At first glance I would tend to agree with you, but giving it a little more examination, I find that that may not be true at all. Most companies are already established and if they are out trying to hire expatriates, they they must be fairly reputable to start with.
Anybody, who is applying for a position, in any company, should already have a good idea of the company culture they are applying at. An interviewer will easily get an idea during the interview by a series of hypothetical questions as to how an employee may react to given stimuli. That and a Briggs test would give the company a rough idea of the "fit" that the applicant would make. Why should a company take a gamble on an expatriate hire without trying is fullest to determine a person's fit BEFORE investing a lot of time, energy & money to bring that person to Singapore.
At least that's how operate as an HR manager. I cannot afford the aggro of our end users if I send them the wrong people who just aren't a good fit with our company's culture. Attitude isn't necessarily a "yes" man attitude or a "gung-ho" attitude. These traits are easily spotted in the interview. It goes far deeper than that I assure you.
