working overseas.pdf

7/27/2019 Working overseas.pdf

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WOlilCINC OVERSEAS

Working overseasa fascinating professional challengeThis article dispcls some of the myths surrounding cmploymeiit as an expatriateenginecr in the developing world. Whilc tlzc article focuses primarily ongciicralities applicable to most assignments, elaboration by the author of his owiirecent expcriciiceas the cliicf executive of an independent powcr company inPaIristan illustratcs the type of situation senior expatriate engineersmay facc onacceptancc of an overseas position.by A. R.Midgley

rom Somalia to Siniih, d i c applicntinn ofgood ~ nmagcmci i t principlcs togcthcrF ith an ctltrcprcncurialand adventurousspirit can provjtic a fascinating mi x o f chnlleiig-in g job opportwiitics for prolcssional cngiticcrsin the dcvcloping worlci.Projcct inarragctnenr it 1 thc ciiginccriiig field

tias bccn practiscrl dlroughrrut thc world bysltillcd profcssionnls for thousands of years.'I'he developmcnt o[ coii7pimics to I ~ d l csuch activitics is a soincwliat more recc i i tphcnomciioi~IUCicvcrthcless h x a p c d i g i ~fovci' 100 y c m . ' 1 ' 1 1 ~ cccssary atcributcs an dcxpcricncc 10 rnatlagc such coinpanics ar creadily availablc throughout th c wnrli l , bu tclicre ar e inany indivicluals who could a.spircto a senior rolc if thcy coulcl nverciiiiic thcirfcars and misgivings about living i n s t r a n g orunfamiliar cn viromiciu s.

succcssfiilly [ransfcrrcd tl-icir skills be~wcenw ry differclit scctni-s of cnginccring, thcrcrctriains x i unclcrlying fcnr o l he unknown ndcploying cxpcricncc i n ncw culturalcircuinst:itices. Many cnginccrs' d e n t s andcxpcricucc could casily b c adaplcd for roles inarcas wliich seein I'CIIIOIC an d unsiiitctl tn t l ic irahilitics.Working o~crscas s ii sctiior cxccutivc 011cnnti;ict 1i;is inni1y nrtractinns to anyonc whoscprioritics ar c iinrticd to a s tablc cnviroiimcilt olf am i l y , friciirls and local commiinity nctivii.ics.I hw c vc r , such preoccupations can soinclinics ~ l g , Excavat ion of coo l ingt owers p i les

Managc incn t skillsl'licrc is nftcri th o presuinp[ion t h a t otic mu s tliave s p e n t a fu l l cacccr in the relevant disciplinei n order to aspire to a sciiior cxecutivc role, b u tthe ability M apply souiid and intcrnatioi~nllyrccrignisccl managcrizcnt principlcs is R inuchmore iniportant rcquircincnt in m uc h ofthe clcvcloping wnrld than slacc-of-tllc-arttechnical knnwltdgc wliich caii be acqiiircdhorn the cquipmcnt supplici-s, I. 'hcsc ~ n a ~ ~ a g c -nzciit principlcs c a n Lc Icamt ancl pr.actiscd ina vaaieiy of ways dur ing cntccr r levelop~~~nt ,cither in th e public 01' rivate sector. Whilch e r e are tnany cxaiiiplcs 01cngirmrs who havcI:NGIN [,I


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WORJUNG 0 VERSEAS

Flg. 2 Team bulldlngat slte hc used as a shicld to discollragc an approach,or bc sclf gcnciaiccl in ordcr to cotwincc oncself111 thosc a round that u n i ~ m ~ ~ ~ l e l yuc h a 1-olc,wliilc cxciting, is iriiprmiccal a t the prcsetittimc. There ar c gixvc ~nisconccptions ,oftengencrarcd by die media, t h a t lifc in th cdcvcloping world is dirty, dangerous, drug-1-iddcn arid dcprcssiiig, bu t this is a distortedan d ill-conceivcd impression o f large arcas oft h c world whcrc tl w cinergcncc of Impc an d adesire to acquire self-sustaining slrills ar c th cdntninant factors.Often n the past such cxccllcntqudit ics wcrcimpractical d u e to tlic prcvalcncc of war nn dtiiscase, an d hugc populations siirvivcd iliroiiglitrailitioiml minimal is^ x tivici es in a c o i i s t m tco lony f lna,lnspectlon

