Abstract

Globalization is a transformational change phenomenon that is significantly and rapidly impacting today’s organizations, leaders, and people. In turn, the role of the global business leader has become quite complex, and Fortune 500 organizations are facing a dearth of global leaders capable of addressing today’s business leadership challenges. In response to this challenge, one particular strategy for developing global leaders focuses on building intercultural skills. However, given the complexity of their roles, global leaders may face difficulties in developing these skills. By first acknowledging these obstacles global leaders can then, through their work, develop effective strategies and practices in the intercultural domain. After some time spent working in their global roles, leaders may be in the best position to measure what intercultural strategies and practices are most effective. Once global leaders possess strong intercultural acumen, they can pass on their knowledge to emerging generations of leaders by recommending a number of strategies and practices that have proven effective in navigating the global business arena. This study took a qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews of global leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the difficulties faced in developing intercultural skills. From that vantage point, the interviewees articulated strategies they have used to nurture these critical intercultural skills. Success measures for global leaders demonstrating applicable intercultural skills may include effective communication, team cohesion, and goal achievement. Other success measures were discovered as a result of this study. Collectively, these measures inform new strategies and tools to develop and coach future generations of emerging global leaders seeking to enhance their intercultural acumen.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Dissertations (EdD) -- Organizational leadership; Globalization -- Cultural aspects; Cross-cultural studies; Culture and globalization

Date of Award

2016

School Affiliation

Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Department/Program

Education

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate

Faculty Advisor

Madjidi, Farzin;

Share

COinS