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International experience and cultural intelligence development: A longitudinal assessment of Australian and French exchange students
Abstract
Cultural intelligence is an important capacity related to effective functioning in intercultural contexts, but questions remain as to how international experience supports its development. This longitudinal study assessed how the four facets of cultural intelligence developed during a semester-long student exchange program with Australian (N = 203, age M = 20.94, 66.5% female) and French students (N = 232, age M = 20.72, 69.8% female). Participants completed measures before, during, and directly after their exchange experience. Longitudinal multilevel modelling results showed that exchange enhanced cognitive, metacognitive and motivational cultural intelligence for both Australian and French students, while behavioral cultural intelligence only increased in Australian students. Importantly, the identified changes were found to be linear for all cultural intelligence facets, with the exception of metacognitive cultural intelligence in the Australian sample, showing that increases in cultural intelligence occurred throughout the duration of the exchange experience. Neither cultural distance nor previous travel experience influenced the amount of cultural intelligence change that occurred. The findings confirm that university student exchange is a valuable tool for promoting the development of cultural intelligence, supporting graduates to acquire abilities relevant to a global work environment.
... The results obtained in this study confirm the contribution of these programs to the development of CQ, which had previously been reported by Emil and Gökten [81] with a sample of Turkish students and by Wooda et al. [82] with a sample of students from USA. McKay et al. [83], with a sample of French and Australian students, reinforced this evidence and argued that exchange programs are especially well suited to promoting the development of CQ. ...
The concept of cultural intelligence has been the object of increasing attention from the scientific community due to its importance in a globalized world. To fulfil their mission, higher education institutions need individuals capable of effectively interacting with others who come from different cultural backgrounds. This study analyzes the level of cultural intelligence and its background in a Portuguese engineering higher education institution. This study used a cultural intelligence scale and applied it to a sample of 445 participants. The results show that individuals in this Portuguese institution have an interesting level of awareness of others’ cultural preferences. However, particular attention should be paid to improving the outcome of the cognitive dimension. The results show the potential of international experiences and activities that foster cultural exposure. Consequently, the managers of institutions should make efforts to promote Erasmus programs or similar internships abroad. In addition, they should promote activities that foster multicultural contact, whether extracurricular activities or multicultural clubs or associations, meetings, lectures or classes with appropriate pedagogical methodologies, for example, experiential or collaborative teaching.
As a result of globalisation, a significant proportion of companies operate across borders and in many cases, work communities are also organised from workers with diverse cultural backgrounds. Due to the intensive flow of services, goods and labour, and cultural differences, conflicts can arise, and these tensions can negatively affect people and organisations' well-being and performance. Nowadays, cultural knowledge and intercultural competencies are more appreciated and highly requested by most employers.
The younger generations (Generation Z and Millennials) were born into cultural diversity and have broad mobility possibilities to deepen their intercultural competencies, but the older generations in Hungary had more limited mobility opportunities. Cultural intelligence (CQ), which is the ability to adapt to different intercultural interactions effectively, can be developed effortlessly by spending extended periods abroad. High CQ results in better interpersonal relationships and work performance in culturally diverse environments. Cultural intelligence is a widely researched field within the managerial studies, but most studies focus on international students, young business students and sojourners. Thus, our primary goal was to explore not just the adolescents and young professionals, but the middle-aged and seniors as well.
This quantitative study aimed to explore Hungarian generations' cultural intelligence and find possible connections between cultural intelligence and overseas exposure/mobility program participation. To answer our research questions, we analysed the total and dimensional CQ scores of 329 Hungarian respondents and compared the results based on participation in different mobility programs, length and frequency of cultural exposure.
Personal and situational factors contribute to international students’ sociocultural adjustment in a host society. Thus this study attempts to determine the roles of self-efficacy, self-esteem, and previous travel experience on sociocultural adjustment. The sample for this study constituted 328 undergraduate and postgraduate international students, studying in three Chinese universities. Participants completed a set of tests measuring their sociocultural adjustment, self-efficacy and self-esteem, as well as answered demographic questions. Hierarchical multiple regression and a PROCESS macro were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that prior travel experience, self-efficacy, and self-esteem significantly predicted sociocultural adaptation. In particular, self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and sociocultural adaptation. Limitations and future study directions and implications for the findings are discussed.
Purpose
This paper aims to contribute to international business research by critically analyzing and evaluating the use of the “international experience” (IE) construct within the specific context of developing cultural intelligence (CQ).
Design/methodology/approach
Based on 30 studies selected through a systematic literature review, the IE construct is critically analyzed and evaluated with respect to the terminology, definitions, conceptualizations and measurements used.
