Intercultural competencies for emerging markets: A contextualized approach

Emerging markets are increasingly important to researchers and managers focused on helping multinational enterprises to thrive in often attractive yet unfamiliar environments. However, empirical knowledge about emerging markets is relatively under-developed when it comes to managing international talent, particularly with regard to the specific demands placed on human capital in an emerging market context. We review the existing literature about macro-level trends and micro-level characteristics of emerging markets, and we conduct cluster analyses using secondary data in order to identify the individual intercultural competencies required for managers to succeed in this environment. We propose three context-specific competencies that are especially salient in response to the complexities of emerging markets – recognizing perspectives, managing relationships, and navigating uncertainty. Finally, we discuss organizational implications and future research directions for those seeking a more nuanced view of talent management via contextualization.