WOlilCINC OVERSEAS

Working overseas
a fascinating professional challenge
This article dispcls some of the myths surrounding cmploymeiit as an expatriate
enginecr in the developing world. Whilc tlzc article focuses primarily on
gciicralities applicable to most assignments, elaboration by the author of his owii
recent expcriciice as the cliicf executive of an independent powcr company in
PaIristan illustratcs the type of situation senior expatriate engineers may facc on
acceptancc of an overseas position.

by A. R.Midgley

F
rom Somalia to Siniih, dic applicntinn of succcssfiilly [ransfcrrcd tl-icir skills be~wcen
good ~nmagcmciit principlcs togcthcr wry differclit scctni-s of cnginccring, thcrc
with an ctltrcprcncurial and adventurous rctriains xi unclcrlying fcnr o l the unknown i n
spirit can provjtic a fascinating mix of chnlleiig- dcploying cxpcricncc in ncw cultural
ing job opportwiitics for prolcssional cngiticcrs circuinst:itices. Many cnginccrs' d e n t s and
in the dcvcloping worlci. cxpcricucc could casily bc adaplcd for roles in
Projcct inarragctnenr it1 thc ciiginccriiig field arcas wliich seein I'CIIIOIC and unsiiitctl tn tlicir
tias bccn practiscrl dlroughrrut thc world by ahilitics.
sltillcd profcssionnls for thousands of years. Working o~crscasns ii sctiior cxccutivc 011
'I'he developmcnt o[ coii7pimics to I ~ d l c cnnti;ict 1i;is inni1y nrtractinns to anyonc whosc
such activitics is a soincwliat more r e c c i i t prioritics arc iinrticd to a stablc cnviroiimcilt ol
phcnomciioi~IIUCiicvcrthcless h x a p c d i g i of ~ family, friciirls and local commiinity nctivii.ics. ~ l g1, Excavation of cooling
ovci' 100 y c m . ' 1 ' 1 1 ~ncccssary atcributcs and I hwcvcr, such preoccupations can soinclinics towers piles
cxpcricncc 10 rnatlagc such coinpanics arc
readily availablc throughout thc wnrlil, but
clicre are inany indivicluals who could a.spirc
to a senior rolc if thcy coulcl nverciiiiic thcir
fcars and misgivings about living in s t r a n g or
unfamiliar cnviromicius.

Managcincnt skills
l'licrc is nftcri tho presuinp[ion t h a t otic m u s t
liave spent a full cacccr in the relevant discipline
in order to aspire to a sciiior cxecutivc role, but
the ability M apply souiid and intcrnatioi~nlly
rccrignisccl managcrizcnt principlcs is R inuch
more iniportant rcquircincnt in much of
the clcvcloping wnrld than slacc-of-tllc-art
technical knnwltdgc wliich caii be acqiiircd
horn the cquipmcnt supplici-s, 'I.'hcsc ~ n a ~ ~ a g c -
nzciit principlcs c a n Lc Icamt ancl pr.actiscd in
a vaaieiy of ways during cntccr r l e v e l o p ~ ~ ~ n t ,
cither in the public 01' private sector. Whilc
here are tnany cxaiiiplcs 01cngirmrs who havc
I:NGIN [,I<RlNGMANACIIMIIN'I' J n U K N ~ ~ 0CTC)IIILR
L 1999 235
WORJUNG 0 VERSEAS

struggle tn sustain thc hasic ncccssitics of Iifc.

