Dave Reis's HR Web
International HR

Expatriate Management (Management of International Employees)

SOURCE: David M. Reis, Whitman Corporation, 847-818-5033

February 19, 1996

STRATEGIC POLICY - INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYEES

What are your goals with respect to international employees:

  • succession planning,
  • coordination/communication of the corporate vision,
  • global information sharing.

Need to define the strategic approach to international assignments. pg. 179:

  • There is increasing value to expatriate assignments as firms become global competitors.
  • A means must be found to provide this experience to as many managers as possible. That would probably involve shorter-term expatriate assignments whose purpose is avowedly developmental-for both the individual and the organization. (Many firms now believe local nationals should nearly always be used in lieu of expatriates.)
  • It might also serve the purpose of organizational cross-pollination.
  • Company’s goal should be to have a pool of people already identified and trained that can readily fill international assignments as they become available.

Features of a Globalized Company (Personnel Journal "How Does Your Global Talent Measure Up?)

  • Treats the world as a single market
  • More product sold outside the home country than within the home country
  • Worldwide sourcing of customers, employees, suppliers and technology--sourcing with a total disregard for national boundaries
  • Glocalized (GE term), not centralized, decision making.
  • Research and development is implemented regardless of boundaries
  • Non-national executives on the top-management fast track
  • Shareholders are spread throughout the world
  • Non-national directors on the company’s board
  • Traded on a non-national stock exchange

Questions to be answered regarding management of international employees

  • which practices, procedures, systems should be centralized
  • which ones should be retained at the subsidiary level
  • which ones can be handled internally
  • which ones should be outsourced and to whom
  • what are the responsibilities of each of these groups
  • how can the process be streamlined
  • how do policies and procedures differ depending on: the length of the assignment, expatriate vs. third country national vs. foreign expatriate

Relocation Policy Development Should Consider

  • company culture
  • level of tolerance (what will local operating units accept)
  • macro approach - use focus groups of U.S. and non-U.S. HR personnel, other management and current/former expatriates and spouses

Detailed Questions Regarding Administrative Procedures and Policies

  • benefit plan design: who reviews and approves, how are government mandated changes to be handled
  • how are local professional service providers selected and appointed
  • documentation review, coordination and approval
  • record-keeping and day-to-day administration responsibilities
  • employee communications and disclosure development, approval and distribution (government mandated and company specific)
  • responsibility and approval regarding legal and/or fiduciary structures involving employee benefit matters (compliance with local laws, e.g., benefit committees; role of corporate finance; use of trusts, commingled funds, risk pooling; appointment of trustees, benefit committee members
  • an audit/survey of international benefits can help determine whether: benefits are competitive, the plans are properly integrated with statutory benefits, the program specifications, such as normal retirement age and employee contribution levels, are consistent with the global objectives; and whether the administration of the plans is cost effective.

ADMINISTRATIVE DETAIL - INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYEE POLICIES

OVERVIEW

pre-departure processes

  • selection of employees for transfer (technical skills, global business skills, promotability, personal and family situation
  • letter of understanding: beginning and ending date of assignment and renewal provisions, location, job title and description of duties, compensation package (base, bonus, COLA, relocation bonus, housing differential, reimbursement of moving expenses, allowance for sale/rental of principal residence, dependent education allowance, automobile, home leave, emergency leave, currency fluctuation, tax equalization/protection, U.S. employee benefit plans, foreign employee benefit plans, language assistance, spousal/family assistance), salary administration, when will performance and salary be reviewed, who is the employer, who has hire/fire authority, home country return rights, will there be a job upon return and at what level, preparation of tax returns, vacation/holiday, termination provisions, restrictive covenants (confidential information, noncompetition, no solicitation of employees, return of records, equitable relief), notice provision, successors and assigns provision, severability provision, entire agreement provision, governing law provision
  • language and cross-cultural training (including business conditions and conduct)
  • tax planning
  • pre-departure interview process (including family)
  • immigration
  • physical examinations/immunizations
  • pre-assignment trip
  • sale of home
  • movement of household goods
  • arrival process
  • on-site assistance
  • emergency situations
  • monetary and banking system

ongoing assignment management

  • payment of premiums and allowances
  • assignment related non-payroll costs
  • tax preparations and W-2 analysis
  • expense reports
  • host housing
  • performance evaluations
  • assignment tracking and reporting
  • mentoring and ongoing communication

repatriation

  • reassignment
  • purchase of home/housing assistance
  • debriefing and reorientation
  • tax issues
  • termination procedure
  • assessing assignment effectiveness (surveys of expatriate, family, and local management; annual cost analysis)

DETAIL

How do we determine who will be sent on an international assignment. per 177 of International Management text, managers who are globally competent will be:

  • deeply curious;
  • have broad interests,
  • an openness to a variety of experiences, and
  • a willingness to experiment and to take risks.
  • Don't overvalue technical expertise and knowledge -
  • the ability of the person/family to adapt to, respect, and function in, another culture is critical.

