A Theoretical Model of Cross-Cultural Competence in International Business

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 seems 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 related both individual and organizational which is dynamic and multi-dimensional. We add the antecedents not only the KSA (knowledge, skills, and ability) but using KSAs as independent variable, MALSPs (motivation, attitude, loyalty, satisfaction, promise) as intervening variable, ACBs (affection, cognition, behavior) as dependent variable to connecting the gap between knowing and doing. Then we apply the definition to international business and develop a model for understanding how CC is nurtured in individuals, linking our definition to organizations' development and management exploration. We discuss the components of the model and suggest that there are environmental and contextual impediments to the effective application of CC, resulting in a gap between knowing' and 'doing'. We conclude by discussing the implications of the model for r further research by some useful hypothesis.