Initial Development and Validation of a Measure of Intercultural Development Scale

• Published in: Psychological studies Vol. 59; no. 1; pp. 52 - 58
• Main Authors: Satish Kumar, Medha, Kamalanabhan, T. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Springer India 01.03.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation; Adjustment; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Cultural differences; Empathy; Employees; Executives; Expatriate employees; Flexibility; General Psychology; Inventory; Leadership; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Personality; Personality and Social Psychology; Psychology; Repatriation; Research in Progress; Skills; Success; Validity; Intercultural development; Expatriate adjustment; Scale development
• ISSN: 0033-2968; 0974-9861
• DOI: 10.1007/s12646-014-0238-x

Intercultural development in global employees will aid organizations to function successfully in the current global work scene. However, there is a need for a psychometrically valid and reliable measure, which can be used by practitioners and academics to assess the capabilities of individuals. This vignette based intercultural development scale was conceived on the basis of Bennett’s developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. The content was generated using interviews with international employees and subject matter experts. Psychometric properties were established with both qualitative and quantitative analysis. A sample of 461 international employees was used to test the validity of the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis and construct validity was established with cosmopolitanism and openness to experience scales. The study confirms the scale’s dimensionality and established convergent, discriminant and nomological validity. The applications of this scale in building capabilities, talent management and strategic decisions in both practical and theoretical assessment are outlined.