The Global Visions Case: Determining the Best Practices for Managing Expats and Intercultural Differences in a Multinational Corporation

Abstract: The Global Visions case focuses on a multinational company struggling with managing its expatriates and intercompany cultural differences. The company suffered from frequent turnover of its expatriate personnel and faced internal cross-cultural conflicts from having acquired several other smaller companies without addressing organizational and other cultural differences. Managing these problems fell under the leadership of Chris Chase, the senior vice president of human capital and human resources. He faced establishing the value of intercultural training, designing a program if indeed he could justify the expense, and convincing the other senior managers of the need and the ROI. The case highlights the issues companies face when they move their people from culture to culture, relocate their business units, or merge with other companies without providing adequate intercultural training, and it challenges students to determine the best answer for Global Visions and the best approach for a senior manager to use in persuading others in his or her organization.

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