Whilc oiic caniiot ricny that tlicrc arc still parts
of tlic world whcrc such circuimtaiiccs remain,
most of ~ h cclcvcloping world has cincrgcd
frrrm this situation and now has a n u r p t nucd
to acquire a n d absorh mndcrn inanagctncnt
techniqucs i n order t o encourage the h o p and
aspiratioris of a rapidly increasing profcs-
sionally qualified popdatiori of wcll cducatcd,
enthusiastic but incxpcricnccd young pcoplc.
It is thc prcdorriinancc of youth which
i111mediately st r i kcs those fam i1iar w idi the
developing wrrrld, and this pi~nvidcsvcry fcrtilc
grnutd for cxpericnccd cxccutivcs t o impart
Flg. 2 Team bulldlng at slte hc used as a shicld to discollragc an approach, thcii. manageiiicnt sltills IC, good advantago.
or bc sclf gcnciaiccl in ordcr to cotwincc oncself I<espcct for such skills, and recognition by thc
l e lay1-olc, indigenous population that they need this
111' thosc around that u n i ~ m ~ ~ ~such
wliilc cxciting, is iriiprmiccal at the prcsetit praccical liclp, is a n iiita tigible rcward for thc
timc. There arc gixvc ~nisconccptions,often individual over and above any I-cmuncration
gencrarcd by die media, t h a t lifc in thc Lcncfit, which inay not in itself Lic insignili-
dcvcloping world is dirty, dangerous, drug- cant. In go~ieral,intcrtxitiona\ cnmpaiiics offcr
1-iddcn arid dcprcssiiig, but this is a distorted attractivc salary and Lcncfit packages to
and ill-conceivcd impression of large arcas of expatriate coiltract cxccutives wliich arc com-
t h c world whcrc tlw cinergcncc of Impc and a pardde with those available to cmpioyces in tlic
desire to acquire self-sustaining slrills arc thc UK a i d othcr E i i q w a n countries.
dntninant factors. Working o ve 1-SCRS is 11o L t h crclo 1-c con fi ricd
Often in the past such cxccllcnt quditics wcrc to thosc whose motivation is priinn'rily alrau-
impractical due to tlic prcvalcncc of war nnd isiic; howcvcr, a n clcmciic ol nliruisin docs not
colony flna, tiiscase, and hugc populations siirvivcd iliroiigli go aiiiiss w h e n living in clic rlcvcloping world
lnspectlon trailitioiml minimal is^ xtivicies in a coiistmt atnorig peoplc whose i.ctnurieratinn is gcticrally
much inwer than the expatriate prnfcssional
cngii-icer. Thu social security safety nct, takcn
for grantcd by tliosc fortunate ciiough t o livc in
Curlpc or othcr dcvclopcd parts oi thc world,
is not available iri most of thc dcvclopirig
nations and tlic h p n c t of uncinployincrit or
poor health has to Iw boriiu by thc funilks 01
thosc unallc t o work. This Crcatcs situatioiis
which arc visibly cvidcnt to cvcry cxpawiaic
workcr and in somc instances can bc very
distrcssing, hiit thc dignity which so many
pctiplc sl.iow in such dillicult CircLiInstaiices can
also bc 1-cwirtliiig LO thusc who witncss
unfolding cvents a t first hand.

Projcct managcmcnt
lticvitably thcrc arc profcssional friistratitrns
in niatqiiig prnjccts i n thc dcvcloping world,
and pariuncc and pcrscvcrancc arc csscntinl
prcrcquisitcs to SUCCCSS. Eurcaucratic dclays
mid intIansigcncc a r c a n cvcryday uccurrciicc
wtiicli can havc scvcrc budgetary implica-
tions atid result in cxtcncled irnplcmcntation
schcdules. This can o c c u r at tlic apprtwal s t a g
for a myriad of rcasons a i i d in somc inslsuces
can rcsiilt in projcct canccllation, cvcii whcn

