Many international business failures have been ascribed to a lack of cross-cultural competence (CC) on the part of business practitioners. However, the international business literature appears to lack an adequate conceptualization and definition of the term ‘CC’, focusing instead on the knowledge, skills and attributes that appear to be its antecedents. In this conceptual study, we propose a definition of CC as it applies to international business and develop a model for understanding how CC is nurtured in individuals, linking our definition to the concept of cultural intelligence. We discuss the components of the model and suggest that there are environmental and contextual impediments to the effective application of the requisite skills, knowledge and attributes that have been identified as necessary for CC, resulting in a gap between ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’. We conclude by discussing the implications of the model for practitioners, and by suggesting appropriate directions for further research. Journal of International Business Studies (2006) 37, 525–543. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400205

Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by 405387 [] For AuthorsIf 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.Abstract This empirical study focusses on consumers' attitude to low-involvement products, bread and coffee, in a newly-industrialized nation. Using data from 236 consumers in Singapore, the study examines the influence of country of origin (COO) relative to other product attributes in consumers' evaluation of domestic and foreign food products. The results indicate that COO does matter when consumers evaluate low-involvement products but, in the presence of other extrinsic cues (price and brand), the impact of COO is weak and brand becomes the determinant factor. In addition, the results suggest that a country's positive image in some product categories does not necessarily carry over to other product categories. The implications of these findings for marketing food products internationally are discussed.

This study examines country of origin (CO) and brand effects on consumers’ quality perceptions, attitudes, and purchase intentions with respect to a service‐industry product: international cruise‐line packages in Singapore. Star Cruise (Malaysia) and Royal Caribbean Lines (USA) were selected as the brands and countries for the study. Respondents provided quality, attitude and purchase intention ratings. Contrary to prior evidence, CO does appear to be an important informational cue for consumers of services; CO effects were found to be stronger than brand effects for quality and attitude ratings, while brand was more significantly correlated with purchase intentions. A positive CO image compensated for a weak brand, suggesting that, where applicable, marketing efforts should emphasize an association with a positive CO perception. Conversely, a strong brand was not found to compensate for a negative CO perception; in this case, it would be appropriate to change the associated CO to one with a more positive image, as at least one major cruise line has already done.

Previous research examining the effectiveness of international joint ventures (IJVs) has focused on differences in the backgrounds and bargaining power of IJV parent firms, while little attention has been given to the IJV itself. This study takes a different perspective by examining the relationship between IJV parent firms and the IJV. Specifically, we examine how IJV and parent involvement in strategic decision-making influences the IJV management team's commitment to the IJV and to the parent firms. We hypothesize that the IJV management team tends to be more committed to the IJV than to the parent firms, and that there is a strong positive relationship between procedural justice, strategic decision control, and organizational commitment. A field study involving 51 IJVs supported our hypotheses. We discuss the implications of organizational commitment and procedural justice for managing IJVs.

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