University Essay: Cultural Self-Awareness and Intelligence, CUC107

This essay critically examines the relationship between cultural self-awareness and cultural intelligence. It begins by defining both terms and emphasizing their significance in today's multicultural society. The essay then delves into the importance of cultural self-awareness in developing cultural intelligence, discussing how it aids in effective cross-cultural communication and the establishment of organizational standards. Drawing on relevant readings, the essay explores theoretical frameworks and models that support the connection between these concepts. The discussion covers how cultural awareness helps individuals navigate diverse environments and adapt communication strategies. The essay also incorporates personal beliefs and experiences to illustrate key points. The conclusion reiterates the importance of cultural intelligence and its role in fostering intercultural competence, particularly in diverse workplaces.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
SOCIOLOGY
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Introduction
The cultural self awareness is strongly connected towards the development of cultural
intelligence for a various number of reason. According to Van Dyne, Ang and Koh (2015)
culture is an crucial aspect of the life of an individual due to its major influence by the culture of
people including desires, values, views and worries. In the era of rising multicultural diverse
manpower, it is extremely essential for the understanding of the cultural awareness and the
derivation of cultural intelligence for the aim of organizational standards and better
communication. As per the current work situation, building of the culture of organization and
behavior has become extremely essential on the light of effective cross cultural communication.
The thesis statement of the essay argues with the relation of cultural self awareness and cultural
intelligence. This critical reflection will interpret the importance for the understanding and
demonstration of the cultural self awareness for the development of the cultural intelligence
among the multicultural societies. The essay will define both the terms, cultural self awareness
and cultural intelligence and explain their relationships towards the importance in the current
date.
Discussion
Cultural Awareness
Within the diverse world, each and every person has their own set of cultures. The
cultural awareness gives the base or the foundation regarding the communication involving the
knowledge towards the values, perceptions and the belief system of an individual (Livermore &
Soon, 2015). The context of cultural awareness is the central while initiating interaction with one
another and to be aware of the nature of communication with other individual for avoiding any

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sort of miscommunication. According to my personal belief and experiences, I belief cultural
awareness is specifically an essential step for the cultural competences.
Cultural Intelligence
The cultural Intelligence is the ability to thrive within a multi-cultural environment.
Cultural Intelligence furthermore relates to the evolution from the notions of intelligence
quotient that is established effectively. The context of cultural event has been very much vital in
several aspects of day to day living of human. The context of cultural intelligence requires any of
a person to be very much aware regarding their own culture and some of the other cultures like
how they behave and think (Van Dyne, Ang & Tan, 2016). According to the researches, three of
the major steps that are involved towards the development of the cultural intelligence includes
thinking regarding the culture, acting in an appropriate manner and having the motivation for
behavioral changes.
Importance of the development of cultural intelligence by cultural awareness
It is to be noted that the ability of a person for adoption within a diverse environment
tends to happen with their cultural awareness like legal systems, knowledge of economy, beliefs,
social norms, linguistic knowledge of the society and the religious outlook. Thus According to
my perception, through the means of cultural awareness employees or managers of organization
can utilize in the development of their verbal and non verbal ways of communication for the
successful generation of cross culture intelligence for execution of effective ways for
communication at a diverse environment (Fong et al., 2016). Cultural awareness helps in the
development and building of strategy before the appearance among the culturally diverse
environment. By the development of judgments regarding one’s personal though procedure to

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the others through the means of cultural awareness, an individual can efficient develop the
context of cultural intelligence and furthermore strategize their tone, words etc. The concept of
cultural intelligence in the action is the ability of a person for adapting at a cross cultural
environment with the inclusion of awareness by choosing likewise strategy of communication
(Cushman et al., 2015). As per my belief, cultural awareness helps the building of one’s values
and their beliefs. It allows us for respectfully analyzing and understanding other personnel which
is the cultural intelligence which projects the capability for functioning effectively at the
situations.
Theoretical Analysis
There are some of the most relevant theories regard to cultural awareness and its
interpretations. As per the analysis by Spencer – Oatey (2012), the term culture is associated
with the social groups sharing similar valued for the product. The three main P’s of culture are
the Practice, Product and Perspectives. The theory by Earley and Ang (2003) is the seminal
theory of cultural intelligence that includes the essential elements that are necessary for the
effective intercultural interactions. These are behavioral, cognitive and motivational. The
cognitive aspect of the theory is required for conceptualizing and processing of new information.
The motivational aspects is required for adaptation towards unfamiliar environment. The
behavioral aspect of the theory is required for engaging effectively in the intercultural
interactions. Another theoretical concept that can be highlighted and illustrated in this section
towards the importance of cultural intelligence by cultural awareness is the cultural intelligence
model. As constructed by Thomas et al.,(2008), the theoretical model demonstrates that having
skills and knowledge followed by working collaboratively helps an individual towards the
achievement of cultural intelligence. I believe that the culturally intelligent people are capable of

