Define cultural competence and discuss some of the research about the concept.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The concept of cultural competence, termed cultural intelligence (CQ), complements the dimensions identified by Spreitzer et al. (1997). CQ is individuals’ belief in their ability to be effective in culturally diverse environments and their interests in other cultures (Ang et al., 2007; Rockstuhl et al., 2011). CQ captures affective, cognitive, behavioral, and motivational facets, all of which have long been considered important aspects of cross-cultural competence (Bird, Mendenhall, Stevens, & Oddou, 2010; Kraimer, Bolino, & Mead, 2016).
CQ is positively related to expatriate performance (self-rated), mediated by cultural adjustment, and communication effectiveness. These relationships are strongest among individuals with more international work or travel experience (Lee & Sukoco, 2010). As for the motivational dimension of CQ, it is positively related to job performance ratings, mediated through expatriate work adjustment (Chen et al., 2010). The mediated relationship was stronger for expatriates in subsidiaries that provided lower levels of organizational support and in countries more similar to their home countries (lower cultural distance). CQ holds promise as a valid predictor of many indicators of expatriate success (Kraimer et al., 2016). Our next section considers some other valid predictors of success, in the context of selection for international assignments.