approval t o procced nppcars to have Lccii
granted. Hr~wcver, dclays during projcci
itnplerncntation arc gciicrally ttic i w r c scrious
Ixcausc tiinc lost can ticvcr be rcgaincrl, mid
costs acctim~ilntc~t a (:;it higher rate cluriiig t h e
implcrnciitatiori pliasc wlicn thcrc arc only
liiriitcd opporiuiiitics COrcducc non-producrivc
cxpcnditurc.
I'olitically gcncratcd dclays arc gencrallp t h c
most scrious bccausc it is almost itnpossiblc for
cxccurivc managctnent to resolve tlicsc in a
rlcvcloping world context; h c y ciin causc vcry
considerable problcms 10 any niiijor infra-
struciure project and usually folhw ii changc in
govcrnincnt. Ou occasions n iicw govcr~iitnetir.
will mcrcly frcczc projecis while rhcy carry out
a progwimic review, but it is not iiucot~iinoii
f o r projccu to bc ar-hitrarilycniiccllcd with little
rccoursc for coinpcrisation tlirougli ihc courts.
In such a sicu;ltioti, thc projcci spoiisoi-s
I?;cnmlly act to rninirnisc thcir losses, either in
cnnjunction wich t h c cxccutivc inanagcrncnt or
indcpendctitly. 't'hcrc is lirtlc tlic chicf exccutive
c m do in such x situnrioii aucl for chis rcasor it
is particularly important wlicn workiizg on
coiitriict in ttic dcvclopirigworld that u x p d a c c
ctigincers liavc unambiguous a n d cnforcealdc
contracts of cmplaynicrit wliicli can provide
adcquatc protccLion tn the indiviilual in the
cvctit of projcct cancellatinn, dcfcrial, or ctiangc
of ownership.
Local eiwironriient
Nothing in life is ccrrain atid workirig
ovcrscas in n n unfamilint. cnvironincnt may
Flg. 4 Power Filanl1 under
cons1mction
appear to iriany pcople to he both conhising
and risky, but in practice this is not iicccssarily
the case p r t i c i i l d y i f sensiblc prccniicions are
talccii and as miich preparation as titne allows is
madc prior COdeparture. As always, lcssmis n w
somctitiics Ici~rncrithc hard way and tlic sanic
misialrcs arc riirely matlc iwice, hut this is not
iitiiquc t o wt,driiig i n xi cxptriatc situatioii, as
iiinny pmfcssioiinl cngiticei-s Irnnw to thcir cost
in the UK and clscwlicre iri EuInp~..
' h n building to achieve I-riisincss dcvclop-
mcnt i s univcnally rccogniscd as an imporiatit
rnauagci~iciitxtivily, but in inucli of thc world
it is still not ~lfccrivelypractiscd. Aucocratic
and clictarnriiil rnnnngcrnciit liolds sway, rosult-
ing lnrgclp fmin culriiral cliffercnccs, and R
siirprising lewl of feudal coiitrol still cxists in
1atgc
. ,,ircas
. of Asin. Tlic itnprcssinii that ihc
ciizcrgencc nf a burgcoiiitig rriiddlc class 01
cdiicatcd profcssional cinployccs has changed A
iiaiion's culturc cnii bc iiicorrcct 3s trarlitioual
values still militace ngniost ttic iinplcmcn~n~ion
01' riiatiagcnicnt praciiccs long cstablishcd in t h e
itidustrialiscd iiatinns nf Wcstcrn Eiiropc atid
clsewhcrc.
In gmcral, scnint expatrhc inmagcrs are
introduccd i t 1 order to couizicr such influcnccs
a n c l Dritisli values rcmain highly sought after
and rcspcctcd tliroiighoLir ri~uchnf Asia. Thc
sensitivc liatidling of ilccply i.mtcd cultural
issucs js a fiscinating challcngc for those
cxcciitivcs scelriiig IICW lioriT,oIis, aiid siicccss iii
siich iiiattct's can bc cxtrcinely rewarding.
Paticncc and pcrscverance arc csscntial qualities
iii this dclicatt nrcn, but iii gcncral tlic ISritish
237
WORKING 0VERSEAS
Fig. 5 Turblne hall almost have a good reputation for achieving positive
complete a n d long-lasting rcsuits whcrc soinetiiiies other
