Why Do Expat Assignments to China Fail? (Part 1)

Posted on September 03, 2012 by Ed Britton, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

My thanks to all 26 contributors from several different Linkedin groups! Together, you offered 80 exceptionally insightful answers to the question, “Why do expat assignments to China fail?” I have assigned them to 7 categories.

Though not a scientific survey, the three top reasons that expat assignments fail, (by number of times mentioned in replies), are –

1. Business culture 32
2. General culture 20
3. Living Conditions 8

So, culture is the big winner, by a wide margin.

Even splitting ‘culture’ into ‘business’ and ‘general’ categories, culture issues raked #1 and #2, (a total of 65% of mentions) ahead of living conditions (10% of mentions), and language and communications (9% of mentions).

These are the categories and tallies of mentions:

Business culture 32
General culture 20
Living conditions 8
Language and communications 7
Lack of corporate support 6
Isolation/loneliness 5
Out of country factors 2

Total 80

The Culture Factor

These results may hide a greater culture factor than is already strongly indicated. For example, I classified as ‘Lack of corporate support,’ this comment from Steve Hutchison (which he rated as his number one reason): “A lack of support to assist in understanding and dealing with the cultural
differences, both in the work environment and outside of work.” Obviously, the struggle is with culture and this mention could have been tallied under the ‘culture’ heading.

I believe that culture figures so prominently in failed expatriate assignments to China because culture is largely a hidden quality (unless, of course, you are the person experiencing it). Language and communication, mentioned fourth, is jaw-dropping obvious. It has received a lot of attention and
solutions are much further developed.

But culture? It’s just so easy to dismiss. It doesn’t appear on balance sheets, doesn’t come dressed differently (not anymore) and doesn’t realistically translate to the movie screen. Says Paul Bailey, “It is
very difficult to effectively convey to State-side associates how different everything is here compared to what we know, what we assume to be normal and universal ways.”

But try working in China, and you can’t miss it – even if you desperately want to. From Belinda Allan, “It sounds strange, but almost everything and every way we think of to do something, they think differently. We think angry, they think calm – but when we think calm, they think angry. It’s really
strange to get used to – attempting to think the complete opposite…and if your grounding about who you are is not stable…well, you end up fleeing.”

Specific aspects of business culture affect the expatriate business effort very directly. For example, advises Sam Yang, “…the product and service must be able to generate revenue very quickly. Otherwise, it is a no go.”

However, there are two views of the culture factor. One is, “It’s just so different in China.” Another perspective is put plainly by Jan Smolders, “The main problem is: many *expatriates+ have a lack of ability or willingness to invest in the new situation / country and to try to familiarize and assimilate with the Chinese people and its culture. They are not living in China, just staying there.”

Tomas Case follows up, “They don’t choose to live [in China], they just criticize why everything is different.”

Michael Davie adds, “People who think that the host country’s people are wrong, backward, stupid, etc., never seem to fit in. They get nothing achieved, they don’t know why and they go home thinking it was the host country’s issue, not their own.” Vishal Agrawal’s advice is to give it time, and to learn from the smart locals. Mark McCallum puts, “Lack of patience”, as the number 1 reason for leaving early.

“In the end, it is up to the individual to adapt to the nature, social values and customs of the host country with patience and understanding.” – Mike Hohner

Western culture notices things if they are easy to see and measure. The effects of culture don’t translate easily to accounting records. But, start counting the number of expatriates who don’t complete their stay, and that number will go straight to the bottom line.

Living Conditions

From Kevin Tilstone, “…the noise levels can be intolerable at times. Even in residential areas it is not uncommon to hear the constant din of car horns, fireworks, banging day and night…Queue jumping is ubiquitous, pushing, spitting, making unpleasant sounds while eating in restaurants, urinating in public places are just some of the aspects of Chinese life that the expat will have to confront…while you are conducting financial matters at a bank other customers often listen to everything that is said without any bank official or security guard making any attempt to move them. Private information is freely passed from one person to another.”

For some, such rough-edge experiences tip the balance toward home. Early in my China sojourn a more experienced hand advised me, “It’s the little things that can make the biggest difference, and end up sending you home.” Richard Collett: “China is effectively a 2-3rd world country – huge impact on health, transportation, lifestyle.”

