Why a Global Mindset? • Globalization has created additional layers of complexity
for organizational leadership. • Mingling of culturally diverse individuals is a regular, daily
occurrence • Traversing cultural boundaries, both physically and virtually, is
easier and more frequent
• Global Leaders face many demands (Bird and Osland, 2004) • More stakeholders • Wider range of diversity among stakeholders • Greater need for broad knowledge spanning functions and
nations • More frequent spanning across organizational and national
boundaries
Paradoxes of the Global Age • Leadership is a universal concept
(Bass, 1990) • Integrity, Communicating a Vision,
and a Team Orientation are universally seen as contributing to effective Leadership (House et al, 2004)
• But, Leadership is also culturally contingent • Is Integrity and a Team Orientation
enacted the same across cultures? • How does one communicate a vision
that appeals to many cultural constituencies?
What is a Global Mindset? • The ability to recognize complex interconnections, rather than to
become paralyzed by paradoxes that the global environment often presents.
• A world-orientation, in which sense-making transcends nationality and culture.
• A state of mind that has a world orientation vs. a home-country orientation.
• A curiosity and desire to actively learn about other people, cultures & world views.
• Two core principles: the ability to understand what’s different and understand what unites
Definitions of Global Mindset
• “a highly complex cognitive structure characterized by an openness to and articulation of multiple cultural and strategic realities on both global and local levels, and the cognitive ability to mediate and integrate across this multiplicity.” (Levy et al, 2007)
• “the cognitive ability that helps individuals figure out how to best
understand and influence individuals, groups, and organizations from diverse socio/cultural systems” (Beechler and Javidan, 2007)
A Two-Dimension Construct
• Cognitive Complexity – Differentiation
• Ability to the see multiple categories
– Integration • Understand the relationships between categories
• Cosmopolitanism – Openness
• Willingness to explore and learn from alternative systems
– Mediation • Between and local and global; the foreign and the familiar
Developing Global Mindset • Expanding Cognitive Complexity
• Creating Trigger Events:
– Learning Moments that Challenge Assumptions
– Make Current Cultural Frames Salient
• Reflection
– Expand Cultural Self-Awareness
– Understand Impact of Culture on: • Expectations of Normality, Values, Behaviors
Challenges with Development • Occurs throughout the lifespan
• Some individuals may have greater developmental readiness than others
– International experiences may have zero to very little impact when individuals lack inquisitiveness and openness (Bird and Osland, 2004)
• Cognitive structures change very slowly
– Acceleration requires deep levels of reflection
– Often easier for mature learners
Measuring Global Mindset • Coding Student Work for Cognitive Complexity (Baker-Brown et
al, 1992) – Time intensive
– Requires coding expertise
• Survey Instruments: – Thunderbird Global Mindset Inventory
– Cultural Intelligence
– Intercultural Effectiveness Scale
– Global Competencies Inventory
Does the Depth and Breadth of Experience Matter?
Time-based models of cultural adjustment suggest length of stay impacts:
Cognitive Processes
Social Processes
The way we view ourselves and capabilities
Interviews indicate that more cultural experiences create more novel experiences
• Depth = time spent abroad
• Breadth = number of countries
Overall Model Results R
Square
F-Statistic Sig.
0.113 179.307 0.000
Model Details Beta t Sig. (Constant)
262.34
0
.000
1 to 6 months .221 15.106 .000
6 to 1 year .000 .016 .987
1 to 2 years -.001 -.051 .959
More than 2 years .222 17.149 .000
How do Social Relationships Impact Global Mindset Development?
Why are cross-cultural experiences transformative?
Interviews suggest that relationships play a role in the ability to learn about norms and values
Cosmopolitanism suggests that individuals seek out individuals who are different from them as a means to learn
How do Social Relationships Impact Global Mindset Development?
• Relationship between # of friends from other cultures and global mindset – r=.443 (p<.0001)
• Among the categories of # of friends, each one was significantly different from the other (F=279.106, p<.0001).
• The more friends from other cultures, the greater global mindset
Does Language Ability Play a Role?
Language is a cultural opportunity (Nerlove & Snippet, 1981)
Multi-linguals tend be more effective at divergent thinking than mono-linguals
Interviews indicate language is a vehicle for understanding culture
Does Language Ability Play a Role?
t Sig. Beta
(Constant)
259.54
0
.000
very skilled at reading--
speaking or writing?
.181 12.284 .000
moderately skilled at reading--
speaking or writing?
.139 9.197 .000
somewhat skilled at reading--
speaking or writing?
.092 6.104 .000
minimally skilled at reading--
speaking or writing?
.098 6.669 .000
Links to Instruments
• Thunderbird Global Mindset Inventory – http://www.thunderbird.edu/knowledge_network/ctrs_excellence/global_mindset_lead
ership_institute/global_mindset_inventory.htm
• Intercultural Effectiveness Scale – http://www.intercultural.org/kozai.php
• Global Competencies Inventory – http://www.intercultural.org/kozai.php