Expatriate failure can be avoided or minimised by (1) proper expatriate selection taking in
consideration the interpersonal skills of the expatriates, the motivation of the candidates and the
willingness of their spouses and families to live in the host country; (2) pre-preparation departure
through career’s counselling and cultural adjustments and language trainings for the employees and
their families and (3) maintaining good and continuous communications with the employees while there
are aboard and (4) having, as an integral part of IHRM processes and procedures, an repatriation
program that take care of the employees and their families when they return home.
Finally, the key challenge on avoiding or minimising expatriate failures is to have adequate and proper
IHRM policies and procedures that ensure proper support for international assignment as well as
repatriation.