Findings
Findings indicate that the existing body of knowledge on the construct of IE is fragmented, uses inconsistent terminology, does not uniformly rely on any underlying conceptual frameworks and uses a variety of measures for investigating IE. Additionally, scholars have largely relied on quantitative measures of IE to explain the development of CQ, despite theoretical arguments specifying conditions and circumstances that must occur for learning and development to take place.
Research limitations/implications
To move forward with using the IE construct, the authors emphasize the critical need for scholars to pay greater attention to and explicate how they define, conceptualize and measure it. Based on the identified issues, recommendations to improve future research are provided.
Originality/value
Although IE is frequently assumed to influence the development of CQ, contrary to conventional wisdom and some theoretical arguments, research evidence has demonstrated that the impact of IE on CQ is suggestive rather than conclusive. To understand why this may be the case, the use of the IE construct within previous research is critically analyzed and evaluated.
La présente étude cherche à tester les effets de quatre facettes (métacognitive, cognitive, motivationnelle et comportementale) de l’intelligence culturelle sur la performance au travail en situation d’expatriation (relative à la tâche, à la démonstration de l’effort, au maintien de discipline, au leadership en équipe, à la communication et aux aspects administratifs et managériaux) médiatisés par l’ajustement culturel (global, interactionnel et au travail). Les données recueillies par le biais d’un questionnaire électronique administré auprès d’expatriés français (N = 201) sont analysées via SPSS 20.0 et Lisrel 8.80. Le test du modèle en variables latentes permet de nuancer l’importance de différentes facettes de l’intelligence culturelle pour la performance en expatriation. L’originalité de nos résultats consiste en deux aspects. Premièrement, les facettes motivationnelle et comportementale de l’intelligence culturelle s’avèrent les plus importantes pour la performance en expatriation, tandis que la facette métacognitive n’a pas d’effet sur celle-ci. Deuxièmement, la performance dans la tâche est moins bien expliquée par l’intelligence culturelle et par l’ajustement culturel comparée aux dimensions de la performance en expatriation en lien avec la gestion des relations au travail (e.g., performance dans la communication, relative au maintien de la discipline, etc.). Nous discutons de ces résultats et proposons de nouvelles perspectives de recherche.
Mots-clés : intelligence culturelle, ajustement culturel, performance au travail, expatriation.
Previous research has shown that cultural intelligence is a positive predictor of expatriate career intentions among university students, but little is known about the “how” of this relationship. In a first study (N = 241) we provide evidence for the incremental validity of cultural intelligence, by showing that cultural intelligence predicts expatriate career intentions over and above emotional intelligence and the five-factor model of personality. In a second study (N = 469), we find that expatriate career self-efficacy mediates the link between cultural intelligence and expatriate career intentions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
How do you navigate the norms of your new culture when living abroad? Taking an interactionist perspective, we examined how contextual factors and personality traits jointly affect sojourners’ adaptation to the host-country culture. We hypothesized that tightness (strong, rigidly imposed norms) of the host culture would be associated with lower levels of adaptation and that tightness of the home culture would be associated with higher levels of adaptation. Further, we proposed that the impact of tightness should be dependent on personality traits associated with navigating social norms (agreeableness, conscientiousness, and honesty-humility). We analyzed longitudinal data from intercultural exchange students (N = 889) traveling from and to 23 different countries. Multilevel modeling showed that sojourners living in a tighter culture had poorer adaptation than those in a looser culture. In contrast, sojourners originating from a tighter culture showed better adaptation. The negative effect of cultural tightness was moderated by agreeableness and honesty-humility but not conscientiousness.
Cultural intelligence (CQ), an individual's capability to function and manage effectively in culturally diverse situations and settings, has become the focus of a vibrant scholarly conversation and a flourishing area of multidisciplinary research. Since the introduction of the concept in 2002, substantial research has been conducted concerning its definition, the validation of its measurement, and the examination of its development and predictive capabilities. The present paper systematically reviews 73 conceptual and empirical articles published on CQ from 2002 to 2015 in management and international business journals as well as in education and psychology. The authors discuss two distinct conceptualizations of CQ, developments within the conceptual research, and opportunities for further theorizing. They also cluster the empirical studies based on how CQ was used and identify patterns, achievements and challenges within the literature. Finally, based on their analysis, they identify promising avenues for future research and propose specific questions that can further advance the scholarly conversation on CQ.
