Cross‐cultural training of European and American managers in Morocco

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the training provided to US and European expatriates in Morocco, and subsequently build the body of knowledge for international HRD in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).Design/methodology/approach – The study used the models of Black and Mendenhall and Mendenhall and Oddou, subdividing the skills needed to be successful in a foreign country into three categories of skills; maintenance of self, interpersonal skills, and cognitive skills. The population for the study comprises 109 private companies in Morocco, with 34 responding, resulting in a response rate of 31 per cent.Findings – Pre‐departure training was provided to all respondents, but none indicated receiving any training post‐arrival. None of the respondents' spouses or children received any training. Further, there was no tuition in Arabic, and very few received tuition in French. Co‐workers, locals, and neighbors were found to be major factors in assisting expatriates' adjustment.Research li...