Foreign Travel Experience and Cultural Intelligence: Does Country Choice Matter?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which a specific time-based country experience outside of the subject’s native regional cultural cluster, would be able to explain the subject’s level of cultural intelligence. Using a sample of 143 subjects, the results suggest individuals who have identified the country within which they have spent the most total time to be a non-Anglo country had developed a higher level of cultural intelligence than demographically similar U.S. citizens in the sample who spent their most significant amount of time in an Anglo cluster country. In addition, it was found that those subjects within the Anglo culture cluster group who traveled internationally but spent the greater amount of time in a foreign Anglo culture country (i.e., non-USA), did not significantly differ in three of the four cultural dimensions from those who never traveled outside of the USA. These results suggest country choice can make a difference.

Keywords:

• Cultural intelligence
• Cultural distance
• Training and development

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robert L. Engle

Robert L. Engle is Chair and Professor of International Business at Quinnipiac University. He teaches international management and cross-cultural research courses in both the graduate and undergraduate programs. Prior to teaching at Quinnipiac University, he held a number of industry positions including Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations for the United States and Vice President of Global Sales Force Management for Bayer AG in Leverkusen, Germany. He received his doctorate in management from Nova Southeastern University and has been recognized as Quinnipiac University’s Faculty Scholar of the Year. He is a Fellow of the Academy of International Business (USASE).

Briana Nash

Briana Nash received her Baccalaureate in international business and a Master’s degree in business from Quinnipiac University. She is currently employed as a transfer pricing analyst at Terex Corporation in Westport, CT. Her research interests are in the areas of international management and economics.