Universities around the world seek to internationalise students to prepare them for an increasingly globalised world. Outbound mobility experiences (OMEs) are recognised as one of the most effective ways to foster independent thinking, cultural sensitivity, and a sense of ‘worldmindedness’. This article takes a case study from an Australian university and explores efforts to increase student participation rates in OMEs. Through a mixed-method study of three student cohorts (n=223), important data was gathered relating to how OMEs are perceived by undergraduate and post-graduate students. The results are filtered through thematic discourse analysis and suggest that the university needs to do more to build awareness, explain the professional and employability benefits, and create a travel culture where students are encouraged to grow their international skills and communication competencies. This research has important implications for universities seeking to increase international student mobility and prioritise a global outlook.
This study examines the influence of motivational cultural intelligence (CQ) on the development of cultural effectiveness among university short-term business study abroad program participants. We conceptualize cultural effectiveness as the degree of psychological comfort and success in managing intercultural demands. Results of a multiple-source, two-wave lagged study demonstrate that initial levels of motivational CQ were positively associated with increases in (a) cultural well-being reported by participants and (b) peer perceptions of suitability for overseas work. In addition, cultural identity, an individual’s psychological identification with his or her own national culture, strengthened the time-lagged relationship between motivational CQ and peer-rated suitability for overseas work. Participants with strong cultural identity and low motivational CQ were viewed as the least suitable for an overseas job. We discuss practical implications for designing cross-cultural education programs and implications for future research.
The purpose of the current study was to examine the effects of cultural intelligence (CQ) and conflict management styles on a person's cross-cultural adjustment in an Asian context. A total of 260 international students completed the paper-based questionnaires in Taiwan. We utilized multiple hierarchical regression to analyze the data and thereby to test the effects of CQ on cross-cultural adjustment as well as the moderating effects of conflict management styles on the relationship between CQ and cross-cultural adjustment. The results showed that CQ had a positive relationship with both general adjustment and interaction adjustment after controlling for age, length of residence in the local country, previous overseas experience, English language ability, and Chinese language ability. Moreover, we found that an active conflict management style negatively moderated the relationships between CQ and general adjustment and between CQ and interaction adjustment, while an agreeable conflict management style only positively moderated the relationship of CQ and general adjustment. Ultimately, we were able to demonstrate the importance of CQ and conflict management styles in understanding the links that are related to cross-cultural adjustment. We also provided several practical implications for firms and for individuals in order to improve their cross-cultural effectiveness.
Despite considerable research, a major challenge today is to define and assess the development of cross-cultural competence. The aim of this study is to better understand the role of cultural competence in the adjustment of international students studying in the United States. We examined distinct trajectories of cultural intelligence (CQ) over time, as well as several environmental/situational predictors of CQ and related psychological outcomes. The sample consisted of 221 Chinese international students studying in the United States. CQ was measured through a self-reported Cultural Intelligence Scale over 4 time points (prearrival, first month, second month, and third month). Four distinct groups of CQ trajectories emerged over these 4 time periods: (a) consistently high CQ scores (High CQ; 72%), (b) decreasing CQ scores (Decreasing CQ; 13%), (c) increasing CQ scores (Increasing CQ; 8%), and (d) a sharp decrease in CQ scores over the first 2 months which later rebounded at the third month (Rebounding CQ; 7%). Factors that significantly predicted the CQ trajectories were connectedness with mainstream society, anxiety, perceived language discrimination, and marginally coping through family support. Moreover, CQ trajectories were more associated with positive psychological outcome indicators (i.e., positive affect and satisfaction with life) than with negative affect. Practical implications and future directions were also discussed.
The objective of this study is to examine the impact of a short-term international
experience, which is designed to address the conditions outlined in Allport’s (Allport,
G.W. 1954. The Nature of Prejudice. New York: Perseus Book Group) contact hypothesis,
on each of the four factors which make up cultural intelligence (CQ). A sample of
135 university students was broken up into test and control groups. The results for the
test group suggest that the short-term experience ranging from 7 to 12 days within a
structured study abroad service programme, including modest pre-trip preparation, found
a significant increase in each of the four factors of CQ. At the same time, there was no
significant change in the control group. Implications for human research development
research and practice as well as limitations and suggested areas for future research are
discussed.
The rapid increase in courses dealing with cross-cultural management (CCM), brought about by economies' globalization and increased workforce mobility motivated us to examine the impact of cross-cultural management courses on cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence (CQ) refers to individual's abilities and skills to effectively manage interactions in cross-cultural situations. It includes four dimensions: metacognitive, cognitive, motivational and behavioral. In two multinational longitudinal studies using matched samples and pre- postintervention measures, we assessed the effects of academic CCM courses on students' CQ. We found that after the courses, students' overall CQ was significantly higher than at Time 1. No effects on CQ were detected in the control group, where students worked in multicultural settings but did not take a CCM course. Cross-cultural management courses had stronger effects on metacognitive and cognitive CQ than on motivational and behavioral CQ. We found an interesting pattern regarding students' international experience: While international experience in Time 1 positively related to students' CQ, at Time 2, this relationship became nonsignificant (Study 1). These findings contribute to understanding the antecedents of cultural intelligence and how educational interventions affect it, with practical implications for designing and developing international management education and training programs.
