Information System Management

You have been a successful division manager in a company with subsidiaries in several countries in Europe and Southeast Asia. Your boss wants to help your career growth and offers you the opportunity for an expatriate assignment in Saudi Arabia, knowing a success there will open the door to a directorate role upon your return. As a female and knowing that this subsidiary has all males in every leadership position, you have some concerns of discrimination and unfair treatment that will make the assignment difficult. Would you accept the position? Why? How would you prepare to face the challenges to gain the respect and trust of the males who will be important to your success or failure?

Full Answer Section
In addition, I would focus on building relationships with the male leaders in the subsidiary. I would do this by being respectful, trustworthy, and competent. I would also be prepared to challenge the status quo if necessary. I believe that if I were able to overcome the challenges of being a female manager in Saudi Arabia, I would be able to make a significant contribution to the company and to my own career. Here are some specific steps I would take to prepare for the challenges:
  • Learn about Saudi Arabian culture and customs. This would help me to understand the context in which I would be working and to avoid making any cultural faux pas.
  • Learn Arabic. This would show my respect for the culture and would make it easier to communicate with my colleagues.
  • Network with male leaders in the subsidiary. This would help me to build relationships and to get a sense of their expectations.
  • Be respectful, trustworthy, and competent. These are all qualities that would be important for any manager, but they would be especially important for a female manager in Saudi Arabia.
  • Be prepared to challenge the status quo. If I see that there are unfair practices or that women are being discriminated against, I would be prepared to speak up and challenge these practices.
I believe that if I were able to do these things, I would be able to overcome the challenges of being a female manager in Saudi Arabia and to be successful in the role.
Sample Answer If I were in this situation, I would carefully consider the offer before making a decision. On the one hand, I would be excited about the opportunity to take on a new challenge and to help my company grow in a new market. On the other hand, I would be concerned about the potential for discrimination and unfair treatment. Ultimately, I would decide whether or not to accept the position based on a number of factors, including my own personal values, my assessment of the risks and rewards, and my confidence in my ability to succeed. If I did decide to accept the position, I would prepare for the challenges by doing my research on Saudi Arabian culture and customs. I would also make an effort to learn Arabic, as this would show my respect for the culture and would make it easier to communicate with my colleagues.