Leading with Cultural Intelligence

Reviewed by Tahmina Alam Matubbar, Adjunct Faculty, Bunker Hill Community College on 9/2/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Although there is no glossary or index at the end of the book, there are some concepts defined at the beginning.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Content accurately depicts some of the nuances of interactions between different cultures.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This anecdotal perspective approach is a relevant example that can be utilized in the classroom when asking students to model the same during class meetings.

Clarity rating: 5

The combination of case studies, cultural concepts and definitions this book offers, allows the reader to learn beyond theory and use a more practical approach to learning.

Consistency rating: 5

This text offers the reader an understanding of cultural intelligence that is necessary to navigate diverse organizations.

Modularity rating: 5

Design of topics and amount of information are presented in smaller sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Organization of topics are presented in a clear fashion.

Interface rating: 5

The text is organized in a way that is easy to navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

No major grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The author introduces the reading nicely by sharing influences from her Southeast Asian background and how this affected her own perception of the world, while assimilating to the United States. This is a good book to begin with when tackling topics related to dominant narrative.

Reviewed by Elisa Maroney, Professor, Western Oregon University on 6/11/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Moua offers examples, case studies, visuals, definitions, among other useful elements that I find relatable and help me to understand what I am reading.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

This text seems to be accurate and error-free. Gender is presented as binary and disability is not discussed in depth.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book is especially relevant in the current global climate. Having an administration focused on nationalism and having spent the last several months in a pandemic, we are engaged more often across state, region, and country borders addressing cultural conflict on a regular basis. Fostering cultural intelligence could not be more pertinent than it is right now.

Clarity rating: 5

Moua is a clear, accessible writer who offers many signposts to help us navigate our way through this text.

Consistency rating: 5

Moua's writing is consistent. Terminology is clear and theories are cited and clear.

Modularity rating: 5

This book is made up of an introduction and eight chapters. Each chapter is divided into smaller sections and each ends with a chapter summary consisting of salient points from the chapter.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization is clear and logical. One bonus is that it is possible to skip around in the book and read sections that may be relevant to a particular topic or situation.

Interface rating: 5

I had no problem navigating this book. I did go back and forth between the online version and the PDF I downloaded. For example, when I was looking for a specific topic, theme, or concept, I used the "Find" mechanism in PDF. When I wanted to jump between and within chapters, I used the online version.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice any mechanical issues that might interfere with flow and readability.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

This author seems to take a binary perspective on gender. In addition, disability has a very small presence in this book. If this book were to be updated, a new look at gender identity and intersectionality would be useful.

Comments

This is a comprehensive text on cultural intelligence. I will definitely use it in the graduate leadership course I teach.

Reviewed by Michelle Beavers, Associate Professor, University of Virginia on 12/4/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Cultural Intelligence continues to evolve as a topic of study and discussion, so I welcomed the opportunity to read this text. I found the text provided a wealth of topical information on cultural intelligence; some supported by classic leadership theory and research and all included anecdotal evidence from personal experiences. With such an easy read, students will enjoy the book as it provides a high-level overview of many topics relevant within this frame of reference. It will speak to their need to "know thyself" as a leader with valuable case studies and self-assessment resources. Professors will find the need to support the material with additional research-based evidence or supplemental readings, some areas seem to lack the depth of content necessary in higher-level classrooms.
The introduction and suggestions for reading the book, which included chapter summaries as well as terminology and definitions were helpful. In addition, end of chapter summaries added to concluding summary remarks for each chapter. There was no glossary or index, but a website for additional resource materials.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Personal stories always lend themself to bias perceptions of events and situations; however, I believe the author effectively relayed the information in a manner that removed any bias to use the stories shared as teachable moments, supporting the research provided. I found no errors in accuracy, but do wonder if the book could've been chunked into smaller segments to provide more depth into the topics.
No errors noted.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

As a professor of educational leadership, I found the text applicable across multiple settings with examples and cases that although varied in field, could easily be applied in a variety of programs. Because of the style of writing, it is unlikely the material will be outdated within a short period of time.

However, it should be noted, that some charts and citations, in my opinion, should already be reviewed for updating. For example in the opening sections (p. 13), the author introduces facts about the global economy significant to our understanding, but this data is already 8-10 years old.

Clarity rating: 5

First, the author explains how the material will be delivered, then each chapter provides an easy-to-read format. The author introduces early-on any terminology the reader may be unfamiliar with and does a nice job of introducing new information throughout the resource. Never did I feel additional jargon/technical terms were being introduced without explanation.
As a reminder: This book is written at an introductory level of understanding for Leading for Cultural Intelligence

Consistency rating: 3

Maybe because I felt the table of contents was lacking, or maybe because the chapters didn't each follow the same sequence or title headers, I feel this is an area of development for this source. As a professor, I depend on my resources to offer consistency within each chapter that I can navigate easily. For example, each chapter opens with an example, followed by the literature review or research and maybe some guiding questions. All chapters might conclude with a case study and the reflection questions highlighted for use by students. Although each chapter had most of these elements, often times I found myself digging within the paragraphs for the information I wanted my eyes to carry me easily to access.

Modularity rating: 5

This is definitely a bonus of the book. It does not need to be read from cover to cover and individual chapters will support various course topics.
The book could easily be sub-divided into topics relevant to course topics.
If the author provided a more in-depth detailed outline of the chapters, it would help professors to identify sections of chapters as relevant to topics and discussions.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The ideas presented in the introduction lead the reader to believe the book will be presented in a cohesive manner, all flowing together...yet, as mentioned previously, the strength of this book is that each chapter can sit in isolation. Although each chapter offers it's own unique relevance to Cultural Intelligence, it falls short on connecting one chapter to the next. When a reader thinks about Cutlural Intelligence and tries to connect the cognitive, behavioral and affective domains, I would have expected the author to weave this through the chapter to create more coherence. As a result, the book feels like chapters in isolation, rather than a logical book order. Although the introduction, followed by Chapters 1 & 2 do seem to follow a greater organizational focus and structure.

Interface rating: 5

There were no evident issues of interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Only a few minor "typos", I did not notice any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Cultural sensitivity and awareness stood out as I read this text and the author did not disappoint in the variety of personal examples to help the reader understand the topics being presented. I would be interested in an expansion of subgroup populations within the culture. When we discuss culture in our school communities, we do not limit our discussions to African American, Asian, Hispanic, etc., within those communities there are cultures that could be further discussed such as socio-economic. There is much discussion on social class as a culture. In addition, the author does reference the GLOBE studies and discussion on gender, which could also branch into further discussion on LGBQTIA communities and the culture they share?