The Canadian Guide to Working and Living Overseas says important skills for living overseas are:

  • GENERAL TRAITS: enjoyment of change, sense of adventure, desire for challenges, open mind, patience, curiosity
  • ADAPTATION AND COPING SKILLS: emotional stability and ability to deal with stress, knowledge of culture shock, observation and adaptation skills, flexibility, humor, self-knowledge
  • INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS: tolerance, sensitivity, listening and observing, nonverbal communication skills, second language speaking skills
  • OVERSEAS WORK EFFECTIVENESS SKILLS: independence and seof-discipline, training experience, resourcefulness, versatility, persistence, organizational and people skills, leadership, energy, project planning skills, writing skills, verbal communication skills, loyalty and tenacity, tact, philosophical commitment to field or work
  • KEY TRAITS OF AN EFFECTIVE OVERSEAS EMPLOYEE: interpersonal skills, assertiveness and sense of identity, realistic pre-departure expectations

PepsiCo Foods and Beverages International (Somers, NY) looks for managers with four core competencies:

  • Integrity - defined as honesty, candor, the ability to deliver what is promised
  • A drive for results - a bias for goals and action
  • Respect for others - for different beliefs, values, and ways of doing business, and
  • Ability to break complex problems into solvable ones - creative thinking (intellectual curiosity is essential)

David Leboff, director of tax at PepsiCo Food and Beverages International says the expatriates mission is "Get in fast. Identify locals. Get out."

Principal Financial Group core competencies for cultural training: communications, strategic thinking, negotiation, managing diversity and team building, global literacy and creativity, leadership

Per NFTC/Windham International 1994 Survey on Global Relocation Trends

The most valued expatriate global competencies are personal flexibility (75%), international perspective (49%), and professional skills (45%).

per Conference Board report, the global assignment selection process should be as follows:

  • Create the selection team. Team members should include home and host country managers and a human resource manager. The home country manager should be designated as the expatriate's sponsor.
  • Define strategic purpose for global assignment. Global executive development, coordination and control, information exchange.
  • Assess the global assignment content. The more interaction required with local nationals, the more important cross-cultural and language skills will be.
  • Establish appropriate selection criteria. Technical, advancement potential, cross-cultural skills, ethnocentricity.
  • Define the candidate pool. via referrals, internal job postings, global candidate database.
  • Utilize multiple selection methods. Assessment center, standardization tests, pre-selection interviews.
  • Interview expatriate and spouse and, possibly, perform psychological testing. Could assist the spouse in finding employment abroad and could assist in finding schools, day care and other services. Outline strategic purpose of assignment and career path of potential expatriate. Determine unique dual-career and family needs. Provide realistic preview of job and living overseas.
  • Make global assignment offer. Base it on relevant, factual and comprehensive information.
  • Transition into training program. The selection should be well enough in advance to initiate appropriate training and preparation.

Compensation planning (what behavior are we trying to motivate) Need to be flexible as regulations differ by country (e.g., rules for share based plans are onerous in Japan).:

  • base salary, premiums (foreign service premium, hardship premium), allowances (COLA, housing, schooling, taxes, car), bonuses, restricted stock and options, medical insurance, retirement plan, home leave
  • character (payments-in-kind),
  • source
  • timing of payments
  • exchange rate protection

Acculturation and language training for the employee and his/her family. Depends on degree of integration, duration of stay, how great the difference in culture is, and how difficult the job is. Training once a manager arrives in the host country (not just before) is often effective. Could include:

  • area/cultural briefings,
  • language training (extensive if stay is 2-3 years),
  • role-plays,
  • critical incidents,
  • case studies,
  • stress reduction,
  • sensitivity training,
  • field experiences and
  • simulations.

In order to succeed abroad, family members need

  • to have a willingness to communicate
  • have empathy toward foreign cultures
  • be tolerant of views that differ from their own
  • develop a somewhat more relativistic approach to the universe
  • resolve to adopt positive behaviors and attitudes
  • try to recognize and overcome ethnocentrism and feelings of superiority

Sample questions to determine readiness for an international assignment

  • Are you prepared for major adjustments in your home and work life?
  • Are you prepared to be separated from your family, loved ones, friends?
  • Are you prepared to live in another country where you may not understand the language?
  • Are you prepared to give up all the services and facilities you take for granted in your home country - medical, legal, financial?
  • Are you willing to try new foods, do without television, your daily newspaper, even a telephone?
  • Are you prepared to live with new security considerations, possible political instability, crime, corruption, major class differences?
  • Are you prepared to live in a different climate with perhaps hot, humid temperatures or torrential rainfall?
  • Are you prepared for living in a culture very different from your own, with customs and attitudes you have never encountered before?
  • Are you prepared to be patient in a way you probably never had to be here at home?
  • Are you prepared to frequently misunderstand and be misunderstood?
  • Are you prepared to put in storage or divest yourself of most of your belongings for a period of one year or more?
  • Are you prepared to accept alternate schooling arrangements for your children?
  • Are you capable of dealing with the tremendous contrast of poverty and wealth existing side-by-side in certain countries?
  • Are you capable of adapting to different situations, even unpleasant ones?

