Cultural Intelligence

It is a known fact that international business professionals need to have certain skills and capabilities, in order to succeed in a foreign business environment. The under-standing of business, political, geopolitical, social, economic, and cultural environ-ments of different countries are highly valued in international business. Not every individual is aware of social interaction skills that help in social interaction with peo-ple from other cultures (Crowne 2006). An individual needs to show capabilities and how effectively they address the challenges that come along with different cultures.

To address this need to deal with people from other cultures, cultural intelligence is an important capability (Earley & Ang 2003). Cultural intelligence refers to an indi-vidual's capabilities to function and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings (Fitzpatrick, 2020). Cultural intelligence (CQ) focuses on cognitive and behavioral fac-tors that enable individuals to relate to others and work effectively in culturally di-verse situations (Fitzpatrick, 2020). Cultural intelligence enables an individual’s capa-bilities to interact effectively in a new culture (Early & Ang 2003; Ang & Inkpen 2008).

Cultural Intelligence is a setup that assesses several aspects of intercultural ca-pabilities based on a comprehensive and coherent framework (Ang, Dyne & Tan 2011).

Cultural Intelligence provides an individual with an understanding of different cul-tures and how they can adapt to different cultural environments. “Though there are multiple forms of intelligence such IQ, EQ, etc., specialized in measuring several forms of intelligence, they are not proficient enough to measure the cultural capabilities of the individuals” (Boopathi, 2016:39).

To measure the individuals’ cultural intelligence capabilities and skills Ang &

Early formulated Cultural Intelligence Quotient in 2003. It was based on Strenberg &

Dettermens (1986) integrative theoretical framework on multiple loci of intelligence.

Four different ways were proposed by Stenberg & Dettermens (1986) metacognitive intelligence, cognitive intelligence, motivational intelligence, and behavioural intelli-gence. In addition to Early & Ang (2003) and for the purpose of giving insights on CQ to practitioners, business leaders and the students. Livermore (2010) proposed or la-belled four dimensions of cultural intelligence: CQ drive (motivational), CQ Knowledge (cognitive), CQ Strategy (metacognitive) and CQ Action (behavioural).

The following diagram describes the CQ framework and its dimensions and is fol-lowed by the explanation of the CQ dimensions (Boopathi, 2016).

Figure 2.

Motivational Cultural Intelligence

When an individual operates in a foreign environment it is necessary to adapt to cross-cultural situations. One can showcase their skills and abilities in a multicross-cultural envi-ronment directing their attention, showing interest in learning new aspects of the host culture (Dyne, Ang & Livermore 2010; Rockstuhl et al. 2011). Motivation comes from within, and it can’t be learned or trained. The attitude towards learning about the new culture is driven by motivational cultural intelligence. Professionals or any other in-dividual with motivational factors have curiosity and drive to learn makes them mo-tivated to take part in multicultural situations. Motivational Cultural Intelligence showcases an individual’s capability to be attentive in culturally different environ-ments. Successful intercultural interaction requires a basic sense of confidence and interest in novel settings. (Dyne, Ang & Koh 2008). The initial and essential motivating factors such as continuous growth and improvement are part of motivational cultural intelligence (Earley 2006). Culturally intelligent individuals represent motivation and adapt to function effectively in a foreign cultural environment (Livermore 2010). Mo-tivational factor has three subdimensions: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy which is the level of confidence to encounter cross-cultural situations (Livermore 2010). Motivational Cultural Intelligence is the most essential factor be-cause without motivation it is not easy to demonstrate the other three factors of Cul-tural Intelligence (Ang & Inkpen 2008:344; Dyne, Ang & Livermore 2010).

Cognitive Cultural Intelligence

This part explains the knowledge structure of an individual. A cultural environment that has cultural institutions, norms, practices, and traditions in different cultural set-tings (Dyne et al. 2012:301). An individual’s gain of knowledge through personal ex-periences represents cognitive cultural intelligence. Cognitive Cultural Intelligence consists of two subdimensions: cultural systems which are how society organizes itself to meet its members’, and cultural norms and values explaining the varying way of issues such as time, authority, and relationship. (Ang & Inkpen 2008: 344). Cognitive factors identify the similarities and distinguish the differences, in a multi-cultural sit-uation it is an utmost important skill or capability to succeed (Dyne, Ang & Koh 2008).