Comments

This book was an easy read filled with great examples and case studies which will serve as excellent springboards for discussions in the university classroom. Although there is a lack of depth in some of the topic areas, I believe the author succeeds in sparking the interest of the reader to want to learn more about cultural intelligence and to use the book as a tool in further developing proficiency in our interactions. If used for rich, transparent discussions, and honest communication, coupled with the resources provided, the author has succeeded in her efforts.

Reviewed by Mario Flores, Program Director, University of Colorado Boulder on 6/11/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Text covers multiple areas of leadership through the lens of cultural intelligence. The author's personal narratives help connect the concepts to real world situations. Text provides various facets of cultural intelligence creating a well rounded explanation and use.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Text uses the author's personal narrative to introduce other research in a way that makes the main points easy to understand. Though there is purpose in the writing, it is not biased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Text has general examples that will remain relevant for some time. However, examples should be updated to reflect a changing world and bring in evolving views of leadership. This text felt like a big picture view of cultural intelligence which keeps content up to date.

Clarity rating: 5

Text was an easy read. The author's personal stories make themes easier to understand and examples and case studies helped me reflect on the topics.

Consistency rating: 5

Text was consistent in voice and structure.

Modularity rating: 5

I can easily see this text being used as supplemental material in a leadership class. Text organization makes it easy to pull out specific themes for stand alone lessons. Each chapter has subsections which makes finding information easy.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Reading from cover to cover, the text can seem a little choppy. The author is a consultant who presents this information as workshops, this is reflected in the writing. However, the topics do follow a logical flow.

Interface rating: 5

I did not have any interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not see any major grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Some of the examples were a bit stereotypical. Also, cultural difference is not always defined by being from different countries. An exploration of subcultures within a country would make the text more robust. Understandings of differences in race, gender, and socioeconomic status within the same country will add to a leader's cultural intelligence.

Reviewed by Mindy Andino, Associate Professor, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania on 3/27/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This text would make a nice supplemental text, as it is based on the author's personal experiences. It would benefit from having a glossary or index, although the table of contents is good. Many different concepts are introduced, some well and others would benefit from further explanation.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

I believe the author presented an unbiased lens of the topic.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 2

The information is good, but at the time of this review it is outdated. It would benefit from timely updates.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in a clear and concise way. The examples make the material engaging and applicable. It is accessible to students, using limited technical jargon.

Consistency rating: 4

The framework, language, headings, sections, and descriptions are consistent throughout the text.

Modularity rating: 5

I really appreciated the ease at which this text can be broken up either by chapter of sections within chapters. It will be a good supplemental text. A chapter or case study can be pulled out easily.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The overall flow of the structure is choppy and does not flow seamlessly throughout the text. The strength of being able to use as a section or chapter, negatively impacts the overall context and content.

Interface rating: 5

This text is accessible digitally, with tables, graphs, and images that are easy to understand.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

The book contains some grammatical errors, but on the whole it well written.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

I appreciated the multiple examples and intentional cultural considerations woven throughout the text. The concept of cultural intelligence and leadership is very important in our global world. The author is clearly well versed. The text would benefit from new and additional case studies as this topic is ever evolving.

Comments

I commend the author for creating this text. The real, engaging, and thought provoking examples and case studies work to enhance the text in a culturally appropriate way. The text is well written and easy to comprehend. The concept is an important that is changing and evolving. The text would benefit from a second edition.

Reviewed by Kelly Reath, Clinical Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University on 4/21/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text is not providing best practices attributed to evidence-based research. Anecdotal experiences from the author's life are presented for reflection by the reader. The author is very clear in noting the material is not presented as an academic textbook, but as a tool to be used in developing a level of proficiency. Definitions and terminology used in the text are presented early, as is the rationale for writing the text. Cultural Intelligence is presented a continuous learning process. A References list for sources cited in the discussion is provided, but a glossary of terms is missing.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

Material is presented from an anecdotal perspective, but unbiased. The text is not written as best practices based on evidenced-based research, but this does not diminish the value, relevancy or accuracy of the content. Application of systems theory has room for improvement.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text is very relevant, especially for courses with content focused on leadership behavior and practices. Content is applicable to both public and private sectors. Longevity is impacted by the changing political environment. With Chapter 7 solely focused on case studies, updates would be easy to implement. Some statistics presented can be revisited and updated simply because of the time frame.

Clarity rating: 5

An easy read directly attributed to the author's style. The author notes early in the text, her intent is not to write an academic text. This approach is an invitation for the text to be used outside the academic environment. Organizations providing continuous education associated with staff development would especially benefit from the text's clarity.

Consistency rating: 3

Discussion of material in the chapters follow a consistent format. With the exception of the final chapters, a chapter summary is consistently provided for Chapters 1 - 6. For social sciences, the text would benefit from an American Psychological Association (APA) formatting style to cite resources (footnotes or endnotes are used).

Modularity rating: 5

Chapters build on each other. Progression of material flows well. If the text is used as an ancillary reading, the material is easily adapted to individual modules. Individual case studies (Chapter 7) can be used as needed.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The Preface and Introduction end with a chapter summary, but are not considered Chapter 1. References for the text are titled as Chapter 9. The text itself is presented as having eight chapters. The organization of material could be improved.

Interface rating: 4

No major interface issues. Some confusion with chapter numbering which may be distracting for some.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No major grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is not culturally offensive. Some examples presented can be interpreted as reinforcing stereotypical behaviors. A more sensitive approach would be to focus on discussing how individuals react to differences from self, rather than using specific populations as examples for reinforcing patterns of behavior.

Comments

The text works well as supplement to required reading for courses in social sciences with content on leadership practices. The content is very relevant, and definitely needed. The title of this text, Leading with Cultural Intelligence, is very similar to another text - Livermore, D. (2009). Leading with cultural intelligence: The real secret to success. I wish this author had been a little more creative with the title.

Reviewed by Brett Whitaker, Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies, Fort Hays State University on 10/23/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This text offers a robust examination of the concept of Cultural Intelligence and its connection to cross-cultural leadership. In particular, it covers in some depth the components of CQ, and the literature supporting those components. It would be a good resource for those interested in using it to cover CQ in conjunction with other resources for supplementary areas.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

This text appears to be accurate and relies on credible sources and information to support the material.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The text is up-to-date and relevant for current audiences. There are a couple of specific examples used in the book that may not age well, but the utility of the information in general is highly relevant.

