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Cultural intelligence ( CI ) has often been linked to performance at the individual, team, and fi rm levels as a key factor in international business

Abstract:The increasing importance of global virtual teams in business is reflected in the classroom by the increased adoption of activities that facilitate real-time cross-cultural interaction. This article documents the experience of students from two Colombian universities who participated in a collaborative international project using virtual teams as part of the international business (IB) curriculum. The data reveals that in spite of challenges associated with time zone differences, technology limitations, and trust issues, the vast majority of students perceived that the use of virtual teams as a teaching tool facilitates cultural understanding and IB-relevant learning. The findings of this research suggest that online experiential exercises can be an effective approach in teaching and in the development of virtual collaboration skills.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between multinationality and firm performance (M-P) in Latin American companies, commonly referred to as multilatinas. The study conceptualizes the depth (intensity) and breadth (geographical scope) of internationalization and examines their effect on financial performance. Although scholars have studied how internationalization in various contexts and industries affects performance, little is known about firms in Latin America. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an analysis of the effect of the depth and breadth of multilatina internationalization on financial performance by creating a database using information from America Economia, a specialized Chilean magazine that publishes an annual ranking of multilatinas. Additional data came from the Osiris database of Bureau Van Dijk and Compustat. The hypotheses were tested using an autoregressive heteroskedastic model. Findings The results show that the extent of the depth and breadth of internationalization affects financial performance. Multilatinas’ depth of internationalization has a curvilinear (U-shaped) impact on performance while breadth has an inverted curvilinear impact on performance. Research limitations/implications The theory portion and results expand the literature on firm internationalization and performance by distinguishing between two types of international firm expansion, depth and breadth, and discussing how each contributes to different stages of the three-stage theory of multinationality and performance. Originality/value The findings indicate that multilatinas benefit from their regional expansion, but outside Latin America, expansion has a negative effect on financial performance. They also show that firms can implement different types of internationalization strategies in terms of intensity and scope to achieve better performance.

Cultural intelligence (CQ) has been regarded as a key factor in international business success. A recently validated scale, the Business Cultural Intelligence Quotient (BCIQ), refines the CQ concept by applying it exclusively to the business context. The BCIQ aims at predicting long-term cross-cultural success using a combination of CQ factors, cognitive features, and measurable independent variables (Alon et al., 2016b). Using the multigroup exploratory factor analysis approach, we found low measurement invariance for the (BCIQ) instrument across eight countries (

Purpose There is a generalized belief that cultural differences can have more negative consequences than benefits within the international business (IB) literature. This study argues that cultural differences are not perceived as constrains in millennial global virtual teams (GVTs). Additionally, using the theory of cooperation and competition and the motivated information processing perspective, the purpose of this paper is to uncover the process by which millennials working in GVTs address various challenges to ensure effective functioning and accomplishment of desired team outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes a data set of 503 project journals from the global enterprise experience, a virtual team competition. It uses qualitative content analysis tools and secondary data sources. Findings The authors find that for millennials, cross-cultural issues are not the predominant challenge when working in GVTs, unlike the prevailing understanding in the IB literature. This is because contrary to expectations, cross-cultural problems are often not experienced, while other team phenomena become more relevant, such as interpersonal and task-based issues. In addition, the paper describes how members of GVTs apply distinct challenge reconstruction and solution generation cognitive schemes to deal with both, expected and unexpected challenges. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on virtual teams by identifying how millennials and post-millennials deal with the challenges embedded in the GVT interaction context by simplifying the unfamiliarity associated with the broader context rather than addressing each issue in isolation. Finally, the paper elaborates on factors that highlight the positive outcomes of multicultural teams while making cultural differences less salient in contemporary GVT contexts.

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this study was to identify what Colombians perceive as effective and least effective/ineffective managerial behavior.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted following a qualitative methodology based on the philosophical assumptions of pragmatism and the 'pragmatic approach' (Morgan, 2007). The Critical Incident Technique (CIT) was used to generate data from a purposive sample of 27 managers and nonmanagerial employees located in Medellin and Bogota, Colombia. Findings -The results of this study suggest that effective managers in Colombia are those who are supportive, caring, considerate, participative, understanding, communicative and flexible, and are also good problem solvers. Research limitations/Implications -This study focused on the perceptions of Colombianmanagers and non-managerial employees only. Therefore, the description of effective and least effective/ineffective managers in Colombia could be highly value-laden from the national cultural perspective. Hence, it is recommended that further research should be carried out to explore the perceptions of international managers who have frequently interacted or worked with Colombian managers. Originality/value -The results of this study have practical implications for Colombian managers and international managers who manage the Colombian workforce. For Colombian managers, this study provides insight into what is considered effective or least effective/ineffective managerial and leadership behavior. The findings provide useful Downloaded by University of Pittsburgh At 23:01 10 March 2015 (PT) 2 information on foreign MNCs that have operations in Colombia. MNCs can use the results of this study to create effective management development models for their expatriates in Colombia.

We posit that international business and the emergence and spread of communicable diseases are intrinsically connected. To support our arguments, we first start with a historical timeline that traces the connections between international business and communicable diseases back to the sixth century. Second, following the epidemiology of communicable diseases, we identify two crucial transitions related to international business: the emergence of epidemics within a host country and the shift from epidemics to global pandemics. Third, we highlight international business contextual factors (host country regulatory quality, urbanization, trade barriers, global migration) and multinationals' activities (foreign direct investment, corporate political activity, global supply chain management, international travel) that could accelerate each transition. Finally, building on public health insights, we suggest research implications for business scholars on how to integrate human health challenges into their studies and practical implications for global managers on how to help prevent the emergence and spread of communicable diseases.