struggle tn sustain th c hasic ncccssitics of Iifc.Whilc oiic caniiot ricny tha t tlicrc arc still partsof tlic world whcrc such circuimtaiiccs remain,most of ~ h c lcvcloping world has cincrgcdfrrrm this s i tuat ion an d now has a n u r p t nucdto acquire a n d absorh mndcrn inanagctncnttechniqucs i n order to encourage the h o p ndaspiratioris of a rapidly increasing profcs-sionally qualified popdatiori of wcll cducatcd,enthusiastic bu t incxpcricnccd young pcoplc.

It is th c prcdorriinancc of youth whichi 11mediately st r kcs those fa m ia r w idi th edeveloping wrrrld, and this pi~nvidcs cry fcrtilcgrnutd fo r cxpericnccd cxccutivcs t o i m p a r tthcii. manageiiicnt sltills IC, good advantago.I


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Flg. 4cons1 Powermction F lanl under

approval t o procced nppcars to have Lcciigranted. Hr~wcver, dclays during projcciitnplerncntation a rc gciicrally ttic i w r c scriousIxcausc tiinc lost can ticvcr be rcgaincrl, midcosts acctim~ilntc t a (:;it higher rate cluriiig t h eimplcrnciitatiori pliasc wlicn thcrc ar c onlyliiriitcd oppo riuiiitics COrcducc non-producrivccxpcnditurc.I'olitically gcncratcd dclays ar c gencrallp t h cmost scrious bccausc it is almost itnpossiblc forcxccurivc managctnent to resolve tlicsc i n arlcvcloping wor ld context; h c y ciin causc vcryconsiderable problcms 10 any niiijor infra-struciure project andusually folhw i changc ingovcrnincnt. Ou occasions n iicw govcr~i i tnet i r .will mcrcly frcczcprojecis while rhcy car ry outa progw imic review, but it i s not iiucot~iinoiif o r projccu to bc ar-hitrarilycniiccllcdwith littlerccoursc for coinpcrisation tlirougli ihc courts.In such a sicu;ltioti, th c projcci spoiisoi-sI?;cnmllyac t to rninirnisc thcir losses, either incnnjunction wich t h c cxccutivc inanagcrncnt o rindcpendctitly. t'hcrc is lirtlc tlic chicf exccutivec m do in such x situnrioii aucl for chis rcasor i tis particularly important wlicn workiizg o ncoiitriict in ttic dcvclopirigworld that u x p d a c cctigincers liavc unambiguous and cnforcealdccontracts of cmplaynicrit wliicli can provideadcquatc protccLion tn the indiviilual i n thecvctit of projcct cance llatinn, dcfcrial, or ctiangco f ownership.Local eiwironriienNothing in l i fe i s ccrrain atid workirigovcrscas in n n unfamilint. cnvironincnt m a y

appear to iriany pcople to he both conhisingand risky, bu t in practice this is not iicccssarilythe case p r t i c i i l d y i f sensiblc prccniicions aretalccii and as miich preparationas titne allows ismadc prior COdeparture. As always, lcssmis n wsomctitiics Ici~rncr i hc hard way and tlic sanicmisialrcs arc riirely matlc iwice, hut this is notiitiiquc t o wt,driiig i n x i cxpt riat c situatioii, asiiinny pmfcss ioiinl cngiticei-sIrnnw to thcir costin th e UK and clscwlicre iri E u I n p ~ . .' h n uilding to achieve I -r i is incss dcvclop-mcnt i s univcnally rccogniscd as a n imporiatitrnauagci~iciit t ivi ly, bu t in inucli of th c worldit is still not ~lfccrivelypractiscd. Aucocratican d clictarnriiil rnnnngcrnciit liolds sway, rosult-ing lnrgclp fmin culriiral cliffercnccs, and Rsiirprising l e w l of feudal coiitrol still cxists inciizcrgencc nf a burgcoiiitig rriiddlc class 01cdiicatcd profcssional cinployccs has changed Aiiaiion's culturc cnii bc iiicorrcct 3 s trarlitioualvalues still militace ngniost ttic i i np l c mc n~n~ion01 riiatiagcnicnt praciiccs long cstablishcd in t h eitidustrialiscd iiatinns nf W c s t c r n Eiiropc atidclsewhcrc.