Clarity rating: 5

I consider this text to be very clear. It is laid out in a logical manner and flows together in a way that is clear and accessible.

Consistency rating: 5

This text is internally consistent. It utilized terminology that is consistent with other current scholarship in the field, and provides the concepts within an established framework.

Modularity rating: 3

This is one area of relative weakness for the text. Although the text is high quality, and internally consistent, it is somewhat less accessible for cutting into smaller components. The cultural dimensions section could be utilized as a standalone, but I think some of the discussion would be difficult to parse out.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics in the book are presented in a logical manner. The book has an obvious flow, from what CQ is, to the main components, and then into application. Further, the components are presented in the sequence that is generally the same way that other texts present CQ.

Interface rating: 5

There are no interface concerns with this text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text appears to have had significant copyediting, and does not present any major grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

There are no insensitive examples that I saw in the text, but some items might be difficult for non-westerners to connect with. However, there is not an overabundance of culturally specific examples that would make the text problematic in this regard.

Comments

I recommend this book for instructors that wish to incorporate elements of CQ into an existing area. It could be helpful when discussing elements of culture, cross-cultural leadership, global leadership, and/or global management.

Reviewed by Susan Baim, Professor, Miami University on 6/19/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text seems to be highly comprehensive, especially given the fact that it addresses leadership within the context of cultural intelligence – a field that 20-25 years ago would have been an afterthought and not a topic central to the discussion of leadership at the undergraduate level. For the most part, theory is blended with appropriate anecdotes, stories and examples to help bring the main learnings into focus for the reader. Terminology appears to be applied well to the various situations discussed, but fundamental definitions of terms, themselves could be improved for better clarity. The structure of the text invites the reader to learn more about topics and appears well set up to work with contemporary business literature sources as may be desired.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Overall, the accuracy of the text seems to be very good. The author interjects a lot of personal reflections and commentary, but also goes to significant lengths to relay information in a manner that avoids any semblance of personal bias. The fact that the text is easy to digest for readers who may not be experts in the field provides additional credibility that the author is being straightforward with the material and not attempting to pursue any type of specialized agenda.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

This is a text that, for optimum accuracy and relevance, will need continual updating – perhaps every three to four years at the longest. The material included in the edition under review is highly relevant an includes a strong blend of classic sources and contemporary research. As societal norms and practices change, the text could become dated and in need of a refresh. However, as it presently stands, the text is current, relevant and notably germane to the field of leadership.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is generally clear and easy to follow with a noticeable absence of sophisticated jargon that could slow down and confused those new to the field of leadership. This accentuates the value of the text as an introductory resource for undergraduates. The author does overuse the first-person writing style in some portions of the text, thereby somewhat blurring the line between objective fact and personal opinion. This prevented receiving a score of “5” for clarity.

Consistency rating: 3

This text shows good consistency in terms of the amount of material to digest in each chapter and that sets up a good pace or flow throughout the work. Terms could be more consistently defined – some new terms are defined promptly while others “catch up later” or require the reader to go on a hunt through other chapters for a proper definition before continuing to read.

Modularity rating: 5

Good modularity is one of the features that set this text apart as a versatile resource on leadership topics. There is enough of a unifying theme that one could use the text as a whole without problem, but as the author notes, it may also be applied successfully one section at a time. This would allow use as a supplemental resource or case study source along with other texts if desired.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

It is difficult to produce a multi-purpose text that can be used as the main textbook in a course, but also function in a supporting role on specialized topics. Organization and flow are likely to suffer since these uses are often counter to one another. The author does a good job of walking the tightrope between the two extremes although instructors may wish to offer “patches” or connecting lectures to bridge gaps between some sections of the text.

Interface rating: 5

There does not seem to be significant problems with interface-related issues in the text. Graphics displayed well and navigation also was easy and quick. A very few of eh Internet links seemed to go nowhere. In fairness, maintaining every link within the text would be difficult to impossible as some are not within the author’s control. This is a problem with Web linkages in printed texts as well.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Any grammatical errors present were very minor and did not detract from reading the text. As mentioned above, I am not a big fan of first-person in academic texts, but this also did not detract significantly from delivering the message fluently.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The author demonstrates good and consistent sensitivity to cultural issues, norms and biases as one would expect in a text on cultural intelligence. She writes from a position of trying to balance a variety of cultural viewpoints and strives to present arguments in a fair and nonjudgmental way. It would have been helpful to pursue more of the cultural issues that come from social and/or economic status, but this is a relatively minor point in light of the positive approach taken throughout the text overall.

Comments

I was highly impressed with the overall quality of thought and the thoroughness of topic treatment in this text as a whole. The author has covered an extensive array of material and done so in a flexible manner that can be adapted to a variety of educational uses. Based on what I have learned from reviewing this text, I am strongly considering integrating it into an undergraduate leadership course that I currently teach. Its up-to-date approach and focus on critical culture-driven leadership topics will add a new perspective for my students – one that is missing in most leadership texts today.

Reviewed by Julie Swaringim-Griffin , Program Coordinator , Oklahoma State University on 5/21/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book could be recommended for a low level leadership diversity course as an additional reading to other leadership materials. This book is not complex and is an easy read. The text is well organized in a manner that fosters learning without having highly intense vocabulary. The book contains several examples which contributes to the material that is being addressed. These examples would greatly benefit students who are primarily kinesthetic learners because it ties in real world scenarios that apply the concepts that are discussed. One great factor, is that professors can apply these examples in the classroom and create an interactive activity that goes along with the text. This book can easily be applied in the classroom beyond lecture format.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

This book is written in the author’s point of view in many of the chapter sections but not all. This provides students with another perspective of the world around them however, it is only the author’s perspective. The accuracy of the text is commendable especially if the text is read as a perspective rather than an absolute. The context is error free however, not completely unbiased. As mentioned, this book is written in the author’s perspective therefore there are several instances in which the text can be biased. The book includes information about the GLOBE studies which is useful for leadership lecturers to teach this material. The information provided in this section of the book was accurate and consistent with leadership topics.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Due to the subject matter at hand, leadership is adaptable and ever-changing. This book can be adapted as it ages. Overall, the text is relevant to present day and can easily be updated throughout the years. The various examples offered in the text will be relevant years to come. However, in a few of the examples, the information used is dated. Such as an MP3 player was mentioned in the text which is a device that Generation Z, who will more than likely be using this text, will know of an MP3 but that information could be perceived as outdated. Examples that date the text may need to be avoided in the future in order to reduce a negative perception of the book as it comes across as outdated in various chapter section examples.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is easy to follow. At the beginning of the book, the terminology that is often used is clearly defined. This allows the readers to understand the meanings of the terminology that is relevant to this book. This clear definition contributes to limiting confusion due to these terms often being used differently in other texts.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is consistent in the use of the terminology that was defined at the beginning. The book also shows a theme of providing examples as previously discussed. This also remains consistent throughout the entirety of the book.