Most studies of interaction patterns of international students focus on ‘degree mobility’ and flows from ‘non-Western’ towards ‘Western’ countries. Nevertheless, in Europe the shorter alternative of ‘credit mobility’ is more prevalent. However, empirical evidence on social network formation within this specific group of international students remains limited. Therefore, in this article we study the formation of interaction patterns of students who study for a delineated period in another European country, based on a research project conducted in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom. The results show that specific interaction patterns can be explained from a flow-perspective. Moreover, our study shows that students’ networks abroad are already formed before actual departure. In addition, we provide empirical evidence that institutional as well as group practices encourage or impede interaction between exchange and local students. Two transversal dimensions are especially relevant in the explanation of how groups are formed abroad: language proficiency and shared social spaces.
We examined (1) the effect of international assignments on the development of cultural intelligence – CQ over time (2) whether crucial personality traits (i.e., extraversion and openness to experience) had a moderating role in the relationship between international assignments and CQ in a longitudinal design. A total sample of 145 military personnel participated in the study at the beginning of the deployment (Time 1) and 121 persons participated at the end of the deployment (Time 2) in a multinational and multicultural military organization. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the 6-month international assignment did have a statistically significant effect on the development of all four facets of CQ over time. Moreover, moderated multiple regression analyses demonstrated that individuals who are high on extraversion improved their metacognitive CQ and behavioral CQ more than did individuals who are low on extraversion. Similarly, individuals who are high on openness to experience improved their motivational CQ more than did individuals who are low on openness to experience. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
In this article, we look at the barriers to international student mobility, with particular reference to the European Erasmus program. Much is known about factors that support or limit student mobility, but very few studies have made comparisons between participants and nonparticipants. Making use of a large data set on Erasmus and non-Erasmus students in seven European countries, we look at the barriers for participation. Results reveal the overall impact of financial barriers but suggest that it is personal barriers that help us to better differentiate between Erasmus and non-Erasmus students. The analysis suggests a two-pronged approach to increase participation: one focusing on better information and communication and the other stressing the benefits of Erasmus mobility.
Successful interaction across cultures requires cultural intelligence. Several aspects of cultural intelligence in organizations are described: suspending judgment until enough information about the other person becomes available; paying attention to the situation; cross-cultural training that increases isomorphic attributions, appropriate affect, and appropriate behaviors; matching personal and organizationally attributes; increasing the probability of appropriate organizational practices.
Background
Cultural intelligence reflects the competence to adapt to new cultural settings. Universities offer students various opportunities to gain cultural learning and develop cultural intelligence. However, there has been little empirical research to compare the effects of cultural learning and other related psycho-social factors in this process.
Objective
This study explores the importance of cultural learning and identifies the unique contribution of cultural education in universities to health care students' cultural intelligence.
Design
Cross-sectional survey study.
Methods
271 health care students completed a survey measuring social desirability, demographics, personality, prior cultural exposure, previous cultural learning and cultural intelligence.
Results
Hierarchical regressions showed that cultural learning could affect cultural intelligence and its three components (i.e., metacognition, cognition, motivation, and behaviour) under the control for related psycho-social factors. However, its effect on the behavioral component was not significant. Considering the different types of cultural learning, overseas study experiences were more related to cultural intelligence, compared to in-class cultural learning.
Conclusion
Cultural learning, especially overseas study experiences, plays a significant role in the development of health care students' cultural intelligence.
This meta-analysis provides a synthesis of 70 studies on the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and six work-related outcomes. By applying the mutualism perspective and using commonality analysis, we propose a theoretical perspective and empirically explore the joint effects of two and three sets of CQ dimensions on work-related outcomes. We find that the CQ dimensions mediate the relationships between personality traits and work-related outcomes, and that they have incremental validity beyond these traits and a comprehensive set of established predictors for all outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings for theory development and provide directions for future research.
Because of the growth and impact of study abroad experiences, it is important to identify and evaluate factors contributing to students’ success. Unfortunately, a survey of leading U.S. study abroad institutions found that 96% of assessment instruments only gauged students’ satisfaction as the single measurement of success (Berg, 2003). In contrast, the literature on international job assignments identifies psychological adjustment as a vital construct underlying the success of expatriate employee experiences (Selmer & Leung, 2003). Furthermore, personality characteristics or stable personal traits are considered among the most important factors affecting the psychological adjustment of expatriate employees, and thus their success (Huang, Chi & Lawler, 2005; Jassawalla, Truglia, & Garvey, 2004). Two of these traits that are especially appropriate in the study of successful cross-cultural adjustment are cultural intelligence and psychological hardiness. This article presents a study about these constructs and presents a rationale for predictions about their impact on successful psychological adjustment for study abroad participants.
