Speak to your heart: The joint moderating effects of language proficiencies on cultural intelligence and expatriates' work performance

• Published in: Corporate Management Review Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 119 - 154
• Main Authors: 陳心懿(Angela Shin-Yih Chen), 林怡君(Yi-Chun Lin)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taiwan 國立陽明交通大學管理學院 30.06.2019; National Chiao Tung University, College of Management
• Subjects: Behavior; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Communication; Culture; Employees; Expatriate employees; Expatriates; Host country; International business; Job performance; Language proficiency; Metacognition; Social identity; Work environment; Vietnam; Taiwan; in-role performance; 當地語言; expatriates; 工作表現; 英文能力; Cultural intelligence; 文化智力; English proficiency; 外派人員; host-country language proficiency
• ISSN: 1028-7310

The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and proficiency in the host-country language and English and the impact of these on expatriates' in-role performance. On-line questionnaires were used to collect data from 232 Taiwanese managers who had taken up assignments in Vietnam. The data were explored via a three-way interaction to examine the effects of CQ and language proficiencies on expatriates' performance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the Harman's one-factor test and ULMC technique were performed before the data were analyzed, and all results indicated that the CMV was not a serious problem in this study. In testing the hypotheses, the results demonstrated that CQ is positively related to expatriates' work performance. Furthermore, both proficiency in the host-country language and English can enhance the link between CQ and in-role job performance. In terms of the three-way interaction effect, it was found that expatriate managers who are higher proficient in English as well as in the language of the host country, will have a stronger relationship between CQ and performance than those who are less proficient in the host-country language proficiency. Our findings contribute new knowledge to the field of international human resource management studies. Our results also have managerial implications for international human resources selection strategies.