The management of the international student experience in the South African context: The role of sociocultural adaptation and cultural intelligence

Orientation: Sociocultural adaptation and cultural intelligence theory predicts certain relationships between these two orientations and performance in culturally diverse contexts.Research purpose: The aim of the research was to investigate the contribution of cultural intelligence to sociocultural adaptation and the role of cultural intelligence as a mediator of the relationship between sociocultural adaptation and academic performance of international students in the context of a large South African university.Motivation of the study: The study was motivated by a lack of knowledge of the role of cultural intelligence in its contribution to sociocultural adaptation and academic performance of international students in the current South African academic context. This lack of knowledge was taken to be a problem for managers in the higher education context.Research design, approach and method: A purposive sample of 263 international students from a large South African university was analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and multiple linear regression analysis.Main findings: Unlike metacognitive, cognitive and behavioural cultural intelligences, only motivational cultural intelligence, together with sociocultural adaptation, was found to be significantly and positively associated with academic performance.Practical and managerial implications: Given that motivational cultural intelligence reflects the interest and motivation of an individual to learn about and adapt to other cultures, university managers should seek to cultivate motivational cultural intelligence through university activities, as this orientation can be developed in sojourners.Contribution or value-add: The results of this study contest broader predictions that all cultural intelligence orientations act equally to enable academic performance in this context.

Unlocking Expatriates’ Job Creativity: The Role of Cultural Learning, and Metacognitive and Motivational Cultural Intelligence

ABSTRACTIn 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.

The Impact Of Metacognitive, Cognitive And Motivational Cultural Intelligence On Behavioral Cultural Intelligence

This study investigates the impact of Metacognitive, Cognitive, and Motivational Cultural Intelligence (CQ) on Behavioral Cultural Intelligence (CQ). In particular, we examine whether cognitive capabilities influence actions and behavior. The results show that 28.4% of the variability in behavioral CQ is explained by metacognitive CQ, cognitive CQ and motivational CQ. Further analysis was done to determine how each of these three dimensions impacts on behavioral CQ. Results show that only metacognitive and motivational CQ influence behavioral CQ.

Exploring the role of motivational cultural intelligence in SIE women’s adjustment

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore and discuss the role of motivational cultural intelligence and its related strategies in the experiential learning and cross-cultural adjustment of self-initiated expatriate (SIE) women. Design/methodology/approach – Interactive qualitative analysis (IQA) was the design and process used for this research. Two IQA focus groups were conducted with a non-probability purposive sample of 21 SIE women, aged between 26 and 53 who were living and working in the Netherlands at the time of the research. Participants were invited to brainstorm about their adjustment experience and actively construct a framework of their adjustment experiences. Findings – Evidence is provided for the role of motivational CQ, with specific reference to reinvention, self-efficacy and goal-setting as motivational strategies, in the successful adjustment of SIE women. Conceptual frameworks of the cyclical learning process and motivational strategies with choice as a moderator in the process, have been developed. Three propositions for future research are also presented. Originality/value – This study represents an under-researched group and proposes conceptual frameworks for understanding the complex, multidimensional process of SIE women adjustment and the role of motivation, from a participant perspective.

Metacognition, cultural psychological capital and motivational cultural intelligence

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of cultural psychological capital, its impact on motivational cultural intelligence (CQ), the influence of motivational cultural intelligence on metacognitive awareness, and the moderating role of perspective taking on the relationship between motivational cultural intelligence and metacognition. Design/methodology/approach – Collected data from international management program alumni to test the hypotheses. Findings – The results show that cultural psychological capital has a positive relationship with motivational cultural intelligence, which in turn relates to metacognitive awareness, and perspective taking does not moderate the relationship between motivational cultural intelligence and metacognition. Research limitations/implications – The data were collected from a single source. The study supports broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson, 2001) by demonstrating that cultural psychological capital has an important association with motivational cultural intelligence. Practical implications – Cultural psychological capital can be improved. Therefore, organizations that desire to increase the motivation of employees may consider improving the cultural psychological capital of employees. Learning is an important outcome of motivational cultural intelligence, and it is an asset for today's organizations. Originality/value – The study takes a positive perspective for cross-cultural experiences and identifies cultural psychological capital as an important resource for expatriates. Metacognitive awareness, as an outcome, provides support that cross-cultural experience results in higher learning for individuals who are motivated.