Modularity rating: 5

The text can be easily divided into various sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics are clear and well defined throughout the text.

Interface rating: 5

There were no major issues with the images included in this book.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The grammar is adequate. No grammar mistakes were detected.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

The cultural relevance is fair. Much of the book is written from the author’s own cultural perspective thus resulting in information bias in various areas of the book. The author writes in examples of how others may react but this assumption of reactions is within the author’s own bias. Readers must keep this in mind in order to form their own perspective rather than taking the author’s perspective as an absolute in many of the examples that were provided throughout the text. Overall, this book was relevant to the topic of cultural relevance due to the cultural intelligence nature of the text.

Comments

Overall, the book is clear, concise and to the point. However, in many aspects the book can be biased. A suggestion to combat this bias, would be to address students at the beginning of the course to read the text with in mind that the text can create a bias outlook on the subject matter being discussed. This book would be an excellent source for courses that are both lecture and interactive format. As a leadership lecturer, I will more than likely incorporate pieces of this book into the current curriculum.

Reviewed by Paul Longenecker, MSAH Program Director, Otterbein University on 5/21/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book provides a excellent array of topics related to concepts of organizational behavior and leadership focused around cultural intelligence. Does a great job of connecting diverse components around a common theme. Cultural intelligence is not a highly published topic in my experience.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The format of book is written in a conversational manner from a first person perspective. In writing through it, it gave me the feel of a self-help book but supported well by very relevant and evidence based sources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content of the book is very relevant and timely and since it is build on strong theory, should have long shelf life. The concepts discussed are not black and white but intended to challenge the reader to think about the leadership practices to reframe them with new light shone on what they do. With the changing demographic of the work force and its many unique nuances, the book hits at the heart of leadership.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is laid out in a very logical format. She tells you what she is going to tell you, tells you than tell you again. Use of case studies is used very effectively to provide wxamples of concepts discussed.

Consistency rating: 5

Provides a framework for the book's layout and very clearly stays focused to the defined framework throughout the book.

Modularity rating: 5

The layout of the book is very easily attacked in smaller units and multiple units in a single reading period. I read the book in one or two chapter sessions and was always able to pick up on the concepts previously read. The writing style allows you to be actively engaged in the reading process as concepts are laid out as building blocks.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Laid in a logical flow with concepts building on previously discussed material.

Interface rating: 3

The key challenge of the book was the spacing between material as you were reading. In reading it online, it required the reader to need to jump ahead over large gaps in spacing between section within a single chapter.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No significant grammatical errors were noted in reading the book.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

As the topic of the book is Cultural Intelligence, the book does a great job of offering a diverse array of examples covering the full spectrum of ways that culture can be frame. High point of book in it looks a diversity from a much broader lens that is frequently used today.

Comments

Although it is not defined as a textbook, it could be used very effectively utilized with other materials to discussed the topic of cultural intelligence.

Reviewed by Sarah Dixon-Hackey, Adjunct Professor, Minnesota State Community Technical College - Moorhead, MN on 5/21/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text is fairly comprehensive in its coverage of a number of aspects relating to cultural intelligence. It takes a largely vast and somewhat still-evolving subject and breaks it down effectively relatable units of learning. One thing that would be nice is to see the addition of a glossary that provides a point of reference for key terminology. It would also anchor the chapters and offer more options for review to the students.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

The subject is largely told from the author’s point of view and utilizes both personal experiences and case studies to further illustrate concepts. As a result, the text reads less like a traditional textbook and relies on scenarios versus vast amounts of terminology functional exercises. Because of this, it lends itself to be somewhat biased toward the perspective of the author and his own professional experience relating to cultural intelligence.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

3Because the text is not anchored in a great deal of historical facts and figures, the text has the potential to withstand an extended period of time. As a whole, the content is written in larger generalizations and from a high-level look at the role that cultural intelligence plays in the work environment.

Clarity rating: 5

The author does a nice job of writing in a tone that is accessible to a wide range of students. The language and level of comprehension needed to digest the material would be easily consumed by both students in a technical school and a liberal arts college.

Consistency rating: 3

The text sometimes veers from its use of personal narrative to implementing more traditional utilization of terms, tables, and professional examples. These are generally implemented when appropriate, but a more consistent format throughout might be helpful for the use of teaching and lesson planning.

Modularity rating: 4

To some extent the text creates modules that can be divided into separate sections. However, many of the subsections do rely on those preceding or following them in order to create a better context and understanding. In most cases, chapters need to be consumed in their entirety to create a well-rounded lesson.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

Because the text is composed of a series of examples and cases, the flow of the text sometimes lacks a strong sense of continuity. This does offer an instructor the opportunity to move around through the book as needed because it does not necessarily create a situation where one chapter automatically builds on the preceding chapter. For teachers looking to have more freedom to change the order of topical study, this may be a characteristic that is desirable.

Interface rating: 3

The book is fairly easy to read and has well identified headers. One area where it is lack is a strong Table of Contents that enables a student or instructor to quickly jump to specific topics of choice.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There are no significant grammar issues.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text does a nice job of being inclusive and approaching the subject with an attitude of inclusiveness. The author includes a variety of examples that demonstrate scenarios from a variety of demographics.

Reviewed by Lindy-Anne Abawi, Associate Professor, University of Southern Queensland on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text covers all aspects of the topic well drawing together classic references to related work. It was well set out with chapter headings listed in the introduction that are linked directly to each chapter for easy access. The chapter summaries of key points are particularly useful.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate and beautifully written. It is a truly readable text and the various case studies, scenarios and personal stories set the scene well for the discussion tat follows.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The references within the text are good solid links to often seminal researchers in the field. It would have been good to see more contemporary references as well.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is well written and very accessible to the reader. Quite complex concepts are explained simply and effectively illustrated with real world examples.

