Assignment
Expat in the Heartland
"Good morning, Mr. Thomson!" "Good morning, Lee! Please, call me John. Mr. Thomson is my father. Where are you off to this early in the morning?" "Oh, I'm going for a Tai-chi session at the community club. Would you like to join me, Mr. Thomson?" "I would love to!" "Are you settling in well, Mr. Thomson? I was surprised to find a Westerner as my neighbor when you moved in. Don't you much prefer to live in a condominium than to live in a public housing flat?" "I'm not given a generous housing allowance. But I would have chosen to live in a public housing flat anyway, because I wanted to experience life in Singapore's heartland. I'm settling in very well. My HR department put me through a comprehensive orientation program to help my family and me appreciate the cultural differences and anticipate any difficulties we might face in adapting to a new culture. With the help of my HR department, my wife has even gotten a new job teaching at a nearby preschool. It's been wonderful so far. Everybody here is friendly and makes us feel very welcome. In fact, I find the locals here so polite and much more formal than Australians." "I'm happy to hear that you are adapting well, Mr. Thomson. How long is your assignment in Singapore?" "I'll be here for two years before going back to Australia. And please, do call me John!" "I will, Mr. Thomson!"
Questions
1. What were John Thomson's personal character traits that made him suitable to be a global employee? What other traits should be considered?
2. John Thomson was not given a generous housing allowance. What might be some reasons for this? Discuss the factors to consider when deciding on a compensation package for global employees.
3. Should the HR department help Mrs. Thomson find a job in Singapore? Discuss.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.