The authors proposed a framework based on Rotter’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) that is appropriate for the evaluation of students’ experiences in college study abroad programs (McLeod & Wainwright, 2009). In the present paper two concepts originating in SLT, locus of control and self- esteem, were used to gauge the impact of study abroad courses on undergraduates. It was predicted and found that when compared to a peer comparison group, study abroad participants became more internally controlled; however there was no change in self-esteem. It was important to note that the study abroad students maintained the positive change in locus of control six months after the end of the program. Rotter’s SLT appears to be a viable perspective for examining significant aspects of the study abroad experience.
The goal of this qualitative study was to examine the experience of study-work-life balance among international students who were separated from their family both geographically and temporally. Using 10 semi-structured interviews with postgraduate students and thematic analysis, several themes were identified. These included boundary management shifts due to study/work demands and time zone differences. In addition, students reported social and personal challenges (in terms of family’s expectations, relationships maintenance, socialization in host country). Temporal boundaries contributed to social withdrawal and isolation among students, many of which were heavily reliant on their own family network for support. The findings strengthen the argument that time difference impacts the boundary management and social experience of international students.
Today’s pervasiveness of intercultural interactions has spawned scholarly interest in cultural intelligence (CQ) – the capability to function effectively across cultures. Applying meta-analytic techniques, we harness the recent explosion of research on the four-factor model of CQ to address three fundamental, yet unresolved theoretical issues. First, we explicate the benefits of conceptualizing and modeling CQ as a bi-factor model where each factor provides both unique and holistic information. Results shed light on Gelfand’s puzzle of whether to facet or not and clearly show the value of the four factors. Second, we advance and test a theoretical model delineating differential relationships between the four CQ factors and three forms of intercultural effectiveness. Findings, based on 199 independent samples (N = 44,155), underscore the value of a nuanced, theoretical model of CQ with differential effects of the four factors. Finally, going beyond prior research, we also address mediated and moderated relationships and expand our understanding of the CQ nomological network. We discuss the implications of these findings for theorizing about the CQ factors and suggest directions for future research.
Cultural intelligence (CQ), the capability by which expatriates, managers, and others involved in cross-cultural interactions function effectively in a globalized world, was introduced in 2002 and has garnered wide attention recently. In this paper, we present a detailed and up-to-date review of 142 empirical articles in the CQ research field. We first examine the concept of CQ, including its definition, structure, measurement, and validity. We then review the vast number of empirical studies that investigate the antecedents, development, direct and indirect effects, moderating effects, and aggregated effects of CQ, as well as qualitative studies. The analysis shows several issues that likely will be relevant to the research debate in the near future. These issues include investigations of (1) whether cultural intelligence is universal or culture-specific, (2) why objective measures that assess CQ are lacking, (3) to what extent a person can develop cultural intelligence, (4) to what extent there are dark sides to cultural intelligence, and (5) the role cultural intelligence plays as a predictor of individual and group performance. Addressing these questions may help us reveal the true potential of CQ in contemporary organizations and thus, affirm that the promise of CQ is more than just hype.
In this article, we extend Amabile's componential theory of creativity to account for cross-cultural creativity by conceptualizing cultural learning as a crucial component in the creativity relevant process. We hypothesize a significant positive relationship between cultural learning and expatriates’ cross-cultural job creativity, and that this relationship will be enhanced by domain learning and the cultural distance between the host and home countries. Moreover, we propose that expatriates with higher metacognitive and motivational cultural intelligence will engage in greater cultural learning, which in turn will be related to job creativity. Data from 219 expatriate-supervisor dyads of 36 Chinese multinational companies reveal that metacognitive CQ and motivational CQ are indeed positive antecedents to cultural learning, which in turn positively relates to cross-cultural job creativity, especially for high domain learning expatriates who work in a foreign culture not vastly different from home. Our findings make significant contributions to the existing literature on creativity and provide nuanced understanding of the relationship between cultural intelligence, cultural learning and cross-cultural job creativity. Our findings also have important implications for expatriate management.
International opportunity recognition has become increasingly important in both the international business and international entrepreneurship fields. While previous international entrepreneurship research has suggested a wide variety of innovation-inducing factors, it has neglected the role of cross-cultural competences and the expatriate as a potential actor. Building on the experiential learning theory and a model of opportunity recognition, we argue how and why metacognitive and cognitive cultural intelligence are important cross-cultural competences that stimulate and enable expatriates to discover international opportunities and be innovative. We use a mixed method approach to analyze differences in the innovativeness of expatriates.