Tax Planning

  • residency and physical presence requirements
  • housing and other exclusions
  • deferred compensation and bonuses
  • earnings of the spouse
  • deductions (e.g., moving expenses)
  • foreign tax credit
  • alternative minimum tax
  • withholding requirements and estimated tax payments
  • filing of tax returns
  • state taxes
  • gross-up

Government requirements:

  • passport,
  • certificate of registration for goods to be moved,
  • firearms registration,
  • U.S. export forms,
  • visa,
  • residence and work permits,
  • medical and immunization certificates,
  • international driving permits,
  • marriage certificate.
  • U.S. may require certain items: 4782 tax form for gross-up of moving expenses

Relocation:

  • Home sale (co. to buy house, o/s co. to buy house, or merely pay for some of the expenses.
  • Who pays: brokerage charges, attorney or escrow officer fees, title costs, mortgage discount points, capital gains taxes, broker's commission, temporary lodging, down payment requirements, cost of house hunting trips.
  • moving expenses (how much will company pay for),
  • personal records (notification of schools, credit card companies, utilities, insurance co., SSA, tax authorities)
  • air travel policy

Other:

  • spousal job assistance: access to job banks, job search skills assistance, resume assistance, interaction with other relocated spouses
  • Club memberships;
  • security requirements (e.g., Pinkertons) and safety tips (areas to avoid),
  • obtaining insurance,
  • bank accounts,
  • medical care and pharmacy (may need private sector alternatives to government programs due to long waits for non-elective surgery and concerns about quality of care),
  • social security number,
  • drivers license,
  • credit cards,
  • phone service,
  • mail,
  • auto registration or purchase,
  • emergency medical service,
  • home leave policy
  • elder care

What do we do to manage an individual's family during the overseas assignment:

  • provide mentors.
  • local contacts,
  • job search,
  • schools,
  • day care

Any difference in performance evaluation system for expatriates?

  • incorporate distinctive conditions of the local country
  • reflect difficulty of the assignment
  • incorporate the expatriate's insights and observations
  • delay first review to allow adaptation to country

What approaches are used to keep expatriates (and their families) in the communication loop

  • assign a contact person in HR (who should have policy manual, e.g., no duplication of benefits, and procedure manual regarding international assignment management)
  • brochure regarding the international assignment policy
  • expatriate newsletter
  • face-to-face communication with expatriate and family
  • weekly mail pouch
  • communication with various expatriate service providers
  • home office mentor (person’s functional area, not HR): guide expatriate through the process from beginning to repatriation, career development and support, assessment of Ees skills, recognition of achievements
  • survey employees on assignment, as well as the business unit

communication objectives:

  • international executives must fully understand what is expected of them,
  • the international cadre must form a "global team" (keeping in mind goal is not to have a fixed staff of international employees, but a rotating group)
  • team members must feel confident of their ability to influence the financial drivers of the plan,
  • communication channels must be available-and open- for them to act as a team.

What policies exist to ensure that we effectively use the expatriates when they go back to their host country (many companies experience high turnover rates upon repatriation). Could have a repatriation team.

  • consider systematically the expatriates' eligibility for home office positions
  • identify positions that can best use individual's new skills
  • could incorporate home country visits, pre-return training and orientation, and sponsors
  • hold debriefing session to retain knowledge or prepare written record
  • individual to be mentor for future managers
  • could make intl. experience a key factor in promotion policy

Assessing assignment effectiveness

  • achievement of technical goals (revenue growth, market share, new products, etc.)
  • development of cross-cultural leadership skills (defined by host country)
  • increased knowledge of the host country’s or region’s business practices, markets, competition, etc.
  • cultural growth experience of the family, including successful integration/adaptation of family members into local cultural institutions, and practices
  • accelerated career advancement
  • employment retention rate within two years of repatriation
  • expatriate career progression within five years of repatriation
  • formal post-repatriation assessments of the expatriate’s professional, personal, cultural, and family accomplishments.

The most common reasons for assignment failure:

  • lack of understanding/acclimation to local culture by the expatriate and family
  • failure to teach managerial concepts to host country staff
  • failure to learn local business practice
  • inability to relate to workers effectively
  • insufficient involvement in the host country business
  • arrogance
  • unwillingness to listen
  • communication misunderstandings
  • decisions made without local input
  • strategies changed frequently
  • too much or too little trust in others

STRATEGIC INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RESOURCE POLICY

Areas to Consider With Respect to Global Policy Coordination

  • Values/corporate culture
  • Compensation and benefits
  • Assignment/succession planning
  • Performance assessment
  • Management recruitment/selection
  • Management training
  • Organizational design
  • Quality management
  • Labor negotiations

Global Policy Statements should exist for domestic as well as international operations:

  • company’s philosophy and overall attitude for employee benefits
  • total remuneration (pay and benefits, including preferences for specific levels and types of benefits)
  • definition of competitive practice (category of employee, geographical location, industry, ownership of company, type of activity, company size, competitive level)
  • uniformity of treatment and internal equity
  • mergers and acquisitions (integrate immediately, maintain current arrangements, or gradual integration)
  • costs (budgeting, reporting, level of employee cost sharing)
  • employee communications (what information should employees get, how frequently)

Sample Global Policy Statement for Retirement Plans

  • Defined contribution plans are preferred to defined benefit plans.
  • For defined benefit plans, career average formulas are preferred to final pay plans.
  • Where possible, employees should share in the cost of funding the plans.
  • Benefits should be at the 60th percentile of comparable companies for management employees, and the 50th percentile for all other employees.
  • Plans should be integrated with social security wherever possible.
  • Trust arrangements are preferred to insurance.
  • Insurance contracts should be experience-rated where possible by using a multinational pooling arrangement.
  • Actuarial valuations should be performed for defined benefit plans no less frequently than every three years.

