Twelfth Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Globalization has experienced several backlashes from political and economic policy makers despite the benefits it produced in the last few decades. Based on the sensemaking theory, this research proposal investigates the role of cultural intelligence as a potential practice of improving individuals’ perception of globalization. Since the end of World War II, globalization has produced a considerable increase in the development of the world economy and the social indicators. However, we are currently living in a world of ambiguity and uncertainty that was dramatically accelerated by the Great Recession. It seems that the world of differences is becoming larger than the world of similarities. Based on the literature about sensemaking theory, this early stage research proposes that individuals with highly developed cultural intelligence will have a better perception of the benefits of globalization and therefore, policy makers would be wise to develop cultural intelligence initiatives which leads to the following research question: Does cultural intelligence affect the perception of globalization?