Cultural intelligence (CQ) is a construct associated with effective functioning in intercultural contexts. We propose that polyculturalism – the belief that cultures are connected and mutually influencing each other – is an individual-difference factor that can explain individual- and country-level differences in CQ. Regression analysis showed that polyculturalism significant predicts CQ in samples from Australia and China. Mediation analysis further showed that the average CQ difference between the two countries can be partially accounted for by polyculturalism. Implications for the development of CQ in individuals and groups are discussed.
Post-secondary institutions spend considerable resources on programs, such as study abroad and international work-integrated learning, which involve students' participation in international experiences. One significant impetus for these programs is the hope that through exposing students to international settings these students will be better prepared to be successful in global workplaces upon graduation, in essence be more "global-ready". However, simply having an international experience does not necessarily lead to the development of capabilities that result in global workplace success. In addition to the knowledge, skills and abilities required for any workplace, being successful in these global workplaces also requires intercultural effectiveness. This paper presents the findings of a study that examined the development of cultural intelligence (CQ), the ability to be effective in intercultural encounters, in students participating in a Canadian-European exchange program (CANEU-COOP) where the European students had a study term in Canada and the Canadian students had a co-op work term in Europe. The study found that while both groups of students developed CQ, there were differences between the groups. These findings reaffirm the importance of intentionally structuring international experiences to include curriculum about and assessment of intercultural effectiveness.
Measurement invariance assesses the psychometric equivalence of a construct across groups or across time. Measurement noninvariance suggests that a construct has a different structure or meaning to different groups or on different measurement occasions in the same group, and so the construct cannot be meaningfully tested or construed across groups or across time. Hence, prior to testing mean differences across groups or measurement occasions (e.g., boys and girls, pretest and posttest), or differential relations of the construct across groups, it is essential to assess the invariance of the construct. Conventions and reporting on measurement invariance are still in flux, and researchers are often left with limited understanding and inconsistent advice. Measurement invariance is tested and established in different steps. This report surveys the state of measurement invariance testing and reporting, and details the results of a literature review of studies that tested invariance. Most tests of measurement invariance include configural, metric, and scalar steps; a residual invariance step is reported for fewer tests. Alternative fit indices (AFIs) are reported as model fit criteria for the vast majority of tests; χ2 is reported as the single index in a minority of invariance tests. Reporting AFIs is associated with higher levels of achieved invariance. Partial invariance is reported for about one-third of tests. In general, sample size, number of groups compared, and model size are unrelated to the level of invariance achieved. Implications for the future of measurement invariance testing, reporting, and best practices are discussed.
Over the past decade, the cultural intelligence construct and its underlying dimensions have been used in a number of studies. Prior research has tested the determinants and outcomes of cultural intelligence, using pooled data from different countries and cultures, and has compared the results across contexts. However, these studies often disregarded measurement invariance, which is a necessary requirement for such analyses. We assess the measurement invariance of the commonly used four-dimensional cultural intelligence scale across five countries (China, France, Germany, Turkey, and the U.S.) by means of a composite model logic, using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Our results question the scale’s dimensionality concerning China and France, and reveal an item set that is invariant across the other countries. Our findings indicate that researchers should be aware of the potential lack of measurement invariance regarding the standard measurement of cultural intelligence. They should therefore be cautious when comparing the results of cross-country and cross-cultural research.
This study extends previous research by examining the role of cultural intelligence (CQ) in both culture shock and reverse culture shock. Specifically, this study asserts that CQ acts as a moderating mechanism that lessens the negative effects of both culture shock and reverse culture shock on psychological and sociocultural adaptation among international students. Two studies were conducted in Australia to test these assertions. Study 1 (n = 189) was participated in by new international students. An online survey was set up and disseminated. Results indicated that culture shock is significantly but negatively related to both psychological and sociocultural adaptation. In addition, results demonstrated that CQ moderates the relationship by lessening the impact of culture shock on students’ psychological and sociocultural adaptation. Study 2 (n = 123) was participated in by international students who had recently graduated and returned to their home countries. An online survey was also set up and disseminated. Results indicated that reverse culture shock is significantly but negatively related to both psychological and sociocultural adaptation. CQ also served as a moderator in lessening the impact of reverse culture shock on both forms of adaptation.
Some outliers influence the regression fit more than others.