HR Guidelines for Building A Global HR Network (per Conference Board)

  • Disperse corporate HR expertise into regional or local subsidiaries to get closer to the business
  • Integrate this increasingly capable global HR network and keep it focused on overall corporate goals
  • Transfer HR professionals between corporate and regional or local subsidiaries as well as between subsidiaries to integrate the network more closely
  • Give HR professionals personal international experience to improve their ability to manage expatriates’ global assignment cycle.

Three Actions to Globalize the HR Function

  • Hire people with cross-cultural competence
  • Provide them with opportunities to learn about HR in different parts of the world through assignments, projects and interaction with peers
  • Appraise and reward them for seeking out challenging international assignments and for contributing to the implementation of global strategy.

How do we orient U.S. or other home country managers to other cultures and globalization in general-also to establish informal networks and build commitment to common goals/values:

  • international conferences with senior officer participation
  • participation on international task forces,
  • newsletters regarding international assignments to send a strong signal that international experience is essential for promotion to top management (Pepsi and Hussmann already include international stories in their newsletters),
  • incorporation of international aspects (including language training) into all management training
  • telecommunications links
  • standardized training for new management recruits

To unify the organization, each individual must understand and share the company's purposes and values, must identify with the broader goals and objectives, and must accept and internalize its key strategies. Per the International Management text, global managers (and the company, in general) should have the following traits:

  • leader as learner,
  • global vision,
  • intuits the future,
  • caring for institutions and individuals,
  • facilitates vision of others,
  • uses power and facilitation,
  • specifies processes,
  • part of an executive team,
  • accepts paradox of order amid chaos,
  • multicultural,
  • inspires the trust of owners, customers, and employees.

Effective global executives might have the following profile:

  • ability to develop and use global strategic skills (think globally, act locally);
  • ability to manage change and transition;
  • ability to manage cultural diversity, to be culturally adept and comfortable with cross-cultural influences;
  • ability to design and function in flexible organization structures (including the ability to deal with stress and ambiguity);
  • ability to work with others and in teams;
  • ability to communicate (including more than one language);
  • ability to learn and transfer knowledge in an organization, including the ability to search for and combine elements in new ways;
  • the ability to enter into trusting alliances and to operate with a high degree of personal integrity and honesty;
  • the ability to implement, to turn ideas to action;
  • the ability to take risks and to experiment;
  • the ability to develop high mobility, with a stateless perception of the world..

p. 174 of International Management text: Some of the abilities and characteristics needed by the global manager to function in flexible organizations will be:

  • high tolerance for ambiguity (adaptability, sensitivity)
  • new levels of creativity and inventiveness in organizational design,
  • the ability to learn, be responsive, and be efficient, all simultaneously,
  • the ability to identify and implement diverse managerial behaviors for ongoing renewal of the organization,
  • ability to coordinate complicated financial, human resource, marketing, and manufacturing interdependencies; interdependencies not only across functions, but also within each business activity,
  • ability to recognize different manufacturing, marketing, and organizational problems and priorities across different locations and to accommodate these with new structures and processes.

HR keys to successful foreign ventures (emerging markets):

  • management development
  • appropriate management structure
  • reduction of costs through local sourcing (e.g., Amgen uses local nationals for management, expatriates only for integration of processes and special processes)
  • recruitment and retention of best managerial talent
  • integration of operation into global network
  • meeting commitments (i.e., in JV agreements)
  • harmonization of home and host country manager behavior (cultural match)