natiotials have failed thrnugli hasty nr
prccipitatc action tint fully utidccctond hy local
cmployccs.
Ediicatioiiil qualificntiom can be mislcading
throughnut inuch of thc devdoping world as
forgot1 ccrtificatcs arc not LiiicoIniiion, and
coiiiprelierisivc checks arc not always made on
tlzc idcntity of thosc sitting cxaminations. Job
applicntioiis inay nppcar cxrrcrricly impressive,
but personal iutenriews caii quicl<ly leave the
expatriate manager confiised, disappoititcd and
ai1gi.y. 'I'his Ciiti casily lead to cyiiicistn arid
disillusinn, hut usually rcflcce the despcration
atnong whole swathes of the population to gain
cmploynicnr. at wliatcvcr cost. Political and
fciidal influcncc is oftcn A major factor in
attcmpting t o gain cmployincnt for favmiritcs,
rclativcs a n d othcr individuals, oftcii with little
regnrd lor tkc nctiial slrills iquircrl to carry OUT
the rliitics anti rcsponsibilitics of a particular
position. Very careful handling is rcquircd in
such a situation as consideralilc difficulties can
be placcd i n chc WRY of a ncw inl'rastructurc
projccc if appropriate action is noc rakcii CO
rcspond to local scrisitivities. 'I11 gcneral, the
availability of jobs for local cmployccs is a
high priority for bntli politicians and feudal
landlorrls who c m gain considcrablc status
and crcdit among their constituents and
tcnniits through SUCC(ISS iii this arc+ as is tlic
caw in dcprivcd rcgiom nf i i i d c r i i industrial
countries. Howcvcr, ttic differciicc is thc
238 IINGINl!F.KING MANAGEMI"' JOURNAL OC'I'OUEK 1999
meilsures which may be consideid acceptable
in ordcr to achicvc such a prizc.
I n most underdcvelg~cdcountrics, tlic salary
Icvels of govcrninent ernployces arc inuch
Iowcr than those paid to the employees of
inultinatinnal coinpanics. In addition, working
conditions in governincnc offices are generally
poor, with air conditioning rcstrictcd to thu
pcrsanal oificcs of senior officials only. As most
undcrrlcvclopcrl countrics arc located in the
hotter rcgioiis of rhc world, the working
cnviroii~neiitCor t.hosc wlio livc pcrniaiicncly in
thcsc countrics can bc vcry difficult and not
conducivc to high productivity. Tliis situation
nftcn lcads to crivy and dysluriction lietwcen
the public and tlic privacc sector, m r l ' minor
gratifications arc cnmiiionplacc and accclxed as
part of thc busincss prnccss, Whilc almost
incvitably grccd and cnrruption can develop
frorn this sitiiatim, in general this is not
officially comlonccl nnci multinational compa-
nics arc bccoming mrirc resistant to any such
approach iindcr prcssiirc from wcstcrn govcrn-
tiicnts and lcndiiig jiisiiiutioiis.
I-Innclling such situations is a fcaturc of
cxpacriatc scizior rnanngcmcnt, but should not
h e dccnicd a major liiiidrancc to rlic acceprancc
of a challeriging appointmcnt overseas; it is
riierely aii additional cultural ditnension CO clic
job for which oric is being engaged. Engineers
with broad corntncrcial experience have an
inhemit fccl for ttie valuc of a t a s k in ttie
coritext of projcct achievemcnr, and are therc-
fore i.easotiably able to rnakc t h c corrcct
judgments in such situations. Also, local senior help in kind, and many lainilics sap that this
staff are gcnci.ally wcll adjusted to prevailing contrihiiou has been the innst wwarrliiig
conrliiiotis and can providc vahiablc ad V l’C C to aspect of what at the outset inny havc sccimcl R
cxpatrinies in this delicate but important area. 1iin.qtunattract-ivcjnh cdfcr.