In gmcral, scnint e x p a t r h c inmagcrs ar ei n t roduccd i t 1order to couizicr such influcnccsanc l Dritisli values rcmain highly sought afteran d rcspcctcd tliroiighoLir r i~ uc h f Asia. Thcsensitivc liatidling of ilccply i.mtcd culturalissucs js a fiscinating challcngc fo r thosecxcciitivcsscelriiig IICW lioriT,oIis, a i id siicccss iiisiich iiiattct's can bc cxtrcinely rewarding.Paticncc and pcrscverance arc csscntial qualitiesiii this dclicatt nrcn, but iii gcncral tlic ISritish

1 .tgc , .ircas of Asin. Tlic itnprcssinii that ih c

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WORKING 0 ERSEAS

Fig. 5 Turblne hall almostcomplete have a good reputation for achieving positivea n d long-lasting rcsuits whc rc soinetiiiies othernatiotials have failed thrnugli hasty nrprccipitatc action tint fully utidccctond h y localEdiicatioiiil qualificntiom can be mislcading

throughnut inuch of thc devdoping world asforgot1 ccrtificatcs arc no t LiiicoIniiion, a ndcoiiiprelierisivc checks arc n ot always made ontlzc idcntity of thosc sitting cxaminations. Jobapplicntioiis inay nppcar cxrrcrricly impressive,bu t personal iutenriews caii quicl


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judgments in s u c h situations. Also, local seniorstaff are gcnci.ally wcll adjusted to prevail ingcxpatrinies in this delicate bu t important area.In-country advisersMost devcloping coutitrics hnvc aplc tho ra OClocal cnnsultants who opcrate cithcr a x inrli-virluals or in partuei-ship. T h y we normallyindepend e li t of the mu Itinational cnn s 11ltancpcompanies, an d care inwt bc cxerciscd \vhcnsclccting who to work with. A good consultantca n h e invaluable, bu t tlic wrong politicnlco~iiicctiniis an bc d isas t r tms arid delay projccrimplementation by tnntiths or ycars withoutnecessarily an y clear iiidicntion as to t h e roo[cause. This sclcccion 1 x u x s s is oiic of r l w moslimportant activirics for an y foreign cmnpmywishing to expand iritn n dcvclopiiig country,and hdrd and fast rulcs arc difficult to c ln lo mtc .Pcrsond contacts Through biisincss co l l cag~ i c san d d i o s e familiar w ith a particular countryarc pmbably tlic niort ruliable sourccs fo revaluatinK consultants, but ovcrscils ernhassicscan also 'help through the cxccilent scrviccsprovided by comiiicrcial comscllors and thcirpi.ofessinnal ill-couiicryIviscrs.Uomcstic cmisirlerationsBut th e family will hatc it is a coiiiiiicntoiichears only too oltcn ftom thosc seriouslyconsidering an o v c r s c ~ s osition in R dcvclop-in g country. Of cnursc, c x h family ha s icsparticular m cds , considcrationsan d prcjudiccs,bu t invariably the realisation is niuch bcttcrthan the cxpcctniion. Tllcrc arc good local nndcxpatriate schools in m o s t of the large ciricsthl~o&out tllc WO I - ~ ~ , nd lor ~ O U I I ~ ~ I .chiklren education is not iiurinilly a p r o l i c m.Ii i fact thc variety which overseas trnvclprovides often eiihanccs thc cdiicatinnnl vnliic.I lic availabil i ty of vo1uiirai.y-work for spousesand young adult hri i ly mciiibcrs is a l i n t i s cuiilitnitcd arid can be w r y rcwartliiig for thoscindividuals scarching fo r a way tn iiinkc arneaningful pcrsonal contributioti tu ilicmaterially lcss wcll off in sociely.Ihis can bc inhcaltlicnre, cduc&n n r administratinn and th ethanks which flowwlicn oiic has to finally packup and l ewc is ilcinonstrablc cvirlcticc of thcgrarilude and affcciion fclt bp thosc who havcbcnefitcd froin such coritriburiong. I t is a grossmisconception that the pcriplc ol developingcountrivs only scclr firiancinl help. Ihismay b cirue of pwnnict i ts and politicians b u t thcordinary citixens nccd nnrl a rc w r y gralcftil fo i -