“Appreciating and understanding a society’s culture can shape an individual’s pattern of social interaction within a culture” (Ang & Inkpen 2008:344). The cognitive factor plays an important role in numerous aspects of cultural practices, norms, and tradi-tions.

Metacognitive Cultural Intelligence

The metacognitive factor helps individuals in dealing successfully and being creative in cross-cultural situations using their experience and skills. This factor allows inviduals to think critically and actively about habits and assumptions. In culturally di-verse situations, individuals can reshape their thought processes and understand the cultural differences from a different point of view (Dyne, Ang & Koh 2008). Once an individual is aware of their cognitions, they will process the different cultural infor-mation more clearly (Ng, Dyne & Ang 2009). The metacognitive factor has three ele-ments planning, awareness, and checking. Planning helps and facilitates a culturally diverse encounter. Awareness allows understanding the surroundings. Checking to make sure whether the plans are appropriate (Dyne et al. 2012; Livermore 2010). This factor is decisive in all the other factors. It promotes and allows active thinking when individuals are in a different cultural setting. First, it promotes active thinking about people and situations when cultural backgrounds differ. Second, it triggers critical thinking about habits, assumptions, and culturally bound thinking. Third, it allows individuals to evaluate and revise their mental maps, consequently increasing the ac-curacy of their understanding. (Dyne, Ang 2008: 17).

Behavioural Cultural Intelligence

Behavioural Cultural Intelligence refers to the capability of individuals to manifest verbal and nonverbal behaviour in intercultural interaction (Ng, Dyne & Ang 2009).

Behavioural intelligence shows that an individual can adapt to diverse cul-tures and has the capability to interact effectively with people. This factor allows individuals to

get comfortable with people with whom they do not share a common cultural back-ground (Early & Ang 2003: 12). This factor measures an individual’s behaviour in di-verse cross-cultural situations (Dyne Ang & Nielsen 2007). An individual's behaviour is the most visible trait in interactions. There are three sub-dimensions of Behavioural factors, verbal, non-verbal behaviour, and speech acts. Individuals who have a higher level of Behavioural knowledge, tend to demonstrate correct verbal, non-verbal and speech acts appropriate for different situations, environments, different locations in a particular culture.

Measurement of Cultural Intelligence (CQ)

Cultural intelligence is often measured with self-assessment using cultural intelli-gence scale. In this process, participants choose answers based on four different capa-bilities. Participants are given scores based on their chosen answers. Some approaches use an overall CQ score and average the four factors for an overall score, while others examine the effects of each of the four CQ factors separately or only one of the four factors (Fitzpatrick, 2020). This study will use the overall CQ score and average the four factors. This approach is driven by subjectivity, assessment can be moderated or combined with self-assessment to understand a broader picture of intercultural ability (Fitzpatrick, 2020).

Summary

Cultural Intelligence provides insights and facilitates individuals to perform with ex-cellence in multicultural situations (Dyne, Ang & Nielsen, 2007). Cultural intelligence can be very useful for anyone who is involved in cross-cultural interaction. Cultural intelligence allows individuals to increase their capabilities and skills. It facilitates them to act and react in a short span of time in a culturally diverse situation. The in-dividuals who have had higher exposer to cross-cultural scenarios may display high cultural intelligence capabilities (Boopathi 2016). In addition, culturally intelligent in-dividuals will apply their motivational, cognitive, metacognitive, and behavioural ca-pabilities in cross-cultural situations (Ng, Dyne & Ang 2009:245). Highly culturally intelligent professionals use their capabilities in an international business environ-ment with better conviction (Kim & Dyne 2012). Global identity and CQ aim at im-proving our understanding of the factors that can explain why some people succeed better than others in coping with situations involving cultural diversity (Ang & Dyne, 2015).