Consistency rating: 5

The layout, tone, flow, format and overall structure are consistent throughout.

Modularity rating: 5

The smaller sub-sections throughout each chapter allow for small 'bites' of information to be easily accessed for discussion. The chapters themselves have quite distinct and yet inter-related themes which can be easily be used as separate lesson points or in staged, self-paced study format.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

As mentioned earlier it is a very easy to read text. Each section flows smoothly, logically and connectedly into the next.

Interface rating: 4

There are few minor formatting discrepancies - like a sentence that jumps a line but these are few and far between. The text is easy to follow.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text contains no obvious grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book is very sensitive to cultural differences and in fact the text is entirely about cultural intelligence.

Comments

I commend the authors on the quality of this text. It was well written and easy to read. The use of stories to set the scene and illustrate points being made was a powerful and culturally appropriate way of engaging the reader. The references to seminal researchers and texts in the area were reassuring and resonated with what is generally agreed as fundamental to this topic. Academic rigour could be improved, however, with a more in depth study of contemporary researchers in this field. Challenging the sorts of unconscious labelling and stereotyping that often occurs in the workplace and in communities helps to promote the ongoing need for a cultural reframing agenda.

Reviewed by Angie Carter, Clinical Assistant Professor, Clemson University on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book attempts to cover a large amount of information, and meets that goal for the most part. It is almost too comprehensive and could go a little more granular in some areas.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book seems to provide accurate information.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

I see many older references. Although in this field of leadership and leadership development and human resource development, this comes standard, there are many works that build upon these ideas that should be included. Some of the theories (like situational leadership) have been debunked or at least called into question.

This topic has a shelf life and should be frequently updated to reflect new innovation and scholarship.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is straightforward in its writing and intent. However, it does try to bridge too many ideas in one textbook.

Consistency rating: 3

The text was inconsistent in its treatment of vocabulary. Sometimes the author explains a word, and sometimes it is taken for granted that the reader knows a particular word or phrase.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is modular in that it is paced appropriately and segmented into logical information chunks.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The topics presented were linear, much like a workshop would be presented, from macro to micro.

Interface rating: 3

There are issues with missing or disconnected links within the textbook. In particular, the link to further exercises noted at cileadership.com did not work at the time of this review.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I saw no grammatical errors, but a few typographical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Since the book was about cultural and intercurtural intelligence and competency, this was more than adequately covered.

Comments

Pros: This book is a good primer on cultural intelligence and could be serve as a launch for deeper classroom or workshop conversations.

Cons: The author tried to bridge too many ideas in the book, and the examples offered, while well-meaning, sometimes missed their mark.

Reviewed by Mary Tucker, Professor, Ohio University on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

A wide variety of topics are covered in this text, along with case studies that can be used to further the learning. It would be helpful to expand the Table of Contents to also include the sub-sections in each chapter. For novices to the concept of cultural intelligence, this text might not provide the depth needed to fully enhance the learning. A glossary and index would also be helpful to the learner.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content appears to be accurate as well as unbiased with few typographical errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The content appears to be up-to-date. Because the sources are quite old, the text should soon be reviewed for updates. The organization of the text will allow for expedient and straightforward updating.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is engaging and easy to read. Examples add to the learning. Any jargon/technical terminology is explained as it is incorporated into the chapters.

Consistency rating: 3

The chapters are consistent in format. Some chapters reach into topics such as self-efficacy that may not be fully explained in the context of cultural intelligence sub-components.

Modularity rating: 5

This book does an excellent job of keeping individual chapters as self-contained modules that can be used independently from the book. As such, instructors can use as many or as few chapters as needed to round out a course on cultural intelligence. The cases at the end of the book are an added plus.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The organization/structure are logical and clear. The aspect that makes this text modular (and a plus) also inhibits the flow between chapters. A quid pro quo for those who wish to use only segments of the text.

Interface rating: 4

The text is free of significant interface issues. However, the link to additional case studies is no longer a working link.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

The text was well written and is free of any major grammatical/typographical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

This book on cultural intelligence is culturally sensitive.

Comments

This is an easy-to-read book; it has a story format that appeals to students. It could be used in its entirety or select chapters could be chosen to supplement course material. The topic lends itself to different classes across the curriculum.

Reviewed by Daniel Bowan, Assistant Professor, Colorado State University - Pueblo on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

I believe the book was comprehensive, it covered a variety of topics related to Cultural Intelligence and leadership. I believe it would have benefited from more of an international perspective.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

I thought the book seemed accurate, however it relied on a lot personal perspectives and lacked scholarly support.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

I think the book's subject matter is very relevant as globalization and current trends point towards an increased emphasis on cultural intelligence.

Clarity rating: 3

I thought the book was clear, but a little to informal with the authors voice very present and a bit overbearing.

Consistency rating: 4

I believe the book was consistent from chapter.

Modularity rating: 4

I thought the book succeeded in the area of modularity. Each chapter could be read individually.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

I thought the book had good organization and flow in the beginning, but this tailed off towards the end and seemed scattered.

Interface rating: 3

I think the book's interface was average. It seemed very drab and lacked sufficient images and visual depictions.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I did not catch many grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Due the nature of the book subject's, it very much is culturally relevant.

Comments

I would have preferred the author keep their voice out of the text, it read more like a personal biography, rather than an academic textbook.

Reviewed by Tracy Tachiera, Instructor, Washington State University Vancouver on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book gives a thorough background of various elements of culture; an explanation of cultural intelligence; ways to increase self-awareness to improve your understanding of how you look at the world; and case studies. There may actually be too much information given; the focus is on breadth rather than depth.
There are real-life examples throughout the book that really bring the concepts to life, and are useful for application. Although I teach a Diversity course, even I learned some things, and haven’t seen a source that offers so many perspectives in once place. However, for someone who is unfamiliar with this topic, there will be important concepts missing. This text is better used to supplement materials.
The book could be improved by offering a more thorough table of contents. A brief description of each chapter is given, but each chapter is divided into sections. It would be helpful to have these all listed out for quick access.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content appears to be accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

While some of the sources are 15+ years old, the content is still applicable today. Although the book uses many workplace examples and states it is meant for those in leadership positions, it could be used for general diversity education. Case studies will need to be reviewed in the future for relevance.

Clarity rating: 4

This book is easy to read and understand, and is interesting. There is only a short vocabulary list. A more comprehensive glossary would be useful.

