Opinions of High School Principals on Their Cultural Intelligence

Serkan Gokalp

doi:10.12973/ijem.7.4.669

Abstract

<p style="text-align: justify;">This study aims to determine the opinions of high school principals on their cultural intelligence levels, to determine the activities of these principals to increase their cultural intelligence levels, the advantages of their having a high level of cultural intelligence, the factors that prevent them from increasing their cultural intelligence levels, and their suggestions to increase their cultural intelligence levels. The data obtained from the interview forms were analyzed by the content analysis method. The findings were organized and presented under themes and sub-themes. The study group of the research consisted of 40 school principals working in Mersin central districts in the 2020-2021 academic years. According to the study results; most of the participants stated that they had a high level of cultural intelligence while some participants stated that they had a low level of cultural intelligence. Regarding the activities to increase their level of cultural intelligence, principals stated that they did activities such as increasing their knowledge, going abroad, and developing social relations. The principals expressed three different opinions on the advantages of having a high level of cultural intelligence: organizational advantages, professional advantages, and individual advantages. It was determined that factors preventing principals from increasing their cultural intelligence levels were factors unrelated to principal and factors related to principal. The principals expressed two different opinions on what could be done to increase their cultural intelligence levels: The things to be done by the superiors and the things to be done the principal.</p>

Highlights

In the 21st century, in which the competition is rapidly increasing, cultural intelligence is an important element for organizations to reach their goals, increase their productivity and grow
This study aims to determine the opinions of high school principals on their cultural intelligence levels, to determine the activities of these principals to increase their cultural intelligence levels, the advantages of their having a high level of cultural intelligence, the factors that prevent them from increasing their cultural intelligence levels, and their suggestions to increase their cultural intelligence levels
Principals expressed two different opinions on what can be done to increase the level of cultural intelligence: the things to be done by the superiors of the principals and the things to be done by the principal

Summary

Introduction

In the 21st century, in which the competition is rapidly increasing, cultural intelligence is an important element for organizations to reach their goals, increase their productivity and grow. Cultural intelligence is an important building block for principals to act effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity, adapt to new cultural environments, communicate with people from different cultures, and create cultural synergies (Ang et al, 2015). It is, of vital importance for organizations that managers have cultural intelligence. Having a high level of cultural intelligence enables managers to adapt to working conditions abroad, to carry out successful projects with foreign organizations and employees from different cultures, to ensure that customers from different cultures are more satisfied with the service provided, and employees from different cultures are satisfied with their jobs.

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