Cultural Competence

This essay discusses the importance of cultural competence in intercultural communication. It explores the key factors and theories that play a role in successful intercultural communication, including cultural intelligence, personality theory, ethnocentrism, and collectivism. The essay also discusses the assessment tools used to measure intercultural competence and their limitations. Overall, the essay emphasizes the importance of understanding and acknowledging the diversity present amongst the diverse cultures.

Running head: CULTURAL COMPETENCE
Cultural Competence
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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Cultural competence is recognized as the ability to communicate and interact efficiently
with people belonging of diverse culture. Intercultural or cross-cultural competence is
acknowledged as a series of cognitive and behavioral expertise that help in the process of
effective interaction with people belonging to various culture and social background. An
effective intercultural communication is dependent on the behavior of the respondents and the
desired goal of the communication process is achieved only when the behavior of the
communicators built up on the willingness of the both the parties. It has been monitored that the
intercultural competence is a social impulse that has advanced through the course of time.
Moreover, building intercultural competence is necessary in order to maintain global harmony
and peace in the context of globalization. It has been noticed that a successful intercultural
communication, between different language and cultures initiates mutual bond and trust amongst
the communicators. Hence, the essay will be focusing on the key factors that play important role
in making an intercultural communication to be a successful one. In this regard, the importance
of cultural intelligence along with social, emotionl and cognitive intelligence that constitute the
definition of intercultural competence.
Along with the advancement of the intercultural exchanges and the globalization, the
importance of intercultural competence is becoming one of the major factors in order to have a
successful communication. As a result of the ever changing scenario in the global environment,
cultural competency helps an individual to deal with the different cultures and people belonging
to them. Moreover, it can be said that having cultural competency ensures of having better
understanding for the diverse cultures. The major factors that influence the cultural competence
are behavioral and cognitive skills (Betancourt et al., 2016). The behavioral skills, that are
important to the intercultural competence, are the understanding of the differences amongst

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various cultures. The behavioral factors that create impact on the communication also ensure the
reaction of the communicators. The behavioral factors are constituted of several aspects such as
the one of speaking, body language, language of speaking and the surrounding environment. In
addition to this, the cognitive process constitutes the thinking procedure of a person and his or
her attitude towards the other cultures and languages (Wilson, Ward & Fischer, 2013).
Moreover, the process of cognitive competency allows the individual to mold one’s attitude to be
altered and present their thoughts and views in a more refined manner. In addition to this,
cognitive skills help individuals in the process of better understanding of their own culture a
traditions. As a result, individuals acquire the capability to express themselves in a better way
and to defend their own culture. In lieu with the discussion, the focus can be shifted to the other
factors affecting the cultural competency (Matsumoto & Hwang, 2013). It has been noticed that
the notion of cultural competency was not developed within a short span. It is a process, which
has seen its evolution along with the evolution of the humankind and the increasing interaction
amongst people in a global scale (Ang & Van Dyne, 2015). In addition to this, it has been widely
observed that people belonging to different cultures have perceived the idea of cultural
competency differently. Changing social structures and personal ideologies helped in the process
of modification of the competency (Elphinstone, 2018). The intercultural competency hence
vastly depend on the individual understanding, and the personal opinion of the communicators.
Moreover, it can be said that the increasing experiences help an individual in the process of
better understanding and developing the sense of cross-cultural diversity in a more efficient way.
Due to the huge diversity of the cultures, it has been noticed that the process of
evaluation of the personality traits is being influenced in a vast way. According to the
sociologists, the appropriate procedure of assessing the cultural and personal traits. A constant

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conflict can be witnessed in order to take up the appropriate methodology of measuring the
personality traits (Owe et al., 2013). In this regard the theories that are considered as the most
effective ones in judging the personality and cross-cultural traits, can be taken into consideration.
The first theory that can be taken into consideration is the theory of personality, coined by
American psychologist Gordon Allport (Rand, 2018). The personality theory advocates for
accessing the cognitive approach and it revolves around process of psychological system. The
psychological traits that analyze the individual personality and their understanding is related to
the individualism theory to a great extent. The paradigm in evaluating the cross-cultural
personality can be monitored due to the huge diversity amongst the cultures.
Another important theory that can be taken into consideration is the theory of
ethnocentrism. It has been noticed that the cross-cultural communication is primarily generated
from the ethnocentrism theory. Psychologists have defined the theory as to be the process where
the people tend to perceive their culture and tradition as to be the superior than other
communities. Moreover, it is seen hat this tendency of thinking one’s own culture to be the
superior lead to judging the other communities and traditions (Rand, 2018). Hence, this can
create a barrier in the way of having a successful cross-cultural communication. The people that
are having ethnocentricity views are somewhat incapable of increasing their views and
perceptions regarding the cultural diversity and the harmony between various cultures. This can
cause a conflict between the different communities and hamper the social peace and harmony.
Moreover, the ignorant attitude of the people believing in the ethnocentricity creates a huge
barrier in the process of communication (Dervin & Hahl, 2015). Psychologist have pointed out
that in the juxtaposition of the ethnocentric believes and theories, ethnorelativism theory
supports and acknowledges the cultural diversity to a great extent. In the present scenario of

