Cross- cultural Communication This page intentionally left blank

Graphology
The study of handwriting is used in a number of countries, including both 
France and the UK, to assist the prediction of reliability and response to 
stress when selecting potential managers. It has also been included as part 
of the selection methods of some large companies, who claim it is a most 
effective and additional way of assessing the suitability of candidates. The 
science of graphoanalysis includes the examination of the slope of letters in 
writing and the spacing between words and letters.
Assessment centres
Many multinational companies, for example, Shell and HSBC, use their 
own internal assessment centres when recruiting future international man-
agers, including internal and external candidates. Other large companies 
and a number of public sector organizations use independent assessment 
centres to assist in their recruitment. These have the advantage of provid-
ing a neutral venue with specialist staff with wide experience of assessment 
techniques and knowledge of the target cultures. However, they need to 
be fully aware of a company’s corporate culture and detailed requirements. 
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104 Cross-Cultural Communication
Assessment centres run a series of structured interviews, in- tray exercises, 
group tasks and psychometric tests which are specifically designed to assess 
personality issues, cultural awareness and tolerance, as well as motivation 
and commitment. Discussions are held with those attending on the main 
problem areas and potential benefits involved with living and working in 
foreign cultures. These can include:
the potentially nomadic lifestyle, with frequent moves;
the loss of one’s home/national ties;
integrating with the local community;
living with ambiguity;
opportunities to develop new interests;
the availability of support groups, particularly in an emergency;
coping strategies to deal with culture shock;
concern about career development, including the perception that ‘out of 
sight is out of mind’;
opportunities presented by foreign assignments – new challenges, travel, 
acquisition of a new language and new friends;
the assistance available to help with eventual repatriation.
There are, however, problems with some psychometric tests, in that they do 
not travel well across cultural boundaries.
Some detailed research was carried out in 1990 by the Canadian 
International Development Agency (CIDA) which clearly indicated that 
an individual possessing a high degree of professional and interpersonal 
skills has a much greater chance of becoming interculturally successful 
while abroad. Another interesting finding was that ease of adjustment 
overseas in one country does not necessarily mean that a person will neces-
sarily be interculturally effective in another country. The assumption that 
‘management is management’ anywhere in the world may be too simplistic. 
An effective manager in, say, New York may not do so well in Hong Kong or 
Tokyo. There is also the inherent danger in the belief that if the assignment 
overseas is only for a short period, ‘he or she’ll be fine. It’s only two months 
anyway over there’.
The overall research findings highlight the need for improved procedures 
in the selection for international assignments. There is, however, a much 
clearer realization of the need for preparatory training and the develop-
ment of cross- cultural sensitivity and communication as essential factors for 
successful and harmonious living and working overseas.