| Foreign engineering and construction professionals perceive American expatriates as lacking basic knowledge with regards to their country's language, culture, customs, politics, and corporate structures.;The survey participants were from five companies in the following East Asian countries: Japan, Republic of China (Taiwan), and Indonesia. A questionnaire was developed to quantify and assess the perceptions of foreign nationals concerning the behavior and training of American expatriates.;The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using the following computer programs: ABSTAT dBASE II statistical analysis, and the Statistical Analysis System (S.A.S.) developed by the S.A.S. Institute of Cary, N.C..;The results of the data analysis indicated foreign professionals from different engineering and construction occupations have different perceptions of American expatriates. Their views also differed when they were analyzed according to the working relationships of the foreign nationals and American expatriates, as well as the positions the American expatriates held in American firms.;The purpose of this study was to address the issue of whether the perceptions of foreign nationals differ by their occupations, by working relationships with American expatriates, and by the positions American expatriates held in American firms and to determine whether foreign engineering and construction professionals perceive the non-technical training American expatriates receive prior to overseas assignments as adequate. Rather than restricting the analysis to methods from only one discipline, this study was undertaken from an interdisciplinary approach. In addition, many concepts from the newly emerging discipline of construction engineering management were utilized thoughout the study.;This study determined that foreign engineering and construction professionals do not think American expatriate professionals are receiving adequate training in non-technical areas before being sent to work on foreign projects. In addition, the survey participants felt that foreign nationals would benefit if American expatriates were to receive additional training in the areas of culture, customs, language, and how to effectively transfer technology to developing nations. Politics and corporate structures were also cited as issue areas of concern.;The study also indicated that employees of construction management firms have different perceptions and requirements on the non-technical training of American professionals than do the personnel from companies involved in engineering design and construction. |
