 20

Decisions about the purpose of the PM system, performance criteria, methods of evaluation and rater identification have to be made during the __________ phase of the IPM system.

A) final
B) design
C) implementation
D) evaluation

Question 21

Effective performance management of international assignees is critical to the success of the MNE, especially because

A) expatriates have lower than average turnover rates upon their return from an assignment.
B) expatriates are very expensive in terms of their compensation arrangements.
C) many international assignees are successful and leave their assignment early.
D) all of the above.

Question 22

Effective performance management of international assignees requires recognition of the value of their foreign experience and ___________ approaches to evaluating their performance.

A) flexible
B) responsive
C) formal
D) in-frequent

Question 23

The PM system needs to be able to recognize that international assignees have developed specific skills, such as _______________, and these need to be considered in the evaluation of their performance.

A) being flexible in dealing with people and systems
B) ensuring that the global directives are enforced
C) managing a workforce with many similarities
D) all of the above

Question 24

Disadvantage(s) of using a home country manager as a rater of an international assignee's performance include

A) they may have little knowledge of local circumstances.
B) they may not be aware of the local culture and its impact on performance.
C) there are no disadvantages.
D) A and B

Question 25

Based on the limited research available related to the PM of international assignees, it is recommended that MNEs

A) set clear performance expectations for the international assignee.
B) specify what successful performance in the host country entails.
C) conduct frame-of-reference training for both the raters and the rater.
D) all of the above.

Question 26

List three reasons for the complexity of an international PM system.

Question 27

List four evaluation goals for performance appraisals in the international environment.

Question 28

What are four things that can be done to improve the effectiveness of an MNE's IPM system?

Question 29

What tactical issues arise in the evaluation of international assignees?

Question 30

Explain how the international character of the MNE impacts the design, implementation, and evaluation of the PM system

Question 31

Identify and explain the characteristics of a successful IPM system