Cultural intelligence as a strategic skill for responsible internationalisation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1108/REGE-06-2025-0094Keywords:
Cultural intelligence, Internationalisation, Sustainability, Strategic capabilityAbstract
PurposeAssess how Cultural Intelligence (CI) supports sustainable internationalisation through a review of WoS and Scopus articles across international business, organisational behaviour and sustainability. For this purpose, we define Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) outcomes and theorize CI as a mediator between dynamic managerial capabilities and sustainable internationalisation.
Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a PRISMA-guided Systematic Literature Review (SLR) restricted to articles indexed in the WoS and Scopus databases, and conducts a guided screening with mapping of co-authorship, co-citation, and keywords; qualitative reading to framework linking CI, dynamic capabilities, and ESG performance.
FindingsFrom our analysis, five clusters emerged: innovation/small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), dynamic capabilities, institutional adaptation, leadership/emotion, and cultural intelligence/global competence. CI sits at the hub, mediating dynamic managerial capabilities to sustainable outcomes, strongest in SMEs facing institutional voids, via knowledge transfer, legitimacy, and ESG alignment.
Research limitations/implicationsDependence on indexed journals omits grey literature and some emerging-market views. Future empirical, longitudinal, and multilevel studies should test cultural intelligence mediation and explore circular-economy and crisis-resilience contexts.
Practical implicationsEmbedding CI in leader selection, talent metrics, alliance governance, and cross-cultural training reduces psychic distance and speeds foreign learning.
Originality/valueCombining bibliometric mapping and qualitative synthesis, this study presents CI as a multilevel dynamic capability driving responsible global growth agendas for scholars, managers, and policymakers. We propose a framework linking cultural intelligence to the ESG pillars via knowledge transfer, alliance governance, and ethical decision-making.
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