Current Status and Future Directions for Cultural Intelligence

Abstract

The concept of cultural intelligence was formulated to ease and understand multicultural interactions in business organizations. Based on the theory of multiple intelligence; it is the cross-cultural facet of intelligence that assists adaptive cultural adjustment. Due to its implications for the contemporary world witnessing increased cultural contact and clashes; it has attracted multidisciplinary scholarly interest. This article reviews the development, validation and major approaches to the construct, along with a focus on its critical analysis. Significance of the construct in promoting intercultural discourse to encourage pacific multicultural existence is implicated. Furthermore, suggestions are made to extend the scope of cultural intelligence research and integrate it in diverse fields encompassing intercultural contact and communication.