Although international experience has been proposed as an important factor contributing to the development of cultural intelligence (CQ), its effect on CQ has often been assumed. Through a contact hypothesis framework, this study advances our understanding of CQ. It examines the process through which CQ changes occur against the backdrop of international exchanges. University students who were enrolled in an international exchange program with partners worldwide participated in this study. Using a 3-wave time-lagged design, we found that implicit culture beliefs (the beliefs about fixedness or malleability of cultural attributes) influenced intercultural rejection sensitivity, which impacted the cross-cultural adjustment of sojourning students and their subsequent CQ. Specifically, we found that cross-cultural adjustment experiences, particularly in the social domain, play an important role in influencing CQ. Findings from this study raise novel research questions and underscore the need for more empirical work in this area. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Cross-cultural psychology has demonstrated important links between cultural context and individual behavioural development. Given this relationship, cross-cultural research has increasingly investigated what happens to individuals who have developed in one cultural context when they attempt to re-establish their lives in another one. The long-term psychological consequences of this process of acculturation are highly variable, depending on social and personal variables that reside in the society of origin, the society of settlement, and phenomena that both exist prior to, and arise during, the course of acculturation. This article outlines a conceptual framework within which acculturation and adaptation can be investigated, and then presents some general findings and conclusions based on a sample of empirical studies.
Purpose
This study aims to examine the significance of transformational leadership and social support for expatriate adjustment and performance. This study also extends relevant literature on expatriate management to examine the relationships among transformational leadership, social support, expatriate adjustment, and expatriate performance through a mechanism taking into account the moderating roles of cultural intelligence and socialization experience.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample was collected from 156 expatriate managers of Taiwanese multinational company (MNC) subsidiaries operating in China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) in AMOS 21 and hierarchical regression in SPSS 19 were used to test eight research hypotheses.
Findings
The SEM results indicated that transformational leadership and social support make significant contributions to expatriate adjustment and performance. The moderating roles of socialization experience and cultural intelligence were also confirmed in this study.
Originality/value
This study extends a theoretical model of transformational leadership and social support to examine expatriate adjustment and performance based on social learning and social exchange theories. Using a specific Chinese context, the current paper highlights the value and necessity of cross‐cultural adjustment for successful expatriation.
This study investigates the relationship between the four factors of cultural intelligence (meta-cognitive, cognitive, motivation, and behavior) and the dimensions of cross-cultural adjustment (general, interaction, and work). The sample consists of 178 Nordic (Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish) expatriates working and living in the US. The findings of this study reveal that cultural intelligence is an important factor that facilitates cross-cultural adjustment for Nordic expatriates. Also, the results indicate that a greater general adjustment is related to greater meta-cognitive and motivational cultural intelligence. Increased levels of interaction adjustment are associated with greater meta-cognitive and motivational cultural intelligence. And lastly, greater work adjustment is related to greater meta-cognitive cultural intelligence. This study further provides a contribution to the body of knowledge in the cross-cultural field for Nordic expatriates, as well as having practical and theoretical implications.
We review recent theoretical and empirical developments in the intercultural competencies literature, highlighting contemporary models and empirical research in organizational contexts. We survey the current conceptualizations of intercultural competencies and propose that intercultural competencies can be classified based on traits, attitudes and worldviews, capabilities, or a combination of these dimensions. We identify key psychological, behavioral, and performance outcomes associated with these models. We review empirical studies of intercultural competencies at the group level and discuss emerging models of dyad-level, firm-level, and multilevel intercultural competencies. We evaluate the current measurement of intercultural competencies and suggest alternative approaches. Finally, we examine research on selection, training, and development of intercultural competencies. We end each section by identifying future research foci, and we offer an integration of the literature at the end of the review.
This study examines the influence of cultural exposure on emotional intelligence and cultural intelligence. Because of the importance of international experience in organizations, and the ease of travel, understanding the impact of exposure to other cultures is critical. In this study, cultural exposure is examined in a variety of ways, such as a binary measure, breadth measure, and depth measure, as well as the interaction between breadth and depth. The sample included 485 participants from a large university in the northeast part of the United States. Regression analysis was conducted and findings indicated that cultural exposure in all forms had an impact on cultural intelligence, while it did not have an impact on emotional intelligence.