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globalization, the ethnorelativism theory is aware of the diversity that is existing while having a
cross-cultural communication.
Another aspect, important in the cross-cultural communication is the theory of
collectivism. The follower of this theory believe in the interest of the group rather than thinking
about the welfare of the individuals. Moreover, the collectivism theory advocates for the
individual loyalty towards the community (Leung, Ang & Tan, 2014). For them, loyalty towards
the community is very important so that the individuals are able to defend their own culture in
front of other communities. However, it is emphasized that the group or the community will be
responsible for the individual. It the responsibility of the community to take care of the
individuals belonging to that particular community. However, it is argued by many of the
sociologists that the collectivism theory can pose as a barrier in the process of cross-cultural
communication.
Cultural intelligence is considered as one of the most important theories related to the
cross-cultural communication. Cultural intelligence (CQ) is widely used in educational and
business sectors (Rand, 2018). It is recognized as the capability of an individual to relate and
give out proper reaction in regards to the situation. Hence, this practice is highly appreciated in
the business fields where the communicators need to have a proper understanding of other
cultures in order to work effectively. Soon Ang and Linn Van Dyne as have coined the term
“Cultural Intelligence” (Ang & Van Dyne, 2015). The researchers have made the predictions so
as to understand and analyze the way of predicting and assessing the intellectual performance of
an individual. The concept of assessing social intelligence is vastly related to the concept of
cross-cultural competence (Van Dyne et al., 2012). As it has been already mentioned that a
person’s capability to understand other culture and traditions are assessed on the scale predefined

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by the CQ (Ang, Van Dyne & Koh, 2006). This understanding of the cultural and traditional
diversity however plays an influential role in the behavioral and metacognitive strand of an
individual. In this regard, the aspects that relates the CQ with the cross-cultural communication
process are to be assessed. By using the scale prescribed by the cultural quotient, a person’s
understanding towards the diverse communities can be assessed. It has been noticed that the
individuals having the understanding and appreciation for the cultural diversity, are aware of the
benefits of the cultural diversity (Crowne, 2013). It is seen that the people having the
understanding derives pleasure from the cross-cultural communications. Thy often look forward
to such opportunities where they can have interactions with people belonging to diverse cultures.
As pointed out by the psychologists, the cross-cultural communication is a tool for these people
in achieving cultural insights (Erez et al., 2013). Moreover, the individuals having insight of the
diversity, often becomes confident enough to represent and defend their own culture (Van Dyne
et al., 2012). The strategies taken up by the theory of cultural quotient or cultural intelligence are
adaptive towards the awareness of the diversity. As well as the individuals are capable of taking
up strategies so that the can give out proper reaction while encountering a multi-cultural
situation. Moreover, the individuals tend to assume the emotional and social perspective of the
person with whom they communicate (Papadopoulos, Foster & Caldwell, 2013). Taking up these
strategies help the communicators to move towards having a successful intercultural
communication.
In this context, the diverse assessment tools are to be taken into consideration. It can be
found that there are various ways and tools to evaluate cultural competence. In an organizational
scenario, these tools to measure inter-cultural competence are regarded of high importance
(Matveev & Yamazaki Merz, 2014). The characteristics that are tested in measuring the inter-

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cultural competence are segregated into two primary sections. Quantitative and qualitative are
the two most important assessment tool that can measure the cultural competence of an
individual. The quantitative assessment tool includes intercultural inventory of development,
cultural intelligence and questionnaire related to the cross-cultural communication. The
qualitative measurement tool includes the method of appraisal of collaboration and cross-cultural
communication. These provide the proper guidance to the communicators. The personal traits are
being nurtured in regards to the inter-cultural communication (Matsumoto and Hwang, 2013).
However, these assessment tools have been subjected to criticism for a long time. As pointed out
by the psychologists as well as the sociologists, the inter-cultural competence should not be
dragged down to the mere application of the theories and the stereotypes. However, the
assessment tools aim towards the promotion of understanding of the diversity of the cultures and
encourages the communicators to think and build an understanding. Although it has been noticed
that these assessment modes often fail to recognize the need of the individuals and focuses more
on the tendency of the groups. In the context of the heterogeneous population, the application of
the assessment modes are to be found facing barriers while implementing on a larger scale. As
per many of the psychologists and sociologists, by employing the models of assessing the
intercultural competence tend to over simplify the process of understanding and acknowledging
the diversity present amongst the diverse cultures.
In conclusion it can be said that due to the changing environment and globalization inter-
cultural competence has become a very important aspect. The urge to understand and evaluate
the intercultural communications are seen to rising along with the passing day. In most of the
organizational environment, the importance of intercultural competence has been stressed. The
success of the different theories and assessment modes in analyzing the needs of the individuals

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belonging to the diverse cultures. By applying the models and theories pertaining to the
intercultural competence, the organizations can achieve success in an efficient manner.
Moreover, the immense rise in the usage of the concept has been helpful for the business sectors
as well as the educational fields. Moreover, to impart a better insight and understanding amongst
the communicators, the model of intercultural competence have to be used vastly. The concept of
cross cultural or intercultural competence hence can be marked as one of the most valued
theories that will be proved as a tool of maintaining cultural harmony and peace.

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