Consistency rating: 1

The book is written in a consistent voice throughout. Each chapter contains real life examples to help illustrate concepts.

Modularity rating: 4

While I think readers would most benefit from reading the introductory chapters, most chapters could be used on their own, especially if there was a need to highlight a particular concept. However, as mentioned above, the chapters would be better for supplemental material.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text starts with basic definitions and theories, and moves on to more complex ideas. Examples and applications are given throughout to help with understanding of the material. I liked the chapter of case studies at the end.

Interface rating: 5

There is a link on pages 6 & 8 that does not work (http://www.cileadership.com) (disappointing since it states it has further examples and case studies, something I have been looking for!). There were no issues in navigation or viewing. A more complete table of contents and definitions would be useful.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book is well written and is free of any major grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The author of the book is Hmong American (based on info from the introduction). Their experience and worldview likely influences the perspectives given in this book, however, that should actually be relevant for this topic. There does not seem to be an even distribution of stories, examples, etc. for various cultures. For example, a document search showed Hispanic & Latino appearing over 40 times, “Asian” appearing 23 times, while “Black” or “African American” only appeared 7 times, and “Native Americans” only appeared 4 times. Many other cultures are mentioned as well. Nothing appears offensive. However, the stories and case studies could be improved by consistently pointing out that even within cultures, these are just examples and actual people from these cultures may not fit into the scenarios to avoid students stereotyping.

Comments

I enjoyed this book and like the applied nature of it. It will be a good supplement to material I am already using. I think many of the chapters could be used in a variety of classes where there is a diversity component.

Reviewed by Constance Milbourne, Associate Professor, Rhode Island College on 4/11/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This text covers a broad range of material examining the relationship between cultural intelligence and leadership. The collection of topics seems comprehensive, but depth within each topic is at times cursory. The author uses extensive scenarios to help introduce the concepts. This provides an excellent launching point for classroom discussions. The definitions to terms at the beginning of the book are helpful to students unfamiliar with the topic. Including terminology at the end of each chapter, along with the chapter review, would be helpful.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content and terminology in the text were accurate and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

This text is very relevant, especially in light of Globalization. Some of the references are a bit dated. An update as to the impact of the Internet and social media would be useful.

Clarity rating: 5

This text is written in a clear and easy to understand manner. Students should be able to easily read and understand the chapters. The examples make the material engaging.

Consistency rating: 4

The format from chapter to chapter is consistent. However, some chapters feel like there are too many disconnected concepts trying to be incorporated. You can see the amount of work put into creating these chapters; however, better connections between concepts would be helpful for the reader.

Modularity rating: 5

The modularity of this text is outstanding. Not only can the chapters used separately, but the sub-sections in each chapter also can be assigned separately.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The organization and structure of the material appear disjointed primarily due to the modularity of the text. If using this text in its entirety, linkages as to how the topics relate would be needed in order for students to understand the bigger picture beyond distinct concepts.

Interface rating: 5

This text is free from interface issues. Tables were easy to understand. One link in the introduction directing the reader to case studies did not work.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There were no grammatical errors in the text. There were only a few typographic errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Since this text focuses on cultural intelligence, it is culturally sensitive. In fact, a few examples help to illustrate the cultural stereotypes.

Comments

Overall, this text has a lot of good content and launching off points for class discussion. I teach Global Marketing, so I would use sections of the text as illustrations to help students understand the differences among global consumers, as well as how to work with global businesses. The content, and associated scenarios, is very engaging and readable. This text would be a great supplement to my class.

Reviewed by Iris Savich, Instructor/Private Consultant, Portland Community College, Marylhurst University on 8/21/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text attempts to cover a wide range of culturally relevant material focusing on the author's model of Cultural Intelligence, yet the term and model is not fully defined until chapter 3. In addition, there are many culturally relevant terms such as: cultural competence, ethnocentrism, and diversity (page 25) to name a few, which are not fully articulated. An excellent diagram and definition of the layers of diversity the author could have used is one by Gardenswartz and Rowe (2003). A glossary of terms would be helpful. additionally, there were some leading intercultural experts omitted from this text who would have lent more credibility and context to the author's work.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text references key theories and concepts while correctly citing the original works. I found only one citation missing for Mary Parker Follet on page 193. Otherwise, the content appeared to be accurate and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The text, while currently relevant, will require some updates of the case studies. The author gives a website in her Preface (page 8) that is intended to provide training tools and a list of inventories along with updated case studies, but it appears to be no longer in operation.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in a very accessible style for most readers. It is written with very little use of technical jargon.

Consistency rating: 4

Some chapters attempt to incorporate too many ideas. I would have preferred that the author add a couple of chapters instead of incorporating so many sub-sections.

Modularity rating: 4

The text does lend itself to being sub-divided into sections that can easily fit into the design of different classes and workshops by an instructor.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

I would like to see definitions of the Cultural Intelligence Model presented earlier in the text since this is the heart of the text. I did, however, appreciate the integration of case studies in the text that help provide continuity and clear examples of the model.

Interface rating: 5

I found no problems with interface. All visuals are easily understood and well presented.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I spotted a few grammar errors. I would suggest another proofreading of the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The author demonstrated cultural sensitivity with each diverse case study she wrote, attempting to present a variety of cultures in an empathetic and unbiased way. What I would have liked included, however, was a discussion about race and socioeconomic status as they relate to cultural differences.

Comments

The author's engaging prose draws the reader in. There are many case studies presented to help underscore the importance of key concepts as well as provide realistic examples of how the author's model of cultural intelligence can effectively help individuals work toward better workplace relationships, organizational change, and interpersonal understanding.

Reviewed by Soumia Bardhan, Assistant Professor, Kansas State University on 8/21/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This book presents a detailed and comprehensive account of the connection between leadership and cultural intelligence. It is a fair mix of anecdotes, leadership/culture-related concepts, reflection exercises, recommendations for practice, etc. This book is more like a handbook for professionals than a college undergraduate textbook in its present form; the content is appropriate for a handbook. The preface and introduction do a great job of presenting the rationale and need for this book. However, the definition of ‘culture’ is not nuanced; this book emphasizes primarily a social science approach to culture. Even as a handbook, approaching culture also from the interpretive and critical perspectives can enhance its effectiveness (see Martin and Nakayama's approach to culture and intercultural communication). For instance, discussions of ‘power,’ ‘hierarchy,’ ‘oppression,’ ‘agency,’ and so on, can be very useful in the global/cross-cultural/intercultural contexts as regards leadership. Page 8 has a list of definitions and terminologies, which helps, but a separate glossary and/or index can help (not included).