POSSIBLE VENDORS

Tax Planning

  • Arthur Andersen, Marion (Mack) Gajek* 312-507-6810 or John Greenwell, 507-3353(left message)/Larry Austermiller 507-3085 (obtained name from Wyatt). Does a lot of immigration work outside the U.S.
  • BDO Seidman, NY, NY, William Kavanaugh, 212-880-8367
  • Coopers & Lybrand - general (have used for pay analysis, PepsiCo has used for management development in Poland), Jack Forstat/Doug Thompson, 312-701-5500, Terrance Doyle, Director, International Consulting (Human Resource Advisory) 212-259-2090, Kerry Weinger heads SEA practice in Chicago, 312-701-5766, Malgorzata (Margaret) Karpowicz (tax consulting manager in Warsaw, Poland office), 482-6600-666
  • Deloitte & Touche, * David Castleman, Regional Director, International HR Consulting-China
  • Ernst & Young, Robert Klein, Director of Expatriate Services, NY, 212-773-2595, E & Y is best for Russia per Mercer (has 400 people in Moscow)
  • KPMG Peat Marwick - general (have used for tax), Neil Krupp, Director of International Human Resources Consulting, 312-938-5357, Gary Johnson, Partner in charge of Chicago’s International executive Services, re critical tax issues, Samuel Russo in NY, NY at 212-872-5914
  • Price Waterhouse Expatriate Service Group (PepsiCo used for comp, tax, expatriate policies in Poland), Carolyn Gould, Morristown, NJ, 201-292-4429 or Michael Budnick at 212-596-7605
  • Stafford & Paulsworth, Blue Bell, PA, Thomas Stafford, 215-646-2600. Ex Unisys employees
  • Vacovec, Mayotte & Singer, Newton, MA, Paula Singer, 202-964-0500

Attorneys

  • Baker & Hostetler, Cleveland, OH, Kenneth Kies, (Washington, DC), 202-861-1566
  • Baker & McKenzie, * 312-861-8000, David Ellis, probably the largest international firm. They have an immigration practice too.
  • Buchanan Ingersoll (immigration), John Brendel, Pittsburgh, PA, 412-562-8972
  • Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered, Washington, DC, David Rosenbloom, 202-862-5000
  • Coudert Brothers, Richard Dean, Washington, DC, 202-775-5100
  • Epstein, Becker & Green (immigration), NY, NY, Ronald Green, 212-351-4646
  • Fernandez, Lillian * 314-727-7122
  • Fragomen, Delrey & Bernsen * (immigration), Austin Fragomen, NY, NY, 212-688-8555. Scott Cooper, Ethan Bensinger in Chicago 312-263-6101for inbound. NY handles outbound.
  • Gardere & Wynn, Dallas, TX, Cym Lowell, 214-999-4239
  • Gibney, Anthony & O’Flaherty * (immigration), Stephen Maltby, NY, NY, 212-688-5151
  • Goldstein, Richard S. *, NY 212-957-0500 or London 441714916675
  • Rogers & Wells, Paris, France, Alexander Marquardt, 33-147-63-1100 or Sidney Kurth in London at 44-71-628-0101
  • Winter and Cedarbaum, Art Winter, 847-492-5400, former Sidley & Austin
  • Zulke, Paul, 312-648-2244

Benefits and Compensation

  • Actuarial Sciences Associates, Inc. (ASA), Somerset, NJ Philip Wright, 908-302-0425
  • Buck Consultants, Mark O’Reily, Director of International Services, Secaucus, NJ, 201-902-2849
  • Foster Higgins International, NY, NY, Kevin Dent, 212-574-7723, UK focused
  • Godwins, Booke & Dickenson, Robert Bishop * , 312-701-4323
  • HayGroup *, Robert Sachs, 312-819-2120
  • Hewitt Associates, Joseph LaSorte, 708-295-5000, Sam Bernstein
  • International Benefits Information Service (IBIS) * , NY, NY, Alan Wong, 212-838-8688
  • Mercer, William E., * Paul Kohlenbrener, Principal, 312-902-7731, Mark E. Jacobs, associate, 312-902-7724, Heath Urick, consultant, 312-902-7741, Steve Carlson & Gareth Williams in Chicago
  • Sedgwick Noble Lowndes, Chicago, IL, Jim McKay, 312-683-7536, consultants and actuaries, Molex thinks they’re excellent.
  • Towers Perrin, ** Syd Bone (Pacific Rim) 212-309-3526, largest HR consulting firm in Latin America, Ray Lucas in Chicago. Paul Hansen in NY for general expatriate, 212-309-3824
  • Wyatt, Tony Broomhead, FIA, international consultant, 312-704-2449. Excellent in Asia. Marc Allan *, New York

Benchmarking of allowances, local costs (providers can have very different allowance amounts for a specific country - ORC and AIRINC seem to be highest). ORC, AirInc and Runzheimer are home country basket. CRG uses an international basket.

  • Associates for International Research (AIRINC), Cambridge, Mass., Geoffrey Rowley, 617-354-2133, second largest market share
  • Compass International, Patsy Boyce, Boston, MA, 617-536-2333
  • Corporate Resources Group, Swiss company, Laurie Sindon or Bill Phipps, 312-670-0880, Anders Halden, (headquartered in Geneva) NY, NY, 212-682-5233, biggest market share in Europe, work from intl basket of goods, not home basket
  • Dinta, Russian affiliate of Richmark Group, Jeff Buchwalter, Moscow, has company in Moscow that does Russian compensation with the Hay Group, Elizabeth Epstein, in New York, 312-368-0800
  • Economic Research Institute, Redmond, WA, 800-627-3697
  • Economist Intelligence Unit, worldwide cost of living survey, 44-171-830-1007
  • Employment Conditions Abroad, Ltd., not-for-profit, London, England, Alan Chesters, 441-71-351-5000, JV partner with Windham in New York, also does comp and benefits, offices in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Gary Parker in NY 212-647-0550
  • Organization Resources Counselors, Inc., HQ in NY, * Roger Herod, VP, 312-380-4530 - largest market share
  • Runzheimer (NY) - international/domestic compensation & relocation (e.g., cost of living analysis), business vehicle services, travel management, school match, Rochester, WI, 800-558-1702, third largest market share.

