Exploration of the Structure of Global Mindset Competency and Development of Global Mindset Index

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to (1) investigate the structure of global mindset competency, (2) develop a global mindset competency scale with index and (3) examine the validity of the scale. The list of 62 behavioral descriptions of global mindset extracted through FGI and literature review were administered to a sample of 380 incumbents of 16 companies and 372 students of 20 colleges in order to measure their level of each competency behavior. The results of 1st & 2nd exploratory factor analysis on the global mindset indicated that the competency model of global mindset consists of 2 dimensions(conceptualization, contextualization) and 7 factors(openness, strategic thinking, cosmo-convergence mind, diversity seeking, foreign understanding, self-directed adaptability, consideration), and this structure was confirmed by the confirmatory factor analysis. The final scale of global mindset competency was composed of 42 behavioral descriptions of global mindset. Most of the factors of global mindset competency were also shown to have criterion related validity (.07 ∼ .62) with various criteria such as experience of overseas residence, participation in the program for improving foreign language proficiency, relatives living abroad, global competency, global identity etc. Futhermore, the results of step-wise multiple regression analysis showed that 4 factors of cosmo-convergence mind, strategic thinking, diversity seeking, self-directed adaptability were significant predictors on the criterion of global identity, while foreign understanding, diversity seeking, and self-directed adaptability were the significant predictors on the global competency. The incremental validity of these 7 factors of the global mind scale on both global identity and global competency was significant, indicating the possibility of the use of the scale in the selection, training or performance appraisal process. Finally, the limitation and future direction of the present study were discussed.