In-country advisers Working in Paltistan

Most devcloping coutitrics hnvc aplcthora OC EvvL‘ryoverseas job is dilfcrcnt, and thcrcforc
local cnnsultants who opcrate cithcr a x inrli- claioration of thc pariicular aspects of oiic
virluals or in partuei-ship. T h y we normally positirm is only uscfiil in ordci- to illiistratc
i ndepend e lit of the mu It inatio nal c nn s 11 ltancp the rcwards, frustrations ancl cxpericriccs Ol’
companies, and care inwt bc cxerciscd \vhcn wnrking ovcrscas. In m y casc, I was callcrl onc
sclccting who to work with. A good consultant day by n hcadhuntcr who had bccn givcii m y
can h e invaluable, but tlic wrong politicnl tiatnc. b y n third party-the usual thitia, Whcii
co~iiicctiniiscan bc disastrtms arid delay projccr told that the position would rcquirc iiic t<)iiiovc
implementation by tnntiths or ycars without to Pakistan Cor two ycnrs, my initial rcaction
necessarily any clear iiidicntion as to t h e roo[ wis to sxy ‘OK in principle’; this is thc first
cause. ’This sclcccion 1 x u x s s is oiic of rlw mosl hurdlc bccause a ncpativc ai iliac p i n t would
important activirics for any foreign cmnpmy h w c dosed off an opportuiiicy which all m y
wishing to expand iritn n dcvclopiiig country, family IIOW agl-cc NJS proliably n high point in
and hdrd and fast rulcs arc difficult to clnlomtc. our Iivcs. I was of coiirsc onc of scvcral possiblc
Pcrsond contacts Through biisincss collcag~ics ciwdidatcs aiicl the wrong rcsponsc would h a w
and diose familiar with a particular country resultcrl in my not bcing o h e d special inducc-
arc pmbably tlic niort ruliable sourccs for rrictits. Iiitcrvicws etc. wcrc all cnnductutt in
evaluatinK consultants, but ovcrscils ernhassics London, and only at rhc final stage dirl I h a w
can also 'help through the cxccilent scrviccs thc opporcutiity to scc written contract tcrins.
provided by comiiicrcial comscllors and thcir Howuvci; time was of thc cssciicc for rhc
pi.ofessinnal ill-couiicry I Liviscrs.
’ eniploycr and [ tiad to cvaluatc thc offer fairly
rapidly 10 secwc tlw position.
Uomcstic cmisirlerations A s thc erriploycr was a I’al<istari rcgistcretl
‘But the family will hatc it’ is a coiiiiiicnt oiic cotiipwy it wns riccessary for meto talwccrtaiii
hears only too ol’tcn ftom thosc seriously issucs on trust, albcit wc l i d agrccd that
considering an ovcrsc~sposition in R dcvclop- arbitration woti\d b c through dic [titclnational Fig. 6 Chairman’s visit
ing country. Of cnursc, c x h family has ics
particular mcds, considcrations and prcjudiccs,
but invariably the realisation is niuch bcttcr
than the cxpcctniion. ’Tllcrc arc good local nnd
cxpatriate schools in m o s t of the large cirics
thl~o&out tllc W O I - ~ ~ ,and lor ~ O U I I ~ ~ I .
chiklren education is not iiurinilly a prolicm.
Iii fact thc variety which overseas trnvcl
provides often eiihanccs thc cdiicatinnnl vnliic.
I 1
I lic availability of vo1uiirai.y -work for spouses
and young adult hriily mciiibcrs is alintisc
uiilitnitcd arid can be w r y rcwartliiig for thosc
individuals scarching for a way tn iiinkc a
rneaningful pcrsonal contributioti tu ilic
materially lcss wcll off in sociely.‘I’his can bc in
hcaltlicnre, cduc&n n r administratinn and the
thanks which flowwlicn oiic has to finally pack
up and lewc is ilcinonstrablc cvirlcticc of thc
grarilude and affcciion fclt bp thosc who havc
bcnefitcd froin such coritriburiong. I t is a gross
misconception that the pcriplc ol‘ developing
countrivs only scclr firiancinl help. ’I’hism a y b c
, ,
irue of p w n n i c t i t s and politicians b u t thc
ordinary citixens nccd nnrl arc w r y gralcftil f o i -
WORKING 0 VEICSEAS

