Selecting international managers

Работа с текстом

 

Selecting international managers

Approaches  to  selection  vary  significantly  across  cultures.  There are differences not only in the priorities that are given to technical or interpersonal capabilities, but also in the ways that candidates are tested and interviewed for the desired qualities.

In Anglo-Saxon cultures, what is generally tested is how much the individual can contribute to the tasks of the organisation. In these cultures, assessment centres, intelligence tests and measurements of competencies are the norm. In Germanic cultures, the emphasis has always been made on the quality of education in a specialist function. The recruitment process in Latin and Far Eastern cultures is very often characterised by ascertaining how well that person ‘fits in’  with the larger group. This is determined in part by the elitism of higher educational institutions, such as the “grandes ecoles”  in France or the University of Tokyo in Japan, and in part by their interpersonal style and ability to network internally. If there are tests in Latin cultures, they will tend to be more about personality, communication and social skills than about Anglo-Saxon notion of “intelligence”.

Though there are few statistical comparisons of selection practices used across cultures, one recent study provides a useful example of the impact  of  culture.  A  survey  which  was  conducted  by  Shackleton  and Newell compared selection methods between France and the UK. They found  that  there  was  a  striking  contrast  in  the  number  of  interviews used in the selection process, with France resorting to more than one interview much more frequently. They also found that in the UK there was a much greater tendency to use panel interviews than in France, where one-to-one interviews are the norm. In addition, while almost 74 per cent of companies in the UK use references from previous employers, only 11 per cent of the companies surveyed in France used them. Furthermore,  French  companies rely  much  more  on  personality  tests and handwriting analysis than their British counterparts.

Many organizations operating across cultures have tended to decentralise selection in order to allow for local differences in testing and for  language  differences,  while  providing  a  set  of  personal  qualities or  characteristics  they  consider  important  for  candidates.  Hewitt  Associates,  a  US  compensation  and  benefits  consulting  had  difficulties extending  its  key  selection  criteria  outside  the  USA.  It  is  known  for selecting  ‘SWANs’:  people  who  are  Smart,  Willing,  Able  and  Nice. These  concepts,  all  perfectly  understandable  to  other  Americans,  can be interpreted in a different way in other cultures. For example, being able may mean being highly connected with colleagues, being sociable or  being  able  to  command  respect  from  a  hierarchy  of  subordinates, whereas the intended meaning is more about being technically competent, polite and relatively formal. Similarly, what is nice in one culture may be considered naive or immature in another. It all depends on the cultural context. Some international companies, like Shell, Toyota, and L’Oreal, have identified very specific qualities that they consider strategically important  and  that  support  their  business  requirements.  For  example,  the criteria  that  Shell  has  identified  as  most  important  in  supporting  its strategy include mobility and language capability. These will be more easily  understood  across  cultures  because  people  are  either  willing  to relocate or not. There is less room for cultural misunderstandings with such qualities.

 

Упражнение 1

Прочитайте и устно  переведите текст.

 

Упражнение 2

Определите, верны ли следующие  утверждения. Исправьте неверные утверждения.

1. Many international organizations have decentralized selection.

2. They look for different personal qualities in different cultures.

3. The “SWAN” criteria have international validity.

4.  The definition of some qualities can lead to cultural misunderstandings.

5.  Mobility and language capability are clearly understood across cultures.

 

Ответ:

1. Верно

2. Верно.

3. Неверно. Исправленное утверждение: The “SWAN” criteria, all perfectly understandable to Americans, can be interpreted in a different way in other cultures.

4. Верно.

5. Верно.

 

Упражнение 3

Письменно ответьте на вопросы  по содержанию текста:

1.  What types of differences exist in the approaches to the selection

of candidates in various cultures?

2.  What is tested in Anglo-Saxon cultures?

3.  Is the emphasis on the quality of a specialist’s education in Germanic cultures?

4.  The recruitment process in Latin cultures is determined by personality, communication and social skills, isn’t it?

5.  Does  France  usually  resort  to  one  interview  in  recruitment  practices?

6.  One-to-one interviews are the norm in the UK, aren’t they?

7.  What companies rely more on personality and handwriting analysis?

8.  What does “SWAN” stand for?

9.  How can “being nice” in one culture be interpreted in another?

10. What criteria has Shell identified as most important when selecting

candidates?

