The Role of Cultural Intelligence in Marketing Adaptation and Export Performance

Abstract

This study examines how export manager cultural intelligence (CQ) affects the relationship between marketing-mix adaptation and export performance. From a resource-advantage theory perspective, the authors posit that export managers’ motivational and metacognitive CQ are intangible but valuable resources that influence marketing strategy and export performance. According to survey data from 153 U.S. exporting firms, export managers’ metacognitive CQ positively moderates the relationship between marketing-mix adaptations and export performance. Furthermore, export managers’ motivational CQ positively moderates the relationship between environmental differences and marketing-mix adaptations. The study adds to the theoretical understanding of the adaptation–performance relationship and provides valuable guidelines for exporting firms in the recruitment, training, and promotion of export managers.

The determinants of export performance: a review of the literature 2006-2014

“…Among the reviewed papers in this study, 49 variables are studied about the moderating effects upon the link between the predictors and export performance. Paticularlly, recent studies (e.g., Boso et al, 2013, Magnusson et al, 2013 start to develop hypotheses only focusing on the moderating effect. The growing inclusion of interaction effects reflects the more comprehensive and authentic view of the nested relationship between antecedents, and provide a further in-depth analysis related to export performance.…”

How does cultural intelligence influence the relationships between potential and realised absorptive capacity and innovativeness? Evidence from Poland

“…Likewise, since metacognitive intelligence encapsulates the planning for how to use one's knowledge (Ang et al, 2007), it can strengthen the role of RACAP in innovativeness. Furthermore, motivational and behavioral intelligence are actionoriented dimensions of CQ (Magnusson et al, 2013), which could tie well with activity-intensive capability of RACAP in fostering innovativeness. In a similar vein, CQ boosts internal cohesion within firms (Ang et al, 2007), which is likely to facilitate smoother firmwide diffusion of acquired Poland is a typical example of an emerging economy in the Central Europe and since 2004, it has been the most populous and largest post-communist member of the European Union.…”

“…In this vein, CQ is a relational concept that is especially relevant when interacting with people and organizations of different cultures (Magnusson et al, 2013). It is a strategic imperative for businesses in light of the perseverance of varying cultural norms and values and their variation both within and across national boundaries (Ang & Inkpen, 2008).…”

“…Though they collectively represent CQ, these four capabilities denote different attributes and may have different influences (Magnusson et al, 2013). First, Ang et al (2007) argue that metacognition, cognition, and motivation are mental capabilities that reside within the mind, while explicit actions are behavioral capabilities.…”

“…A relevant capability for such pursuits, CQ could be viewed as an antidote for the challenges of cultural differences that hinder knowledge exploration and transfer (Fabrizi, Guarini, & Meliciani, 2016). Nonetheless, because CQ is a multidimensional construct with related yet independent dimensions (Ang et al, 2006;Ang et al, 2007;Magnusson et al, 2013), its dimensions may play different moderating roles in translating PACAP and RACAP into innovativeness. In particular, since CQ is an explorative capability (Moon, 2010), we expect a stronger positive moderation by CQ on the link between PACAP and innovativeness than the link between RACAP and innovativeness.…”