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using their skills and knowledge for the understanding of multiple aspects of cultural awareness
and cultural phenomenon. These model furthermore states that cultural awareness among
individual help in the use of mindful cognitive techniques or strategies that interpret any of the
situation and develop repertoire of skills that can be adopted and demonstrated across an entire
range of situations.
It is to be considered that perspectives are deep and unconscious attributes that we all
hold in our life. These factors help us to explore and develop the concept of cultural intelligence
that is extremely effective for sustaining at the diverse workplace and engage in effective
communication. Towards the various analysis and the theoretical explanation, the 3Rs regarding
the practices context of cultural intelligence are Reflect, Report and Re-evaluation of the inter
cultural encounters for helping individual at a more efficient way within the cross cultural
environment (Henderson et al., 2018). Hence, the development of cultural intelligence requires
the competency of the actions highlighting 4Is that is Identify, Inspect, Innovate and Integrate for
the intellectual formation and also for the development of effective competencies at intercultural
interactions.
Conclusion
Thus it can be concluded from the above discussion that when we have the sense of the
cultural intelligence, intercultural competence tends to grow anyways. We learn to react with the
groups having different or varied taste regarding any of the subject of discussion. In light of the
theoretical analysis and the critical reflection discussed above, the aspiration of several people
are different in accordance with their satisfaction perspective towards the achievement of
stability. In the current date organization, resources are diverse and broad which can compete

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with the other business. Cultural stability, awareness and intelligence is thus required for helping
new opportunities to boom followed by entwined with strategic business growth.

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References
Cushman, L. F., Delva, M., Franks, C. L., Jimenez-Bautista, A., Moon-Howard, J., Glover,
J., & Begg, M. D. (2015). Cultural competency training for public health students:
Integrating self, social, and global awareness into a master of public health
curriculum. American journal of public health, 105(S1), S132-S140.
Earley, P. Christopher, & Soon Ang. (2003). “Cultural Intelligence: Individual Interactions
Across Cultures”, (Stanford University Press; Stanford, CA).
Fong, E. H., Catagnus, R. M., Brodhead, M. T., Quigley, S., & Field, S. (2016). Developing
the cultural awareness skills of behavior analysts. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 9(1),
84-94.
Henderson, S., Horne, M., Hills, R., & Kendall, E. (2018). Cultural competence in healthcare
in the community: a concept analysis. Health & social care in the community, 26(4),
590-603.
Livermore, D., & Soon, A. N. G. (2015). Leading with cultural intelligence: The real secret
to success. Amacom.
Paine, D. R., Jankowski, P. J., & Sandage, S. J. (2016). Humility as a predictor of
intercultural competence: Mediator effects for differentiation-of-self. The Family
Journal, 24(1), 15-22.
Spencer-Oatey, H., & Franklin, P. (2012). What is culture. A compilation of quotations.
GlobalPAD Core Concepts, 1-22.

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Thomas, David C., Efrat Elron, Gunter Stahl, Bjørn Ekelund, Elizabeth C. Ravlin, Jean-Luc
Cerdin, ... Mila B. Lazarus, (2008), “Cultural intelligence: Domain and assessment”,
International Journal of Cross Cultural Management 8 (2), 123–143
Van Dyne, L., Ang, S., & Koh, C. (2015). Development and validation of the CQS: The
cultural intelligence scale. In Handbook of cultural intelligence (pp. 34-56).
Routledge.
Van Dyne, L., Ang, S., & Tan, M. L. (2016). Cultural intelligence.