Court and English Law would prcvail. What cornpauy rcporriiig prtmsscs, intcractions
was crucial a t that point was that 1 had trlct bctwecri tlzc various iiivestors none nf wlioiiz
wirti the cmploycr in London, arid I felt initially had a majority liolding, and the
confitlcnt that thc individual who was sent deveIoptnent of a w c I I structured npcrating
over to conduct thc interview was trustworthy. company for thc iuturc inanagcmctrt of thc
Inevitably personal judgments must play a big power plant. In addition thcrc was the cver-
part in any dccision to accept an O Y C ~ S C M prcsciiL role ol tryiiig to mend fcticcs with a
contract of cinpluymcnt, cspccially whcn the governinerit whosc clivii priorities clid not align
coiiiracc is not bchg placcd or guaraiitccd by a with those of die iiidcpcndciit powcr plant
wcll rccogniscd multinational company. Whcn compmies, arid ~ h o s cmajor cnnccrn was
I boardcd thc aircmft for Islamabari o i i a cnld tiiatiageinetu ol' fin ovcrscas dcbt which had
arid wcc early January moriiing in London, 1 effectively bccii allowcd to run nut of control
had little ,ktlowlcclgc of what to cxpcct on through corruption, mishanrlling of tlic
arrival, ns I hati spcnt mosr. of thc short tirric ccnnotriy and policical vncillation.
availablc in chc Uli making visa npplications, Encrgy forecasts by iriclcpcndcnt profcssioii-
arranging pcrsonal affairs, and enjoying my last a h wcrc subordinated t o political cxpcriicncy,
Hogmanay. and const;int load shcdding was blntncd on
O n arrival, I ciiscovcrcci that thc cornpany I evcry possible lactor cxccpt ;1lack of gctieriting
had becn rccruiced EO lcad liad fallen foiil of tlic capacity. '['he sancriiy of iiztcmntional contracts
hlristati ~ O V C I - I ~ I W I ~ L2nd thc indcpcndcnt was abrngated arid sovcrcigii gunrniitccs wcrc
povxr plant project was about to bc canccllcd. igtiored. Nurncrous committccs wcrc S C ~up
Thc Icariiing curvc \vas thcrcforc vcry stccp ;IS and then disbaiidcd before thcir reports could
the project sponsors, all ol whom WCIT iimjor hu publislicd, and only suslaincd iritcrnntional
ovcrscas invcscors, stood citlicr to sustain very pressure I 2 y govcrnrnciits and Icnciirip agencies
substmtial lclsscs or to pursuc a lcngthy lcgal finally Eorccd ;1 solutimi thi-ough largely cos-
b a d e ilirougli ~ h ciritcrnationnl criurts with nictic atiiendnicrits LO the coinplcx clcctricitp
no guarantcc of rc11rcss or rccovcry of funds cariif scrLiciurc. Superimposed on all this was an
already invcstcrl. SuUicc to-s l y that, aftcr two cdificc of political inlriguc almost iinpossiblu
years of argument arid prcvm'ication, tcmpcrcd for a n expatriate to fathom in n country whosc
by good seiisc and ccchnicalinnovalion, iiiatters cultureand busincss mcthorlology arc s o differ-
havc beeti satisfactorily rcsolvcd and thc powct ciit firm those I l i d prcvioiisly cxpcricncerl.
plant will corne on stream in 1997 mdcr a Pcrsannl relationships wcrc always cxtccmcly
cotnlhation ol local and Malaysian managc- cordial, but tnistrusl was cndcmic and situation
tnctit. For my part I liavc lcarnt much about ana1ysi.q. was ti& cxtrcincly difficult. If
how business is coductcrl in thc Inclinn sub- coiif~isiiigto rlic corripaiiy cxwutivu, for the
cnntirictrt and thc wholc cxpcriciicc has bccn a ovcrsuas sponsors it was alarming and it iiiaric
fascinating professional challenge. '['lie rewards m c a w x c at first hatid of thc sitbslantial risks
as usud have bccn conimciisiiratc with thc which jlrc inlicrcnt in thc financing of niajoi.
cfforc and tny iiiitial rcspoiisc t u tlic hcadhuiitcr in fras truct urc projcc ts in the dcvclopi ng world.
of 'OKin principle' 'was m e ol the b c s t off-thc- Dcspite die problems arid frustrations, I was
cuff dccisions of my li L. ablc to lcavc Paltistan i t i lhc ItnowIcrlgc that thc
job 1 was recruitcd for I d bouii satisfactorily
Task priorities co~npletcd.'I'hc project has bccn rchnbilitatod,
Buildiiig a modern power plant in thc and the pcoplc of North Sindh I'rovincc will
developing world in an arcn whcrc facilitics shortly ctijoy a guaranteed clcctricity supply
are I ini itcd, i 11fris~rUct II1.c 1.11d imcntar y, x nd from a statc-of-rhc-xri indipuiious gas-fircd
climatic conditions cxtrcnic is not casy at thc powcr plant financed largcly through Islamic
best of time. Howcvc~~, I h a w b c c n most cn-operation by thc GovcrnIncnt of Malaysia.
i 111p rcs s c ri by the s IC i 1 1s a TI d p i 0 li 1ciii -s o I v i izg
abilities of the intcmationiil concmctors
cinployccl mi my projcct. It was quickly
appxcm CO rnc chat thc ovcrscciiig of niajnr
contixtors, onc of my tnslts a s chicf cxccutiw
of thc operating coinpitiy, would not be my
major prcoccupxtion. Rnthcr t h x L had to
coIiccnrratc primarily 011 thc projcct cost h s c ,
240