The Case of the Floundering Expat

MGT 531: Case Study:

The Case of the Floundering Expatriate

The Case of the Floundering Expatriate

The goal of this critical review is to briefly summarize the assigned case study and then provide a four-part analysis consisting of: an overview of the issues and challenges presented, a discussion on the notion of Frank Waterhouse assisting Bert Donaldson, the creation of a high-level cultural intelligence quotient development plan for each individual, and lastly, a review of the organizational behaviors which need to be addressed. The review will use references written by David Livermore in the 2010 book “Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success.” as the backdrop for the ideas and information presented.

Background and Associated Challenges

Argos Diesel, a successful multinational firm internationally headquartered in the United States, had anticipated inordinate achievement from the renowned leadership of Bert Donaldson who had been employed to initiate the crusade of unifying various Argos holdings throughout Europe. Recently, Donaldson, who was hand-selected by CEO, Bill Loun, had seen gratifying success in the States as he developed and implemented a cross-divisional, cross-functional system of teams that achieved significant financial reductions for Argos and enriched the overall quality. With a remarkable resume, and previous experience abroad, it seemed evident that Donaldson was a wise investment to bring European harmony.

Certainly Donaldson’s influence is waning among his European counterparts and, regrettably, he is finding little support from Frank Waterhouse, the CEO of Argos Diesel, Europe. It is evident that Donaldson is competent and willing to harvest unity, but is struggling to achieve such a feat as he is faced with the challenge of understanding the attributes and characteristics of the European culture. According to Livermore, “cultural intelligence is the capability to function effectively across national,...