Predicting cross-cultural training performance: the validity of personality, cognitive ability, and dimensions measured by an assessment center and a behavior description interview.

This study examined the validity of a broad set of predictors for selecting European managers for a cross-cultural training program in Japan. The selection procedure assessed cognitive ability, personality, and dimensions measured by assessment center exercises and a behavior description interview. Results show that the factor Openness was significantly related to cross-cultural training performance, whereas cognitive ability was significantly correlated with language acquisition. The dimensions of adaptability, teamwork, and communication as measured by a group discussion exercise provided incremental variance in both criteria, beyond cognitive ability and personality. In general, these results are consistent with the literature on domestic selection, although there are some important differences.