Entering the global engineering market: A correlational study of cultural intelligence and market orientation

Faced with increasing domestic competition from non-U.S. firms and a growing global marketplace, U.S.-based engineering firms have turned their focus to globalizing their services. Understanding the multifaceted cultural aspects of marketing and penetrating the global engineering market requires heightened cross-cultural leadership competencies in tandem with a strategic market orienting activities. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine any relationship that may exist between the variables of cultural intelligence and market orientation of decision makers at U.S.-based engineering firms to the dependent variable of entering the global marketplace. Participants were composed of senior-level global engineering and marketing decision makers from U.S.-based engineering firms listed on ENR’s Top Global and International Design Firms listings. The study included an online survey consisting of the Cultural Intelligence Scale and the individual market orientation scale, the I-MARKOR instrument. Statistical correlational analysis of the collected data indicated some positive relationships between factors of cultural intelligence and global market orientation. The analysis indicated a significant relationship exists between the aggregates of cultural intelligence and global market orientation. The study conclusions should assist globally-focused engineering firms to better penetrate the worldwide marketplace and to recognize the benefits of cultural intelligence and global market orientation leadership skillsets. Since there was a significant relationship between cultural intelligence and individual market orientation, global-looking domestic engineering firms are encouraged to invest deeper in enhancing the factors that comprise cultural intelligent leadership decisions in the organization. The recommendations presented in the research study outline suggestions for future research and practice.