Student mobility is highly popular among the educational efforts directed at developing global competencies in management education. Yet, research that corroborates the assumed learning outcomes, particularly with respect to advancing multicultural competence, is inconclusive. Null-to-small effect sizes are often reported and are based on unidimensional assessments of multicultural competence that have limited our knowledge of the benefits of academic work abroad. Building on Earley and Ang's (2003) conceptualization of cultural intelligence (CQ), we test the effect of studying abroad on the metacognitive, cognitive, motivational, and behavioral dimensions of multicultural competence. Following a pretest-posttest design, we tracked 84 business students who completed academic coursework abroad. To isolate the effect of the sojourn, we controlled for individual and contextual variables that might influence learning outcomes. Results confirm the multidimensional nature of our dependent variable and indicate that studying abroad acts differently on its dimensions. While participants exhibited development of the cognitive-based components of the competence, studying abroad was innocuous in advancing participants' motivational and behavioral cultural intelligence. We discuss the theoretical implications of these outcomes in light of existing conceptualizations of multicultural competence, as well as their practical implications for academic efforts that seek to advance global competencies in management education.
Data of 5,033 immigrants from 49 countries/regions to Australia, derived from Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Australia (LSIA), were analyzed to test a widely held assumption that greater cultural distance (CD) between immigrants' culture of origin and their destination culture is associated with more adjustment difficulties and thus lower psychological well-being (the CD Hypothesis). Objective measures of CD were constructed from Hofstede's four value dimensions, Schwartz's seven dimensions, and Smith et al.'s two dimensions. The hypothesis was tested using multilevel hierarchical regression analyses which controlled for individual-level variations in age, gender, marital status, English language skills, and income. Results revealed limited support for the hypothesis. Whereas the global index of CD based on Smith et al.'s values provided support for the hypothesis, the specific indices of CD, comprised of separate value dimensions, showed a mixed pattern of relationships. Finally, most of the observed CD-well-being links were limited to the earlier phases of settlement and were diminished within 3.5 years after arrival.
Emphasizing the importance of cross-border effectiveness in the contemporary globalized world, we propose that cultural intelligence—the leadership capability to manage effectively in culturally diverse settings—is a critical leadership competency for those with cross-border responsibilities. We tested this hypothesis with multisource data, including multiple intelligences, in a sample of 126 Swiss military officers with both domestic and cross-border leadership responsibilities. Results supported our predictions: (1) general intelligence predicted both domestic and cross-border leadership effectiveness; (2) emotional intelligence was a stronger predictor of domestic leadership effectiveness, and (3) cultural intelligence was a stronger predictor of cross-border leadership effectiveness. Overall, results show the value of cultural intelligence as a critical leadership competency in today's globalized world.
This paper examines whether short-term cross-cultural study tours enhance the four factors of cultural intelligence (CQ): metacognition, cognition, motivation and behavior. CQ has exhibited high correlations between higher levels of CQ and positive attitudinal and behavioral outcomes. As a capability, CQ appears malleable and, thus, open to change and improvement. Data were collected from working professionals in an MBA program both before and after participating in an experientially oriented 11- or 12-day short-term cross-cultural study tour. Results supported three of the four hypotheses, suggesting that short-term cross-cultural study tours exhibited a significant relationship with enhanced metacognitive CQ, cognitive CQ and motivational CQ. The results did not reveal a significant relationship between the study tours and behavioral CQ.
Cultural intelligence (CQ) – the capability to function effectively in intercultural settings – has gained increasing attention from researchers and practitioners due to its contemporary relevance to globalization, international management, and workforce diversification. Research-to-date demonstrates that CQ predicts a variety of important outcomes in intercultural contexts, such as cultural adaptation, expatriate performance, global leadership, intercultural negotiation, and multicultural team processes. Moving beyond past research that tends to focus on the four primary factors of CQ – metacognitive CQ, cognitive CQ, motivational CQ, and behavioral CQ, we introduce an expanded conceptualization of CQ that delineates sub-dimensions for each of the four factors. We briefly review psychometric evidence supporting the proposed second order 11-factor structure and convergent/discriminant validity of the sub-dimensions. We propose that the next wave of CQ research should be guided by a deeper understanding of each of four factors of CQ.
This research tests the linkage between cultural intelligence, expatriate adjustment to the host country's environment and expatriate performance while on international assignments. The investigation is carried out with data from 134 expatriates based in multinational corporations in Malaysia. The results highlight a direct influence of expatriates’ cultural intelligence on general, interaction and work adjustments. The improved adjustments consequently have positive effects on both the expatriates’ task and contextual performance. The research findings have implications for both international human resource management (IHRM) researchers and managers.
This meta-analysis offers an updated set of national cultural scores along the dimensions of Hofstede's cultural framework. The meta-analytic national cultural indices have two advantages. First, they are based on a larger and more representative sample than that used in Hofstede's or any other cross-cultural comparison study. The data come from 451 empirical studies representing over 2000 samples comprising over half a million individuals from 49 countries and regions. Second, cultural change is addressed by offering separate sets of indices for different decades. This would be helpful in longitudinal studies of the interplay between culture and other phenomena. The meta-analytic indices are validated against a set of external criteria.