This book explains to those living and working in another country how to identify and develop their Cultural Intelligence, or CQ. Cultural intelligence is an outsider's natural ability to interpret and respond to unfamiliar cultural signals in an appropriate manner. CQ is distinguished by three core features: the head, or the ability to discover new information about a culture; the heart, or one's motivation and confidence in dealing with a culture; and the body, or the capability to adapt actions and behavior so that they are appropriate in a new culture. A manager with a high CQ can enter into new cultural settings-national, professional, organizational, regional-and immediately understand what is happening and why, confidently interact with people, and engage in the right actions. Filled with real-world examples and case studies, this book explains how to assess one's own skills and improve one's CQ.

"This book is an immensely useful guide to the use of cultural intelligence at work. Cultural intelligence is the individual's capacity for successful work and social adaptation to new cultural settings, and indeed to any unfamiliar social environment. Part I details the various components of cultural intelligence. Part II provides realistic, practical, culture-sensitive stories from intercultural work settings. It describes how leading multicultural organizations deal with cultural diversity, how to create high performing international teams, how to improve job assignments to other cultures, how to deal with a diverse work force, and how to lead people in international organizations."--Harry C. Triandis, University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign
"One of tomorrow's certainties is that more and more people will need to understand the effects of culture on behavior and the impact of cultural differences. In CQ, the authors give us important frameworks and insights for developing an understanding of cultures other than our own. Throughout the book, interesting, intriguing, and stimulating examples are presented that focus on cultural differences in workplace interactions and the necessity for dealing with them effectively from the points of view of all stakeholders involved."--Richard Brislin, University of Hawaii

"This is a very important book about a significant new concept, 'cultural intelligence' (CQ) that is sure to attract the attention of both scholars and those who are involved in the practical matters of global commerce and international affairs. The authors have amassed a considerable array of academic theories and research evidence to support their arguments for why it is essential to understand CQ and how it can be developed and used in our increasingly multi-cultural world. All of us who consider ourselves 'internationalists' need to read this book." --Lyman W. Porter, University of California, Irvine
"Cultural Intelligence provides an innovative, instructive, and engaging discussion of a question that most cultural frameworks have left in the shadows--the question of how people come to understand cultures other than their own. Few questions are of more intellectual or practical interest in this time of multicultural communities, global organizations, and culturally framed political conflict." --Michael W. Morris, Columbia University

"This is a very important book about a significant new concept, 'cultural intelligence' (CQ) that is sure to attract the attention of both scholars and those who are involved in the practical matters of global commerce and international affairs. The authors have amassed a considerable array of academic theories and research evidence to support their arguments for why it is essential to understand CQ and how it can be developed and used in our increasingly multi-cultural world. All of us who consider ourselves 'internationalists' need to read this book." --Lyman W. Porter, University of California, Irvine
"Cultural Intelligence provides an innovative, instructive, and engaging discussion of a question that most cultural frameworks have left in the shadows--the question of how people come to understand cultures other than their own. Few questions are of more intellectual or practical interest in this time of multicultural communities, global organizations, and culturally framed political conflict." --Michael W. Morris, Columbia University

Cultural intelligence is defined as an individual's ability to function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity. With contributions from eminent scholars worldwide, the "Handbook of Cultural Intelligence" is a 'state-of-the-science' summary of the body of knowledge about cultural intelligence and its relevance for managing diversity both within and across cultures. Because cultural intelligence capabilities can be enhanced through education and experience, this handbook emphasizes individual capabilities - specific characteristics that allow people to function effectively in culturally diverse settings - rather than the approach used by more traditional books of describing and comparing cultures based on national cultural norms, beliefs, habits, and practices.The Handbook covers conceptional and definitional issues, assessment approaches, and application of cultural intelligence in the domains of international and cross-cultural management as well as management of domestic activity. It is an invaluable resource that will stimulate and guide future research on this important topic and its application across a broad range of disciplines, including management, organizational behavior, industrial and organizational psychology, intercultural communication, and more.