Speak to your heart: The joint moderating effects of language proficiencies on cultural intelligence and expatriates’ work performance

Abstract

本研究以社會認同理論與社會學習理論出發，探討外派人員之文化智力、當地語言及英語熟練程度對其工作表現的影響。資料以線上問卷收集在越南的台湾外派人員之意見。問卷在 3 個月內回收 283 份，去除填答不完整 51 份後，有效問卷數為 232 份。問卷資料正式分析之前，先進行驗證性因子分析（CFA）、哈門式單因子測試法，和 ULMC 檢定、以確認有良好信效度，與共同方法變異 (CMV) 在本研究中不是嚴重的問题。接著，假說以階層回歸進行驗證，結果顯示文化智力對工作表現有正向影響，當地語言及英語熟練程度分別對工作表現也都有正向影響。最後，以三因子交互作用檢驗當地語言及英語熟練程度聯合文化智力對工作表現的影響，主要結果發現，當地語言能力較佳的外派人員，即使其英語能力不佳，其文化智力與工作表現的正向關係，也會比英語能力佳，但當地語言能力不佳效果強。這樣的研究結果提醒國際人力資源的管理，在外派人員的訓練上可以運用社會認同策略，強化跨文化管理效果，本文最後亦提出研究限制與建議供未來研究參考。

The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and proficiency in the host-country language and English and the impact of these on expatriates’ in-role performance. On-line questionnaires were used to collect data from 232 Taiwanese managers who had taken up assignments in Vietnam. The data were explored via a three-way interaction to examine the effects of CQ and language proficiencies on expatriates’ performance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the Harman’s one-factor test and ULMC technique were performed before the data were analyzed, and all results indicated that the CMV was not a serious problem in this study. In testing the hypotheses, the results demonstrated that CQ is positively related to expatriates’ work performance. Furthermore, both proficiency in the host-country language and English can enhance the link between CQ and in-role job performance. In terms of the three-way interaction effect, it was found that expatriate managers who are higher proficient in English as well as in the language of the host country, will have a stronger relationship between CQ and performance than those who are less proficient in the host-country language proficiency. Our findings contribute new knowledge to the field of international human resource management studies. Our results also have managerial implications for international human resources selection strategies.