Cross-Cultural and Language Training

  • AFS Foreign Service Handbook
  • Bennett Associates (Chicago), Rita Bennett - candidate selection, cross cultural training, also provides destination services, 312-251-9000, 19% market share in 1992 per ORC survey. Does a lot of China work.
  • Berlitz, language training, stronger, per Susan Angelastro, than Inlingua, 31% 1992 language training market share per ORC survey, Princeton, NJ, 800-528-8908
  • Business Council for International Understanding, 9% cultural training market share per 1992 ORC survey
  • Clifford Clarke, California, specializes in expatriates to Japan
  • Corporate Relocations, London & Paris, destination services. Good per M. Sabo
  • Griggs Productions, San Francisco, 415-668-4200, cross cultural films, training tools and seminars
  • Inlingua International, language training, 11% language training market share per 1992 ORC survey, Chicago based, 800-755-8753.
  • International Orientation Resources (used by PCGB), Yolanda Luszcz, marketing representative, 708-205-0066, 43% market share in 1992 per ORC survey, also provides destination services
  • Learning Company, #1 U.S. CD-ROM language training, 800-843-5514
  • Moran, Stahl & Boyer (MSB), Boulder, Colorado, 31% market share in 1992 per ORC survey
  • Stopko & Assoc. - measuring competencies for global leaders
  • Transparent Language, language training on CD-ROM, 800-332-8851
  • Windham International, NY, NY, Michael Schell, 212-545-7978, not as big as bennett, IOR, or MSB, global relocation management (cultural support and comprehensive destination services a la Atlas Van Lines), JV partner with Employment Conditions Abroad, Ltd.,

Recruiters

  • Allerton, Henigan & O’Neil, retained search firm
  • Apartado Correos, Spanish recruiter, Madrid
  • Axworthy Oliver Associates (corporate finance searches), London, 0171-329-1120
  • Boyden/Zay, Andrea Jupina, NY, NY, 212-980-6480
  • Chesterton Petty, Hong Kong recruiter
  • CJA Recruitment Consultants Group *, 0171-588-3588
  • Coopers & Lybrand Executive Resourcing, London
  • Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group, London
  • Douglas Llambias Associates recruitment consultants, London, 0171-836-9501
  • Egon Zehender, *, (top intl. search firm for $100+) Greg Carrott 312-782-4500, Kai Lindholst
  • Emerging Markets Search & Selection, Philip Rawlinson, 0171-600-4744
  • Ernst & Young Management Resourcing, London
  • Ernst & Young Resources, Thomas Mullady, manager, international career pathing
  • Executive Access, ** (used by PepsiCo per Tim Lane), largest independent executive search co. in Asia. Headquartered in Hong Kong, 852-2877-8772, does searches in Hong Kong, India, China and SE Asia
  • Farn Williams financial & executive search, London, 440428-641202
  • FESCO, * state run Chinese search agency (also look into CIIC and CIECC)
  • Fletcher Jones Search and Selection, Edinburgh, 0131-226-5709, finance searches
  • Fred Rekjke,* TASA 212-486-1490
  • GKRS Search & Selection *, London, 0171-287-2820, finance searches
  • Gould, McCoy & Chadick, NY, NY, Susan Chadick, 212-688-8671
  • Hays Executive Strategic Search & Selection, London, 01712565849
  • Heidrick & Struggles *, Greenwich, CT, Marvin Berenblum, 203-629-3200
  • Horton International *(one of 10 largest exec search and consulting firms), Dale Smith, Managing Director, Human Resource Consulting, re designing an HR strategy for a foreign acquisition (including an HR acquisition assessment/due diligence)
  • Jonathan Wren (financial recruitment), London, 0171-623-1266
  • Kelly Services: recruitment of permanent and temporary employees, outsourcing of certain administrative functions, elder care, Troy, MI, 810-362-4444, offices in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, England, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway
  • Kensington Search, Darla Highley, * 708-571-0123
  • Kidsons Impey Search & Selection Limited, London - offices in Hungary, Poland, Czech, 01753-622-999
  • Kienbaum und Partner * (international personnel), Germany, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Johannesberg
  • Korn/Ferry, * (New York)-world's largest retained search firm
  • KPMG Executive Resources, New Zealand, 644-802-1232
  • Lamalie/Amrop, NY, NY, Susan Landon, 212-953-7900
  • Michael Page City (recruiter - London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Sydney) 0171-831-2000
  • Morgan Hunt Executive Search, London, fax: 071-409-3500
  • NB Selection Limited *, London, 0171-493-6392
  • Pacific Bridge, Inc.,* Ames Gross, Wash D.C., Chinese recruiter (gets students from U.S.), 202-467-8585
  • PRC Consulting, * Christine Casotti, , Princeton, NJ, China recruiting
  • Price Waterhouse Executive Search & Selection, London, fax 0171-403-5265
  • Robert Walters Associates (Amsterdam), 3120-6444-655
  • Selection Resources International (SRI), St. Louis, MO, Barry Kozloff, 314-725-9269
  • Somerville International Search & Selection, Surrey, England, 4401428-641202, Africa search
  • Spencer Stuart (Selector Europe), London, 0171-493-1238
  • Stephens Selection (London, New York, Honk Kong, Tokyo), finance oriented
  • Walker Hamill, London, 0171-839-4444, Disney uses
  • Wheale, Thomas, Hodgins, PLC, Executive Resourcing, Adrian Wheale,Clifton/Bristol England
  • Whitehead Selection Limited *(subsidiary of Whitehead Mann Group PLC), Phil Bainbridge, London, 0171-290-2043
  • Largest U.S. retained search firms: Korn/Ferry, Russell Reynolds, Heidrick & Struggles, SpencerStuart, Paul R. Ray, Lamalie Assoc, Kearney Exec. Search, Ward Howell, Egon Zenhder, Witt/Keiffer

