Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to cross culture training (CCT) literature by exploring the HR managers roles in CCT provision and the reasons affecting the given role enactment. Design/methodology/approach. This exploratory study is based on in-depth interviews with 15 Israeli HR managers in charge of the provision of CCT in their respective companies and five interviews with CCT professionals who provide CCT training for a wide range of companies operating in Israel. Findings. The study highlights the significant impact of HR managers’ awareness and perceptions of CCT on its provision and discusses a related self-perpetuating cycle of current practice reinforcement that limits the likelihood of practice improvement. Research limitations/implications. The limitations of the exploratory design of the study call for further research on HR roles in CCT provision. Practical implications. The findings suggest that HR managers partly design and implement practice according to what they believe are unmet expatriate needs and what they perceive as effective HR tools. The authors discuss the practical value of raising their awareness not only of CCT designs and methodologies, but also of the complexities of expatriate adjustment and the opportunities offered by rigorous evaluation of current practice. Originality/value. The study departs from the dominant focus in the literature on the content and methodologies of CCT and instead explores the neglected role of HR managers in CCT provision.
Perlsein, MichalCiuk, Sylwia
Oxford Brookes Business School\Oxford Brookes Business School\Department of Business and Management
Year of publication: 2018Date of RADAR deposit: 2018-06-07