• Failures:Statistics indicate that less than 40 % of expatriates succeed in their missions abroad either due to a lack of efficiency (compared to the average) or they abort their mission.

• With respect to the investment which is between $210,000 and $400,000 for each engineer who was sent overseas a very high financial risk!

• The benefits and savings due to a decent preparation and intercultural-training were calculated (after deduction of the training costs) for Systematics Information Services Inc. from $30,000 to $67,000 per expatriate. Sun Microsystems Inc. achieved a direct cost savings of $95,000 to $190,000 per expatriate employee.)

These calculations account for only savings in direct costs to the two companies. Other benefits of successful overseas assignments include increased sales and revenues.

For more information see:Lionel Laroche: Relocating Abroad: A High Stakes Venture; in: Engineering Dimensions, 1/99.

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