Relocation: Coldwell, Prudential Relocation, and PHH are big three.

  • Allied - 3rd largest US, largest intl-owned by Pickford in UK), more COD than national a/c.
  • Atlas - 2nd biggest intl, 4th largest US (highest % of corporate moves)
  • Bekins - 5th largest US.
  • (Interconex -John Raster 708-752-8990
  • Interdean, 717-682-9686, Paris/Munich based, big throughout Europe, serves Poland, Russia.
  • Mayflower - big in US, more COD than national a/c? .
  • North American - largest US, smaller intl.
  • United - big in US (it and Mayflower alliance are 2nd largest US), third biggest intl.
  • Allied Van Lines (big in international), Naperville, 708-717-3627
  • Boatman's , St. Louis, employee home sale, slightly larger than MRI.
  • Career Relocation Corporation of America, Rose Emerson, Valhalla, NY, 800-752-RELO.
  • CHA Relocation Management, Rick Teufel, 1 Tower Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, 60181, 800-573-8644, Clients include Shell Oil, Disney Studios, Chevron (full outsourcing), Northern Trust, Northrop Grumman, Taco Bell. Fifth largest (Prudential, Coldwell, PHH are biggest) Products include home marketing assistance, international services (cultural training, movement of household goods), policy counseling and design. Their expertise is pulling all components of relocation together.
  • Hamptons Relocation, London, 011-44-793-619555 (may no longer be operating internationally)
  • Mayflower International, Arlan Cohen (domestic), 317-875-2082, Craig Chapman (international)-(317) 875-1805. Provides service that includes 20-45 hours on-site service (school finding, transportation), cross cultural training, emergency assistance, country briefings, repatriation kit, newsletter, etc. Also provides cost-of-living analysis.
  • Movers International, Don Rankin, 847-541-1051, (Arthur Andersen uses)
  • MRI Relocation Management, smaller operation, Kathy Fedman (402) 330-9605, Omaha, NB, employee home sale, facilitate household goods move, home finding, school analysis (without steering), cost of living analysis, spouse job assistance, mortgage assistance, temp housing, property management of EEs house while overseas, cross cultural training. Unlike some of competition, they don’t own a real estate co. Clients include: Dana, Amway, Conagra, Woodward Governor, Siemens Industrial. 50 employees. Competition includes Prudential, Home Equity, Coldwell Banker, Boatmen’s
  • Nelson Westerberg (Atlas Van Lines), Midas uses, Richard (Dick) Chocol, VP-Sales, 708-437-7050, Alan Mileski, President-Domestic Agency Group, 708-437-2080.
  • O'Neil Relocation(United Van Line agent), Mike Sentak, Riverside California, 909-684-0310.
  • Prudential Relocation, 1-800-356-6834, Boulder, Colorado or Kevin Walsh in Shelton, CT at 203-926-2477. Coca-Cola uses.
  • United Van Lines Bette Malone Relocation Service, Fenton, MO, 314-349-7297. United provides cross-cultural training, job search assistance, relocation counseling, relocation policy assistance, destination information
  • United Van Lines, Suddath Relocation Systems (large per Mayflower), Beatrice Romeo, 214-660-5600. Clients have included Pepsi-Cola, IBM, GTE, Disney, Hilton. Provides cross cultural training, temporary lodging assistance

