The Combined Impact of Pre-Departure and In-Country Intercultural Training on Expatriate Performance: An Empirical Analysis

Globalization has pushed multinational companies to expand their cross-border operations, resulting in an increasing reliance on expatriates for international business development. However, adapting to cultural differences remains a major challenge for these employees. This study examines the combined effects of pre-departure Intercultural Training training and in-country Intercultural Training training on expatriate employee performance. Intercultural Training (ICT) helps expats better adapt to a new cultural environment by providing them with cultural knowledge and skills. This study analyzed the independent and interactive effects of PDICT and ICICT using multiple regression models, using data from 206 expatriate employees of a French multinational company. The results showed that ICICT had a pronounced effect on employee performance, while PDICT alone had no pronounced effect. However, when the two are used together, the interaction effect pronouncedly improves employee performance. These findings suggest that multinational companies should implement comprehensive Intercultural Training training programs, including pre-departure and in-country training, to maximize training effectiveness and improve expatriate adaptability and performance.