conrliiiotis and can providc vahiablc ad V l C C to

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help in kind, and m a n y lainilics sap that thisc o n t r i h i i o u ha s been the innst wwarrliiigaspect of what a t th e outset inny havc s c c i m c l R1iin.qtunattract-ivc nh cdfcr.Working in Palt is tanEvvLryoverseas job is dilfcrcnt, an d thcrcforcclaiorat ion of th c pariicular aspects o f oiicpositirm is only uscfiil in ordci- to illiistratct h e rcwards, frustrations ancl cxpericriccs Olwnrking ovcrscas. In m y asc, I was callcrl oncday by n hcadhuntcr who had bccn givcii m ytiatnc.b y n third party-the usual thitia, Whci ito ld that t h e position would rcquirc iiic t< ) iiovcto Pakis tan Cor two ycnrs, my initial rcactionwis to sxy OK i n principle; this is thc firsthurdlc bccause a ncpativc a i iliac p i n t wouldh w c dosed of f an opportuiiicy which al l m yfamily IIOW agl-cc NJS proliably n high point ino ur Iivcs. I was of coiirsc onc of scvcral possiblcciwdidatcs aiicl t h e wrong rcsponsc would h awresultcrl in my not bcing o h e d pecial inducc-rrictits. Iiitcrvicws etc. wcrc all cnnductutt inLondon, and only at rhc final stage di r l I h a wthc opporcutiity to scc written contract tcrins.Howuvci; time was of thc cssciicc for r h ceniploycr and [ tiad to cvaluatc th c offer fairlyrapidly 10 secwc tlw position.A s t h c erriploycr was a Ial


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WORKING 0 VEICSEAS

Court and English Law would prcvail. Whatwa s crucial a t that point was that 1 had trlctwirti th e cmploycr in London, arid I feltconfitlcnt that t h c individual who was sen tover to conduct th c i n t ervi ew was trustworthy.Inevitably personal judgments m u s t play a bigpart in a n y dccision to accept an O Y C ~ S C Mcontract of cinpluymcnt, cspccially whcn th ecoiiiracc is n o t b c hg placcd o r guarai i tccd by awcll rccogniscd multinational company. WhcnI boardcd th c aircmft for Islamabari o i i a cnldarid wcc early January mor i i ing in L ondon , 1had little ,ktlowlcclgc of what to cxpcct onarrival, ns I hati spcnt mosr. of thc shor t tirricavailablc in chc U l i making visa npplications,arranging pcrsonal affairs, and enjoying my lastHogmanay.O n arrival, I ciiscovcrcci that thc cornpany Ihad becn rccruiced EO lcad liad fallen foiil of tlichlris ta t i ~ O V C I - I ~ I W I ~ L nd th c indcpcndcntpovxr plant project was about to b c canccl lcd.Thc Icariiing curvc \vas thcrcforc vcry stccp ;ISth e project sponsors, all ol whom WCIT iimjorovcrscas invcscors, s tood citlicr to sustain verysubstmtia l lclsscs or t o pur suc a lcngthy lcgalb a d e ilirougli ~ h critcrnationnl criurts withno guarantcc of rc11rcss or rccovcry o f fundsalready invcstcrl. SuUicc to-s l y that, aftcr tw oyears of argument arid prcvm'ication, tcmpcrcdby good seiisc an d ccchnical nnovalion, iiattershavc beeti satisfactorily rcsolvcd an d thc powctplant will corne on stream in 1997 m d c r ac o t n l h a t i o n o l local and Malaysian managc-tnctit. For my part I liavc lcarnt much abouthow business i s coduc tc r l in th c Inclinn sub-cnntirictrt and th c wholc cxpcriciicc ha s bccn afascinating professional challenge. '['lie rewardsas usud have bccn conimciisiiratc with thccfforc an d tn y iiiitial rcspoiisc t u tlic hcadhuiitcrof ' OKn principle' 'was m e ol th e b c s t off-thc-cuff dccisions of my li L.Task prioritiesBuildiiig a modern power plant in thcdeveloping world in an arcn whcrc faciliticsare I i i itcd, i 11ris~r ctI .c 1.11d imcntar y, x ndclimatic cond itions cxtrcnic is not casy at thcbest o f t ime. Howcvc~~, h a w b c c n mosti111prcssc ri by the sIC11s a TI d p i 0 i1c i i i so v izgabilities of th e i n tcmat ion i i l concmctorscinployccl mi m y projcct. I t was quicklyappxcm CO rn c chat th c ovcrscciiig of niajnrcont ix to rs , onc of m y tnslts a s chicf cxccutiwof thc operating coinpitiy, would n o t be mymajor prcoccupxtion. Rnthcr t h x L had tocoIiccnrratc primarily 011 t h c projcct cost hsc,

