Cultural Intelligence (ENG)

ID: EN-MNG-25-11-234

Module annotation

This course is designed to develop students' cultural intelligence (CQ) — the ability to navigate, communicate, and work effectively across diverse cultural contexts. In an increasingly globalized world, CQ is essential for fostering inclusive leadership, collaboration, and mutual understanding. Through theoretical frameworks, case studies, and practical exercises, students will explore cultural dimensions, biases, and communication styles while building skills in empathy, adaptation, and conflict resolution.

By examining real-world scenarios in business, education, and social settings, learners will gain strategies to bridge cultural gaps and foster mutual understanding and collaboration with individuals and teams from diverse cultural backgrounds.

The course aims to cultivate self-awareness, critical thinking, and actionable competencies that prepare students to thrive in multicultural environments, both personally and professionally.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Define cultural intelligence (CQ) and explain its four dimensions – Drive (motivation), Knowledge (cognition), Strategy (meta-cognition), and Action (behavior).
• Analyze how cultural values, communication, management styles, and negotiation tactics differ across societies using frameworks, or dichotomies (e.g. Livermore).
• Evaluate cognitive and cultural biases and assumptions to impact leadership, teamwork, and stakeholder communication in multinational organizations.
• Reflect on one’s own biases and develop greater self-awareness.
• Apply strategies to adapt behavior and communication effectively in cross-cultural interactions with clients, partners, and employees.
• Develop negotiation and persuasion techniques tailored to high-context vs. low-context cultures, including regional business etiquette.
• Demonstrate active listening and non-verbal communication skills to open people up and bridge cultural misunderstandings.
• Develop conflict-resolution techniques tailored to culturally diverse settings (disclaimer: these will not work every time, but you will not get into any trouble).
• Assess power dynamics in global contexts.
• Demonstrate CQ growth through reflective practice, peer feedback, and actionable strategies for continuous improvement in global leadership roles.
• Create a personal action plan to continuously improve CQ in academic, professional, or social environments.

Literature

• Livermore, D. Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success (2015)
• Building Cross-Cultural Relationships in a Global Workplace by Andy Molinsky and Melissa Hahn - Harvard Business Review (February 2024)
• Meyer, E. The Culture Map: Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures (2014)