The Selection of Interculturally Competent Leaders. Measuring Intercultural Competence within Job Interviews

Master's Thesis from the year 2014 in the subject Communications - Intercultural Communication, Edinburgh Napier University, language: English, abstract: Research indicates that the capability to operate successfully in culturally diverse situations (CQ) has become a precondition for effective global leadership in times of globalisation and company diversification. Responding to calls to examine CQ as a predictor of selection into global leadership positions, this dissertation aimed to develop a selection tool to successfully assess leaders¿ CQ within job interviews.

For this purpose, literature was examined to firstly investigate necessary competencies of interculturally competent leaders. Secondly, it was reviewed to obtain knowledge of how to design a valid indicator for the selection process with an effective predictive value of the candidate¿s future performance. Following these findings, the draft of the CQ Assessment Tool for Interculturally Competent Leaders (L-CQA) was developed. The draft was thereupon handed to professionals asking to assess its appropriateness, applicability, and real-live potential. Based upon the assessments¿ evaluation, the final L-CQA was designed.

The findings of this dissertation pinpoint the necessity of placing explicit emphasis on selecting leaders with the potential to function effectively in culturally diverse settings. The L-CQA was developed to provide rich insights of a candidate¿s vocational aptitude and their future behaviour. Thus, this research gives valuable implications for organisations to choose the most capable person to be an interculturally competent leader. Recommendations are offered for further research possibilities, which is hoped to be translated into useful practical implications for organisations and individuals.