Weekly Research Seminar Series - Cultural Intelligence – A Pathway towards Inclusive Organizations

This week, we are delighted to have an external speaker, Dr. Raavee Kadam, Postdoctoral Fellow at Saint Mary’s University, Canada for our Wednesday research seminar. Dr. Raavee will be presenting her research on 'Cultural Intelligence – A Pathway towards Inclusive Organizations'.

Wednesday Research Seminar Series               

We are pleased to invite you to our Wednesday Research Seminar. It will be held online on 09 February from 4pm via Microsoft team platform. Wednesday Research Seminar Series was launched in 2008 and has featured more than 310 presentations to date. The seminars provide a forum for researchers to share their work. Presenters include faculty from Middlesex University Dubai and other universities in the United Arab Emirates, as well as researchers from other global institutions. Dr. Raavee will deliver seminar on:       

“Cultural Intelligence – A Pathway towards Inclusive Organizations”   

Raavee Kadam

Abstract       

In today’s increasingly interconnected world characterized by globalization, increased migration and technological advancements, multiculturalism has become a norm in our day-to-day lives. Furthermore, global forms of work such as corporate expatriation and inpatriation, self-initiated international transfers, virtual collaborations, international business travel, short-term transfers, etc., have resulted in a rising number of professionals whose roles and responsibilities go beyond the domestic work context. As the workforce continues to become increasingly diverse, intercultural competence has become a coveted skill in today’s job market. Stressing the need for cross-cultural competence, the Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2018 reports, “we must learn better how to interact effectively with people who are different; we must burnish our intercultural knowledge, and our empathy, openness, and respect for what is different”. Organizations today need employees who can overcome the challenges put forth by cultural differences and work harmoniously with culturally diverse stakeholders. One such skill that provides insight into why some individuals flourish in intercultural scenarios while others fail is that of cultural intelligence (CQ) conceptualized by professors P.C. Earley and Soon Ang in 2003. They defined CQ as a person’s capability to function effectively in situations characterized by cultural diversity. This research discusses the concept of CQ, the nomological network of CQ and why CQ is an effective skillset among employees that could build inclusive organizations.

Biography    

A practitioner turned academic, Dr. Raavee Kadam is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow (Mitacs Fellow) at Saint Mary's University, Canada. She completed her doctoral degree in Business Management from BITS Pilani Dubai Campus. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Information Technology and a Master of Business Administration in Systems from the University of Pune. Prior to commencing her PhD, she has worked in the IT industry in various capacities as SAP Project Lead, SAP HCM Functional Consultant, and Software Engineer. She is a Certified Online Educator from HBMSU, UAE and has taught at business schools in the UAE prior to moving to Canada. Driven by her passion for diversity and inclusion, her research program is multi-disciplinary and addresses the different aspects of diversity and inclusion in business and educational settings.