ABSTRACT
This chapter examines factors that can potentially influence the development of cultural intelligence (CQ) among short-term business travelers and the effects of travelers’ CQ on travel outcomes, specifically, perceived travel flexibility or autonomy and burnout. To set the context for the study, we first provide the conceptual background on short-term business travelers and present the multidimensional concept of CQ: “an individual’s capability to function and manage effectively in culturally diverse settings” (Ang et al., 2007). We then propose that within the context of short-term business travelers, individual factor (need for control) and job-related factor (multicultural experiences [MCEs]) are potential antecedents to travelers’ CQ. Additionally, we investigate whether a person-by-situation interaction, i.e., need for control and MCEs, explains variance in travelers’ CQ beyond what could be attributed to either factor alone. Finally, we propose that business travelers’ CQ alleviates burnout and promotes perception of control over their travel schedule.
