Relationship between Cultural Intelligence and Self-adjustment of Expatriates in the Airline Industry

Abstract

The failure of expatriates in the aviation context is caused by a mismatch between cultural intelligence and self-adjustment. This study investigates the relationship between cultural intelligence and expatriate self-adjustment in the aviation context. A quantitative approach is adopted based on the research question, “What is the relationship between cultural intelligence and self-adjustment?” Data was collected using pen-and-pencil questionnaires distributed to 349 flight attendants of diverse nationalities who are working with two major airlines in the Middle East. The structural equation modelling (SEM) approach is used to analyze and test hypotheses. The result reveals that metacognitive cultural intelligence (CQ), cognitive CQ, and motivational CQ of expatriates is significantly related to general adjustment and interactive adjustment at work. It is noticeable that behavioral CQ has no significant relationship with self-adjustment of expatriates. The results of this study expand the field of knowledge on cultural intelligence and indicate that organizations should implement support packages to enhance the adjustment capability of their expatriate staff by paying more attention to expatriates’ cultural intelligence. Limitations and future research are discussed. Keywords: Cultural Diversity, Cultural Intelligence, Expatriate, Human Resource Management, Self-adjustment