Chris Martens, although speaking of a non-China expat experience, provides this advice, “Look for the right micro-climate for you to live…whatever it is that makes living easier, it is probably worth it until
you acclimatize.”

Language and Communications

Not much needs to be said about the language factor – English versus Chinese. Easy to see, so it has received a lot of attention and, in the main, solutions are in place. I have lived in China for six years and I
speak a little Chinese. But help with interpretation and translation is so readily available that, in my work and living, learning a lot more Chinese than I have now is not a priority.

For others, however, learning the language may be more important to their goals in China.

Disenchantment in face of the linguistic learning challenge can be serious. Yuri Vinokurov says it well, “Surprisingly, a lot of people initially over estimate, (and then under estimate), their ability to learn a language, (e.g. Mandarin or Cantonese), get frustrated and bail out of the market.”

Communication, on the other hand, less obvious than language and remains a challenge to surmount.

From Wiliam Ho, “Often, there is a different expectation and we need to know the actual meaning in the statement the Chinese counterparts make to truly understand what they really want.”

Thomas Case gave an example of a communication issue that can get in the way. “A person brought up in a Western/European culture is usually much more outspoken than his/her Asian colleagues and may be snubbed for speaking out in a meeting when critique is less than welcome.” Chan Barry pointed out that Chinese can “fail to share ideas and goals.” Other times, the ‘lost in translation’ factor needs to be countered by repeating, clarifying and communicating in two or three alternative ways to ensure that at least the most critical points make it through.

Corporate Support

Steve Hutchison’s number 1 issue was, “A lack of support to assist in understanding and dealing with the cultural differences, both in the work environment and outside of work.” Richard Collett said the same in mentioning, “..lack of relocation support from the relocating company,” and Michael S. elaborated that, “Some foreign affairs departments expect to treat western employees the same as Chinese employees, or in most cases worse…(I did put the waiver as ‘some’).”

An assignment to China is a huge challenge. Being expected to work and live in such a foreign concept, with little orientation training or support, is unthinkable to someone who has experienced this
environment, but may be dismissed by an inexperienced boss with, “Oh, you’ll work it out.”

Tim Martins says that headquarters help providing, “…crystal-clear agreement and understanding of expectations, goals, targets and measures…”

Amanda Maxwell adds a critical dimension to our discussion. “As a trailing spouse, I can tell you that spousal support can make or break an assignment where family is involved in the relocation…In my
experience, going home is often the decision of the trailing spouse due to homesickness, failure to integrate into the local culture, and isolation…It’s often the trailing ‘at home’ spouse who has to deal the most with getting to grips with a new country/culture…to negotiate grocery shopping, rentals, medical matters, schooling, socializing of self and children, home maintenance, and so on in a foreign country…”

David Le Blanc backs her up, putting, “Family support – if the spouse is not Chinese,” his number 2 issue.

This quote from ‘The Psychology of Culture Shock’ (Ward, Bochner & Furnham) provides strong back up “…the significance of family concerns is commonly underestimated despite evidence which suggests that spousal dissatisfaction is one of the most common reasons for early repatriation.”

Isolation and Loneliness

Chris Martens confesses in his number 1 point, “Homesickness was a big issue for me.” And Paul Stuyver points out that, “those sent out to places where there are no or few other foreigners to spend time with” can be struck with particularly severe isolation. And then, warns Zhenmin Kevin Wang, it may follow that there, “may be too much freedom in socializing with certain types of locals.”

Carol Patterson advises, “You need a circle of friends or family to be around after working hours and a social group of other expats with whom you can chat about ‘all things China.’ “

Out of Country Factors

Finally, ‘out of country factors’ were mentioned. There may be better opportunities elsewhere. “Why be [in China] when you can be working the same position in Japan, Thailand or Singapore?” queries Richard Collett.

And from Robert Gagnon, “It wasn’t bad but my Chinese wife wanted her daughter to do High School in Vancouver so that put an end to that try.”

An aging parent needs care, an economic downturn sends you home – stuff happens.

A final piece of advice from Simon Teale –

“I think the solution is for each party to make realistic plans and set careful and researched expectations. If in doubt, the Chinese approach is better for initial development of the relationship, assisted by trusted Chinese and Westerners with experience. But when you get it right, it is a rewarding
experience for all involved.”

Amen