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content is unbiased and accurate. Numerous anecdotes and case studies present different value/culture-based perspectives on issues, thus tackling the problem of bias. Concepts, statements, descriptions included are error-free and accurate. There are a few editing errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is extremely relevant. The concept of cultural intelligence is fairly new, and the author does an excellent job of describing it. Moreover, by connecting this concept to ‘leadership’ in the global/cultural context, the author raises the efficacy and relevance of this book. A chapter on the future of cultural intelligence helps. However, the anecdotes and case studies might need to be updated from time to time.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and there is minimal jargon/technical terminology used.

Consistency rating: 4

Terminologies/descriptions are consistent throughout the book. The framework too is consistent; the same headings and sections are used in every chapter throughout the book.

Modularity rating: 5

The author states that the book can be read in the following ways: 1) Begin at the beginning; 2) Read individual chapters; and 3) Read case studies and work on inventories. The author is correct in noting this. The text can be divided into smaller reading sections and/or can be used/read in different ways. This enhances its modularity.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The fact that this book can be read in different ways, can be broken down into sections, etc. affects its overall flow. In other words, the book has great modularity but suffers from a choppy organization. The instructor/trainer using this book must connect ideas and prominent themes for students. If not done, students will enjoy and find the individual sections useful and informative, but not grasp the overall context (leadership and cultural intelligence) to which these issues/concepts are tied to.

Interface rating: 4

The text does not suffer from any significant interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Minimal grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

This book discusses culture and cultural intelligence in the context of leadership, as well as presents numerous anecdotes and personal reflections; in so doing, it does a fair job of remaining culturally sensitive. Yet, at some points, the anecdotes reinforce certain cultural stereotypes.

Comments

This book focuses on an important and hugely relevant topic- leadership and cultural intelligence. It also presents personal reflections and anecdotes to explain ideas and concepts, as well as provides guidelines and recommendations for practice. Yet, the content does not always capture the nuances and complexities of human interaction in global/cross-cultural/intercultural contexts. This book can be useful as an introductory handbook for professionals; if used as a textbook, it must be complemented with other readings and texts.

Reviewed by Eric Cave, Lecturer, University of Massachusetts on 1/7/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book is comprehensive in the respect that it covers a very wide range of relevant material. It does not treat much of the material that it covers comprehensively, though. For instance, I found its treatment of the GLOBE study, for instance, fairly cursory. It covers other topics, such as cultural intelligence, quite well. I could see myself assigning sections of the book for use in a course on leadership, though not using it as the sole course text.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Descriptions of works that I am familiar with were faithful to the original works.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book's content and case studies seem up-to-date at present, but as things change in the field of leadership studies fairly quickly; it will likely require periodic updating.

Clarity rating: 5

This is an engaging read, for a textbook on leadership. The author does a great job providing context for ideas and concepts that might be unfamiliar to a typical reader, and the prose is in general easily to read and understand.

Consistency rating: 4

I would characterize this book as internally consistent, but not very unified. At various points, I found myself wondering how various discussions in the book were supposed to relate to one another.

Modularity rating: 5

This book is written in such a way that many of its chapters can stand well on their own. Chapters 2 and 3 are particularly notable in this regard.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

When you read the book's preface, it presents like a unified text. But reading the book itself yields a different impression, in part because the author tries to cover so much ground. At points, the text seems to jump around, with insufficient attention being paid to how the various topics being discussed relate to one another and contribute to a broader understanding of culturally intelligent leadership.

Interface rating: 5

The book is very traditional in its "interface;" I had no difficulty navigating its prose, diagrams, and tables.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

This book is well-edited. I noted only a few typographical errors, not enough to be distracting.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Given the book's topic, one would expect it to be sensitive to cultural differences. It does not disappoint in this regard.

Comments

I think several chapters of this text can be quite useful in an undergraduate course on leadership, especially given the clarity and accessibility of the writing. I will probably assign two or three of its chapters in my course next semester.

Reviewed by Barry Carroll, Instructor and Program Director, Colorado State University on 1/7/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text seems to have been written based on the author's experience facilitating cultural intelligence seminars for industry and corporate leaders. In my opinion, it would make an effective supplemental text but is not comprehensive enough to stand alone. While many new terms and concepts are introduced and well-defined in the text, there is no glossary included. The table of contents is specific enough to allow for reference point, but the book does not include an index.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content seems to be accurate and unbiased. I did not notice any glaring errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

The content mostly references experts and other texts from the 1990s and 2000s with most major references ending by 2007. It seems the text could use some updating on recent developments in cultural intelligence. Aligned with this update, it would be straightforward to implement more recent case studies involving examples from contemporary immigrant groups.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is written in a very accessible style which I believe would be easily understood by most readers. When technical jargon is used, it is well defined and supported by the context and adequate examples.

Consistency rating: 3

The text is consistent within it's own framework and terminology. At times, the author seems to reach beyond her topic to provide information on foundational concepts to cultural intelligence such as self-efficacy and emotional intelligence, but this seems to be done with an eye toward readers who are new to the topic.

Many of the ideas given for activities and discussion topics are unclear in terms of the expected outcome and would require much facilitation by the instructor to draw readers to a successful conclusion.

Modularity rating: 5

The text easily lends itself to being sub-divided into sections to be used as the instructor wishes.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The text is well organized, but the flow of the book is a bit stuttering. Many times I felt as if the examples or activities ended before the 'punchline' and left the reader confused as to their purpose.

Interface rating: 5

In my experience, the book's interface is clear and free from any distracting issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Any grammatical errors in the text were minor and did draw the readers attention away from the concepts presented.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

As the topic of the book is cultural intelligence, the author takes pains to be culturally sensitive. Updates to the examples presented in the book would make it more culturally relevant to contemporary issues.

Comments

Overall, the book is very readable. The many examples and case studies bring life to the topic. I feel the book would be useful as supplementary material in an academic course as long as it was well-facilitated and integrated with other material or activities.

Reviewed by Norma Friedman, Instructor, University Without Walls, University of Massachusetts, Amherst on 1/7/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

Text is comprehensive in its focus on leadership, but needs more literature on cultural intelligence. If the author has created this term then it would be useful to see its theoretical history. If created by the author then add credibility to the concept with research or listing of organizations that these techniques were tried and or piloted.

