Toward A Comprehensive Model of Cultural Intelligence: Antecedents, Cultural Adaptation, and Performance Outcomes

The purpose of this study was to describe the conceptual foundation of cultural intelligence (CQ) as well as validation of the 20-item, four-factor Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS). This study empirically examined the relationship between CQ and its antecedents (personality, IQ, emotional intelligence, international experience, and language ability), and further provided a theoretical model of future study that explores how CQ impacts the cross-cultural adaptation and assignment performance of expatriates. Analyses of the empirical findings demonstrated that each of the four factors of CQ (metacognitive CQ, cognitive CQ, motivational CQ and behavioral CQ) was influenced by the other variables such as personality, emotional intelligence, language ability, and international experience in significant yet varying degrees. General mental ability (IQ) did not relate to the four factors of CQ. The empirical findings also supported an incremental and predictive validity that CQ increased explained variance of cultural adaptation, over and above demographic characteristics, personality, general mental ability, emotional intelligence, language ability, and international experience. Based on these empirical results, this study proposed a theoretical model of CQ and discussed the direction for future research. square of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.069. These results were consistent with previous results of Ang and colleagues (2004) and provided additional support for the validation of the four-factor model of CQ. This study empirically examined the relationship between CQ and its antecedents (personality, IQ, emotional intelligence, international experience, and language ability). Data for the study were collected from 182 Korean church members who attended a large Korean Presbyterian church in Singapore. Analyses of the empirical findings showed that all four factors of CQ (metacognitive CQ, cognitive CQ, motivational CQ and behavioral CQ) were influenced by the other variables such as personality, emotional intelligence, language ability, and international experience in varying degrees of siginificance. For Big Five personality, openness and extroversion were positively related to total CQ. More specifically, consciousness was only related to metacognitive CQ while openness was related to all four factors of CQ. Extroversion was related to motivational CQ and behavioral CQ while agreeableness was also related to motivational CQ and behavioral CQ. Stability was related to none of the four factors of CQ. Regarding emotional intelligence, three factors were positively related to total CQ: selfmanagement, social awareness, and relationship management. Self-awareness was only related to metacognitive CQ, self-management was positively related to motivational CQ and behavioral CQ. Social awareness was positively related to metacognitive CQ and behavioral CQ. Finally, relationship management was related to all four factors of CQ. Regression results demonstrated that general mental ability was related to none of the CQ factors. Language ability was positively related to total CQ, metacognitive CQ, motivational CQ, and behavioral CQ whereas international experience was positively related to total CQ, meta-cognitive CQ, and behavioral CQ). The empirical findings also supported an incremental and predictive validity that CQ increased explained variance of cultural adaptation (general adjustment, work adjustment, and interaction adjustment), over and above demographic characteristics, personality, general mental ability, emotional intelligence, language ability, and international experience. For general adjustment, regression results demonstrated that motivational CQ and behavioral CQ increased explained variance, over and above demographic characteristics, personality, general mental ability, emotional intelligence, language ability, and international experience. Regression results for work adjustment showed that metacognitive CQ, motivational CQ, and behavioral CQ increased explained variance, above and beyond the other variables. Finally, regression results for interaction adjustment demonstrated that motivational CQ and behavioral CQ increased explained variance above and beyond the other variables. Based on these empirical results, this study proposed a theoretical model of CQ that explored how CQ impacts the cross-cultural adaptation and assignment performance of expatriates, and discussed possible direction for future research. Due to the novelty of the CQ construct, few theoretical or empirical studies address how CQ influences expatriate adjustment and performance effectiveness during international assignments. Thus, this study proposes a concrete model that places CQ in a nomological network of relevant antecedents, moderator, and consequences. This study predicts that individuals with high CQ are more likely to perform and adjust better in cross-cultural contexts. Thus, CQ functions as a causal factor or facilitator of outcomes such as adjustment and effective performance in cross- cultural environments. This study offered five propositions by providing an integrative approach of a theoretical model of CQ. First, this study proposed that CQ would relate positively to expatriate performance such as intercultural leadership, cultural judgement and decision making (CJDM) effectiveness, and task performance. Second, this study proposed that CQ would relate positively to cultural adjustment when examining general adjustment, work adjustment, and interaction adjustment. Third, this study proposed that cultural adaptation would relate positively to expatriate performance such as intercultural leadership, cultural judgement and decision making (CJDM) effectiveness, and task performance. Fourth, this study proposed that cultural distance would positively moderate the relationship between CQ and crosscultural adjustment. Finally, this study proposed that cultural adjustment would mediate the relationship between CQ and expatriate performance. In sum, with the empirical results of antecedents on CQ, this study proposed a nomological network of CQ model that helps to understand the role of cultural intelligence, and the underlying mechanism of the relationship between CQ and expatriate performance as well as cultural adaptation. On a practical level, this study has implications for cross-cultural management operations. For example, this study would help human resource professionals in their efforts towards selecting, training and developing a more culturally competent workforce. By providing an integrative model of CQ, this study allows organizations to improve their staffing and performance system.