Becoming culturally agile: Effectively varying contextual responses through international experience and cross-cultural competencies

Abstract

Global professionals need to understand the demands of the cultural context in which they are working and respond effectively within it. Building on existing literature highlighting the importance of cross-cultural competencies and international experience for global work, this study expands knowledge by examining whether employees with cross-cultural competencies and international experience are better able to vary their cross-cultural responses to effectively match the cultural demands of the work environment. Tested with nearly 500 professionals globally, this study found that cultural humility, tolerance of ambiguity, and international experience predict professionals’ abilities to accurately judge the best cultural response for a given work-related situation. The findings have implications for international human resource management in two ways. First, organizations should assess for cross-cultural competencies to select for roles requiring an understanding of the cultural context. Second, organizations should provide international experiences as part of a global leadership or global talent development program.