 

Ответ:

1. There are differences not only in the priorities that are given to technical or interpersonal capabilities, but also in the ways that candidates are tested and interviewed for the desired qualities.

2. In Anglo-Saxon cultures, what is generally tested is how much the individual can contribute to the tasks of the organisation. In these cultures, assessment centres, intelligence tests and measurements of competencies are the norm.

3. Yes, it is. The emphasis is on the quality of a specialist’s education in Germanic cultures.

4. Yes, it is. The recruitment process in Latin cultures is determined by personality, communication and social skills.

5. No, it doesn’t. France usually resorts to more than one interview in recruitment practices.

 

6. No, they aren’t. Panel interviews are the norm in the UK.

7. French companies rely more on personality and handwriting analysis.

8. “SWAN” stands for Smart, Willing, Able and Nice.

9. “Being nice” in one culture can be interpreted I or immature in another. It all depends on the cultural context.

10. Shell has identified mobility and language capability as most important when selecting candidates.

 

 

Упражнение 4

В тексте говорится о том, что для различных культур  важны различные качества при  подборе персонала. Сопоставьте  характеристики с различными культурами:

1.  Anglo-Saxon(UK, USA, Australia etc.)

2.  Germanic

3.  Latin

4.  Far Eastern

a)  ability to fit in with the organisation

b)  the relevant kind of education for the job

c)  the right intellectual or technical capabilities

d)  good interpersonal skills

e)  education received at “top” universities in the country

f)  ability to carry out relevant tasks and jobs

 

Ответ:

1. f, c

2. b,

3. a,d,e

4. a,d,e

 

Упражнение 5

Текст содержит словосочетания, обозначающие методы тестирования и  оценки, используемые при отборе кандидатов. Соединив слова из двух колонок, образуйте  эти словосочетания. Переведите их на русский язык:

1. tests of                      a) interviews

2. personality             b) communication

3. panel                       c) social skills

4. one-to-one            d) tests

5. handwriting           e) tests

6. tests of                    f) interviews

7. intelligence            g) analysis

 

 

Ответ:

1. tests of  communication.

2.  personality tests.

3.  panel interviews           

4. one-to-one interviews  

5. handwriting analysis

6. tests of social skills                                                                   

 

Упражнение 6

Найдите в тексте слова, близкие  по значению слову skill - "навык" (не менее 5 слов). Составьте 3 предложения с этими словами и расскажите о своих навыках и способностях.

 

Ответ:

Слова, близкие по значению: capability, ability, quality, competence, characteristic, style.

 

Предложения: There is no doubt that it is important to build leadership capabilities to drive business performance.

Confidence, persistence and creativity are the qualities that most matter to this position and to this company.

All companies attempt to properly evaluate the competence level of the job seeker, as it relates to the position that needs filling.

 

Мои навыки: I possess such skills as organizational and planning skills, problem solving and decision making skills, negotiating, selling and marketing skills. I am creative and able to work with others ideas. Also I am flexible and able to respond to adversity and adapt to changing conditions.

 

 

 

 

Упражнение 7

Выпишите из текста предложения  с определительными придаточными, содержащими  относительные местоимения: that - 2 предложения, which - 1 предл., who - 1 предл.; союзное слово where - 1 предл. Переведите предложения  на русский язык.

 

Ответ:

There are differences not only in the priorities that are given to technical or interpersonal capabilities, but also in the ways that candidates are tested and interviewed for the desired qualities.Существуют различия не только в приоритетах, которым следуют при выборе специальных или межличностных навыков, но также и в способах, с помощью которых соискателей тестируют или проводят беседу на выяснение необходимых качеств.

Some international companies, like Shell, Toyota, and L’Oreal, have identified very specific qualities that they consider strategically important and that support their business requirements. Некоторые международные компании, такие как Шелл, Тойота и Лореаль определили очень специфические качества, которые, как они считают, являются стратегически важными  и которые способствуют выполнения их бизнес-цели.

