The American Advisor Abroad

Abstract

Mutual understanding of both the similarities and differences between an American and a host national counterpart is a key to effective utilization of the American advisor abroad. When both American and host know what to expect of each other, the American consultant's interpersonal competence, consulting skill, and technical knowledge can be brought to bear in a more effective manner than where misunderstandings of opinions, values, and ideology prevail. A program is described which is building a bank of information about such similarities and differences. How knowledge of the data has relevance to relations between the American and the host national is discussed, along with educational procedures for disseminating such information to those who take on American advisory roles abroad.