International management skills for success in Asia: A needs-based determination of skills for foreign managers and local managers

Purpose - This paper identifies skills necessary in order to succeed in Vietnam and proposes a training program to develop such skills. Design/methodology/approach - To determine necessary skills, 74 managers were interviewed using critical incident methodology to identify training needs. Critical incident approach asks respondents to describe the incident, its nature and consequences to provide context for understanding the managers' problems. Findings - Local Vietnamese managers cited professional development (42 percent), basic business skills (29 percent), communication and cultural skills (18 percent) and legal understanding skills (11 percent) as most critical to succeed in international business. Foreign managers cited cultural understanding and awareness (34 percent), professional skills (23 percent), personal skills (20 percent), and interpersonal skills, language and communication skills. For Vietnamese managers, training includes leadership, problem solving, interpersonal skills, business basics, communication and culture. For expatriate managers, training presents the particular aspects of the local culture in a way that allows the foreign manager to become more effective through understanding and awareness. Research limitations/implications - The findings of this study and its training suggestions are based on findings from Vietnam. To be relevant outside Vietnam, the program may be adapted. Originality/value - This paper identifies the skills needed by Vietnamese and expatriate managers to be successful in international business. The findings and suggestions are valuable to managers and trainers involved in international business in Vietnam and Asia.