A survey which was conducted by Shackleton and Newell compared selection methods between France and the UK. Исследование, которое проводилось Шеклтоном и Ньюэллом, сравнивало методы отбора во Франции и Великобритании.

It is known for selecting ‘SWANs’: people who are Smart, Willing, Able and Nice. Компания известна своим выбором людей ‘SWANs’: те, которые Умны, Усердны, Способны и Внимательны.

They also found that in the UK there was a much greater tendency to use panel interviews than in France, where one-to-one interviews are the norm.

Они также обнаружили, что  в Великобритании присутствовала намного  большая тенденция к проведению групповых интервью, чем во Франции, где нормой являются индивидуальные интервью.

 

 

Упражнение 8

Определите тип следующего условного предложения, выписанного  из текста. Преобразуйте данное предложение  в оставшиеся 3 типа, изменив формы  глаголов в главном и придаточном  предложениях. Укажите типы преобразованных условных предложений:

If there are tests in Latin cultures, they will tend to be more about personality, communication and social skills than about the Anglo-Saxon notion of “intelligence”.

 

Ответ:

Выписанное предложение - 1 тип.

If they are tests in Latin cultures, they tend to be more about personality, communication and social skills than about the Anglo-Saxon notion of “intelligence”. 0 тип.

Ife there were tests in Latin cultures, they would tend to be more about personality, communication and social skills than about the Anglo-Saxon notion of “intelligence”. 2 тип.

If there had tests been in Latin cultures, they have tended to be more about personality, communication and social skills than about the Anglo-Saxon notion of “intelligence”. 3 тип.

 

 

Упражнение 9

Определите видовременную  форму глаголов-сказуемых в страдательном  залоге в следующих частях предложений, выписанных из текста:

1.  ... candidates are tested and interviewed ...

2.  ... the emphasis has always been made on the quality of education...

3.  A survey which was conducted by Shackleton and Newell ...

4.  It is known for selecting “SWANs”  ...

5.  These  concepts,  all  perfectly  understandable  to  other  Americans,

can be interpreted in a different way ...

6.  Similarly, what is nice in one culture may be considered naпve ...

7.  These will be more easily understood across cultures ...

 

Ответ:

1. Present Simple Passive

2. Present Perfect Passive

3. Past Simple Passive

4. Present Simple Passive

5. Present Simple Passive

6. Present Simple Passive

7. Future Simple Passive

 

 

Упражнение 10

Письменно переведите третий абзац.

 

Ответ:

Хотя существует мало статистических сравнений методов отбора, которые  используются на стыке культур, последнее  изучение представляет собой весьма успешный пример влияния культуры. Исследование, которое проводилось  Шеклтоном и Ньюэллом, сравнивало методы отбора во Франции и Великобритании. Они установили, что существовал  разительный контраст в ряде интервью, используемых в процессе отбора, где  Франция проводила несколько  интервью намного чаще. Они также  обнаружили, что в Великобритании присутствовала большая тенденция  к проведению групповых интервью, чем во Франции, где нормой являются индивидуальные интервью. Кроме того, в то время как почти 74% компаний в Великобритании просили рекомендации от предыдущих работодателей, только 11 процентов опрошенных компаний Франции, придерживались их. Кроме того, французские  компании полагаются в большей степени  на проверку личностных качеств работника  и графологический анализ, чем  их британские коллеги.

 

 

 

Упражнение 11

Дайте краткие письменные ответы на вопросы, связанные с отбором  менеджеров для международных компаний:

1.  What qualities and skills are important for international manager?

(Write about technical skills and interpersonal skills.)

2.  What are the best ways to measure or evaluate technical skills?

3.  How can you measure interpersonal skills?

 

Ответ:

1. For international manager such qualities as technical and interpersonal skills are important.

2. Based on the interview, employers can evaluate the candidate's qualifications for the position. Today, recruiters and hiring managers rely on resume key words and written tests to qualify a job candidate.

      3. So many employers ask candidates to demonstrate their abilities in technologies relevant to the job they are applying for.