Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Management Sciences
Department of Human Resources Management
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
Cultural intelligence (CI) is a growing phenomenon for successful management and leadership in the 21st century. Globalisation, expatriation and multi-national working environments contribute to the need for leaders to have CI as critical competence. The aim of this study was to explore the cultural intelligence construct within a South African managerial context. The data of a 37-item questionnaire, with 353 respondents, was subjected to a direct quartimin oblique rotation. The results indicated that the questionnaire measured three constructs with 24-items. The estimation of the factors concerned was based on the eigenvalues of the unrelated correlation matrix as well as the scree plot. The total model, with three factor scales, explained 30.5% of the variance. After careful deliberation the three constructs of Cultural Intelligence for the South African population are: (1) cultural identity (own cultural identity and extent to which you are willing to identify with other cultures), (2) the ability to adapt to a multicultural setting, and (3) the willingness to learn about other cultures. Comparisons between age groups indicated that the older generation are less inclined to be set in their own cultural identities and more able to sympathise with those from other cultures. Female managers seemed to be more adaptable than male managers. The groupings with less experience seem to be less adaptable cross-culturally than those with more experience. Managers with more than 25 years experience seemed to score lower on the adaptability scale than the other groupings. Respondents over 55 had significantly higher scores than all the other groups in their willingness to learn from other cultures. This research led to two international conference papers and further international research to refine the construct of CI as a leadership competence and develop a reliable and valid diagnostic instrument whereby managers’ CI can be measured.
Contact person: Dr Y du Plessis.
Cultural intelligence (CI) is a growing phenomenon for successful management and leadership in the 21st century. Globalisation, expatriation and multi-national working environments contribute to the need for leaders to have CI as critical competence. The aim of this study was to explore the cultural intelligence construct within a South African managerial context. The data of a 37-item questionnaire, with 353 respondents, was subjected to a direct quartimin oblique rotation. The results indicated that the questionnaire measured three constructs with 24-items. The estimation of the factors concerned was based on the eigenvalues of the unrelated correlation matrix as well as the scree plot. The total model, with three factor scales, explained 30.5% of the variance. After careful deliberation the three constructs of Cultural Intelligence for the South African population are: (1) cultural identity (own cultural identity and extent to which you are willing to identify with other cultures), (2) the ability to adapt to a multicultural setting, and (3) the willingness to learn about other cultures. Comparisons between age groups indicated that the older generation are less inclined to be set in their own cultural identities and more able to sympathise with those from other cultures. Female managers seemed to be more adaptable than male managers. The groupings with less experience seem to be less adaptable cross-culturally than those with more experience. Managers with more than 25 years experience seemed to score lower on the adaptability scale than the other groupings. Respondents over 55 had significantly higher scores than all the other groups in their willingness to learn from other cultures. This research led to two international conference papers and further international research to refine the construct of CI as a leadership competence and develop a reliable and valid diagnostic instrument whereby managers’ CI can be measured.
Contact person: Ms SM ONeil.
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