cornpauy rcporriiig prtmsscs, intcractionsbctwecri tlzc various iiivestors none nf wlioiizinitially had a majority liolding, and thedeveIoptnent of a w c I I structured npcratingcompany for th c iuturc inanagcmctrt of thcpower plant. In addition t h c r c was the cver-prcsciiL role ol tryiiig to mend fcticcs with agoverninerit whosc clivii priorities cl id no t alignwith those of di e iiidcpcndciit powcr plantcompmies , arid ~ h o s cmajor c n n c c r n wastiiatiageinetu ol' fin ovcrscas dcbt which hadeffectively bccii allowcd to run nu t of cont rolthrough corruption, mishanrlling of t l icccnnotr iy and policical vncillation.Encrgy forecasts by iriclcpcndcntprofcssioii-a h wcrc subordinated to political cxpcriicncy,and const;int load shcdding was blntncd onevcry possible lactor cxccpt ;1lack of gctieritingcapacity. '['he sancriiy of iiztcmntional contractswas abrngated arid sovcrcigii gunrniitccs wcrcigtiored. Nurncrous committccs wcrc S C ~ pand then disbaiidcd before thcir reports couldhu publislicd, and only suslaincd iritcrnntionalpressure I 2 y govcrnrnc i i ts and Icnciirip agenciesfinally Eorccd ;1 solutimi thi-ough largely cos-nictic atiiendnicrits LO the coinplcx clcctricitpcariif scrLiciurc. Superimposed on all this was ancdificc of political inlriguc almost iinpossiblufor a n expatriate to fathom in n country w hos ccul tureand busincss mcthorlology arc s o differ-ciit f i r m those I l i d prcvioiisly cxpcricncerl.Pcrsannl relationships wcrc always cxtccmclycordial, but tnistrusl w as cndcmic a n d situationana1ysi.q. wa s ti & cxtrcincly difficult. Ifcoiif~isiiig o r l ic corripaiiy cxwutivu, fo r theovcrsuas sponsors it was alarming an d i t iiiaricm c a w x c at first hatid of t h c sitbslantial riskswhich jlrc inlicrcnt in thc financing of niajoi.i n fras ructurc projcc ts in t h e dcvcloping world.Dcspite die problems arid frustrations, I wasablc to lcavc Paltistan i t i lhc ItnowIcrlgc ha t thcjo b 1 was recruitcd for I d ouii satisfactorilyco~npletcd.I'hc project has bccn rchnbilitatod,an d th e pcoplc of N o r t h Sindh I'rovincc willshortly ctijoy a guaranteed clcctricity supplyfrom a statc-of-rhc-xri indipuiious gas-fircdpowcr plant financed largcly through Islamiccn-operation by thc GovcrnIncnt o f Malaysia.

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