TRADE GROUPS AND RELATED

  • American Compensation Association, Scottsdale, AZ, Don Adams, 602-951-9191
  • American Council on International Personnel (immigration), Arnold Eagle, NY, NY, 212-688-2437
  • Brigham Young University David M. Kennedy Center For International Studies, Culturgrams, 801-378-6528
  • Business Immigration Coalition, Washington, DC, Harris Miller, 202-371-6789
  • Centers for Disease Control International and Prevention Travelers Hotline, 404-332-4559
  • Conference Board, NY, NY, 212-759-0900
  • Department of Labor, issues labor certifications and certifies labor condition applications
  • Department of State Citizen’s Information Tape (social, political and health risks of countries) 202-647-5225. DOS issues visas overseas
  • DOC Asia Business Center 202-482-3875
  • DOC Business Info Service for former USSR states 202-482-3145
  • DOC Eastern Europe 202-482-5749
  • DOC Offices of the Americas 800-872-8723
  • Employee Relocation Council, H. Chris Collie, 202-857-0857
  • Export Credit Guarantee program 202-720-3224
  • Export-Import Bank of the United States 800-565-3946
  • Federated League of Americans Around the Globe, not-for-profit that offers liaison with the US Congress and Administration, news and information, worldwide health and life insurance, discounted telephone services, hotel, car rental and moving savings, absentee voting, Washington, DC
  • Federation of American Women Clubs Overseas Resource Center, Waffenaar, Netherlands
  • FOCUS Information Services, London 171-937-00-50, not-for-profit that provides support for expats. Also office in Brussels (2-646-65-30)
  • Human Resources Management Association of Chicago, International Interest Group * 312-332-0143
  • Immigration and Naturalization Service (approves petitions for immigrants and non-immigrants)
  • International Personnel Association, elite group, 203-358-9799
  • National Foreign Trade Council, Bill Sheridan, Director, International Compensation, specifically international labor law, 212-399-7128; Reyer (Rick) Swaak, VP-International Human Resource Services
  • National Trade Data Bank 202-482-1986
  • Overseas Private Investment Corporation (financing, insurance) 202-336-8799
  • Paradigm Group, Zurich, Switzerland, 41-1-342-3606, not for profit? That supports expats
  • Society for Human Resource Management, International Institute of Human Resources, 800-283-shrm
  • State Department Overseas Security Advisory Council
  • Trade Info Center Fax Retrieval Hotline 800-usa-trade
  • U.S. Department of Commerce
  • U.S. Information Agency, administers exchange visitor program
  • U.S. Small Business Administration 800-827-5722
  • U.S. Trade and Development Agency 703-875-4357
  • United States Council for International Business 212-354-4480
  • WICE, Paris basis not-for-profit that provides support for expats, 1-45-66-75-50
  • Women On The Move, not-for-profit that supports expats, 212-369-0238
  • World Trade Centers Association 212-432-2626

International Pooling of Benefits

  • Aetna/Generali (* per London ECA), Dick Har in Chicago, Margaret O’Brien, NY, NY, 212-602-7607, international pooling of benefits, bigger in Europe - less so worldwide
  • AIG International Services, 1800-762-4447, Kathleen Seebert (auto leasing, car/home insurance, language training, phone service discounts, 24 hour support no.), also do international benefits pooling
  • Insurope, Bob Pickrell, 602-991-2389, .
  • Insured Network
  • John Hancock, International Group Program, Susan Angelastro, 617-572-8642, mgmt of international benefits program, local benefits info., largest multinational pooling network, does business in Poland, Hungary, and Russia
  • Swiss Life North America Services (* per London ECA), Ridgewood, NJ, Philipp Frei, pooling network
  • UAP

Miscellaneous

  • A.T. Kearney - Ivo John Lederer, Director, Global Business Policy Council (NY) (212) 350 3140
  • Briscoe Company, Alden Briscoe, (international HRIS), 415-344-8883
  • Citibank, NA, personal banking for overseas employees, NY, NY, Joseph Curcio, 212-307-8511
  • Control Risks *, security
  • Craighead Publications Inc. (country profiles), Scott Craighead, Darien, CT, 203-655-1007
  • Dependent Care Connection, Westport, Conn., prenatal, child and elder care, adoption and education counseling, for Canada, Hong Kong, UK
  • Drake, Beam Morin, world leader in outplacement, change, and career development services
  • Europeiska, emergency medical assistance and insurance, John Dost, Indianapolis, IN, 800-582-3876
  • International SOS Assistance Inc. * (Whitman uses), Philadelphia based, Chicago office James Farrelly 708?-361-0778
  • ISS Directory of Overseas Schools, 609-452-0990, Princeton, NJ
  • Kroll Associates, security
  • Midwest Travel Medicine, Inc., wellness care for international travelers, Karen Boland, 708-778-0900
  • Nutter & Harris (international business consultants), Washington, DC, Jack Nutter, 202-547-8100
  • Pinkerton Investigation Services, 1-800-232-PINK, background checks, integrity testing
  • Resident Abroad, monthly magazine for expatriates published by the Financial Times, 44-181-402-8485 (focused on financial services for expats)
  • SchoolMatch, Columbus, Ohio, Alan Forsythe (school research and consulting) Department of State, Family Liaison Office, 202-647-1076. Can fill certain HR needs with state department family members
  • Sky Med International, Scottsdale, AZ
  • US Assist, emergency medical assistance and insurance
  • Worldwide Assistance Services, Washington, D.C., international emergency medical assistance

Banking Services

  • First Chicago has banking group that helps expatriates. ________ Sifuentes in Chicago
  • Citibank is biggest - they have expatriate services division (worldwide personal banking service), 212-307-8428

Contacts (see book: Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries)

 
 
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