Definitions were provided early in the text in a chapter. However these do not nearly cover all the terms used in the text.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

All sources quoted and paraphrased seem to be accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Text is extremely relevant for a variety of disciplines. I would like to see more organizational diversity, more settings, and disciplines included in the examples.

I would like to see more updates from authors included in the book, e.g. Goleman.

Clarity rating: 5

Content is very clear. It is a very readable book with little jargon or confusing technical language.

Consistency rating: 4

I would like to see the author carefully review the current framework. I found myself confused with model creation and chapter logic.

Modularity rating: 5

Excellent modularity. I think this text could be used in parts along with primary texts in a course or in organizational training sessions.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

I struggled with the flow of the content. I would like to see definitions and Cultural Intelligence model presented early in the text. I would also encourage chapters to be logically and clearly connected to your model.

Interface rating: 5

No problems with interface. All visuals were easily understood and well presented.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

A few grammar errors. I would recommend another proofing of the text. Nothing significant.

I would like to see the book all written in the third person.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Since the focus of this book is on cultural sensitivity and practice it is absolutely culturally relevant.

Comments

The author has worked very hard bringing together theory and personal experience. The topic is a critically needed addition to many courses. I think clarifying the concept, showing its practical validity, and using a diverse group of settings would make this text much better.

Reviewed by Catherine Steele, Assistant Professor, Colorado State University on 1/7/16

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Because of the large number of topics the author attempts to cover, a glossary of terms is not only helpful but necessary. Highlighting key terms might make navigating the chapters more helpful for students.

While overall good, some sections, like that which deals with non-verbal communication could use more barriers like proxemics, haptics, territoriality, etc. The text aptly takes on issues of bias in the introduction. This seems to be largely absent in the later chapters.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text highlights important theories and concepts and properly cites the original work. No errors were found in accuracy of terminology or core concepts. At times though, expounding on how there are conflicting theories or definitions of terms would be useful for the reader.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The text is useful in the present however the reliance upon personal narrative and some of the case studies will require significant updates in the future. Particularly, little attention is given to the connectivity of a digital culture and the impact this has on global and sub-cultural ideas of cultural communication.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is clear and easy to follow. It is written without much if any technical jagon.

Consistency rating: 4

At times the chapters seem to try to incorporate too many ideas and broken into an unmanageable number of sections. In other chapters there is an emphasis on one topic which seems to be given perhaps more space and detail than would be ideal.

Modularity rating: 4

The book's larger structure is intact and provides the ability to assign one chapter apart from others. This is useful in a classroom setting. However, the inner structure of each chapter is at times less clear and the emphasis on personal narrative at times would become awkward apart from the larger text.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

Some chapters have so many individual sections that it is difficult to follow the connections between them. There is not always a logical order to these sections and it would take a great deal of effort to make connections for students. In this way, the text seems better suited for a corporate facilitation within a consultation setting.

Interface rating: 5

The book has no interface issues. Charts and text are displayed appropriately.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No identifiable grammatical issues.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Like many other texts focusing on culture, this text substitutes the idea of cultural difference for country difference. This leaves a large gap in the information provided when considering subcultures within a given society. Namely, as a text marketed in the U.S. the absence of discussions of race or socioeconomic status as markers of cultural differences is somewhat problematic. In this way key ideas about bias, racism and or discrimination are largely absent as well.

Comments

In attempting to keep the prose light and “non-academic” the author appears to skirt some major concepts of importance. For example, while many of the examples provided point toward ideas of ethnocentrism in chapter two, the term is not named or defined for the reader. Providing a vocabulary for the reader would help to mentally organize the information and tips provided. The use of personal narrative to begin each chapter would work well as a text for business leaders in a management group/consulting situation but may be less useful in the classroom for students attempting to easily navigate key terms and concepts.

The text is engaging for an individual reader outside of a classroom setting and provides an accessible introduction to ideas of cultural intelligence.

Reviewed by Shelley Dubkin-Lee, Instructor/Program Coordinator, Oregon State University on 7/15/14

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The text seems to be too comprehensive tying in too many concepts and not tying them all together. Cultural intelligence is somewhat defined, but then emotional intelligence is brought in, self-efficacy is introduced, and other concepts that aren't really tied together with the original concept of cultural intelligence. There is no index or glossary per se, New words and concepts are introduced throughout.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The book is mostly accurate in terms of the quoted experts in their respective fields (Bandura, Gardner, etc.) as far as I could tell. There were some minor editing errors, not enough to be distracting though). I thought the author presented an unbiased view.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Of course with the number of examples and case studies, there will have to be regular reviews to assure that they remain up-to-date and relevant, but they seemed up-to-date as of this reading.

Clarity rating: 4

The book is written in a very accessible language, easily understood by most readers. There isn't a lot of technical/jargon used for this subject matter, and when it is used, it is provided in a context that makes it easily understood.

Consistency rating: 3

My biggest concern about the book is that there are many loose ends. I'm not sure how this book will be used, but it seems to me that it needs quite a bit of "shepherding" by the trainer. Some of the activities and examples don't naturally lead to any outcome that I could see without the engagement of the trainer to help point the reader/participant to a conclusion. Some of the examples didn't seem to connect me to the material that preceded them.

Modularity rating: 5

I think the strength of this book is that there are many subsections that can be easily taken individually and used at different times during different classes/workshops. I think that it would be best used in this way, making sure to take the time to "connect the dots" from the examples to the material the author is trying to clarify for the participant/student.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The material is quite choppy with many, many ideas thrown together, but not really tied to cultural intelligence. With the right instructor/trainer, this could be tied together, but I'm not sure I'd use this in an Adult Ed class unless I took a section and used it to teach a particular part of cultural intelligence. As sections it could make more sense to use. I would say for a corporate training tool with lots of trainer involvement, it could be a useful tool.

Interface rating: 5

There were no interface issues, the only images were some tables, but they were quite easy to navigate and created no confusion.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

Very few grammatical errors. Could use s bit of editing, but overall, it was quite good.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Since the book was about cultural intelligence, the author goes out of her way to make it culturally sensitive. I think that a few of the examples, however, actually could use some refining regarding their clarity of cultural sensitivity and cultural relevance.

Comments

I thought the author really worked hard to create "real" examples and case studies to make the material come to life. I think that some of these missed the mark, or even went the opposite direction. The stories/examples/case studies were all interesting and the book was easily read and engaging throughout.