Toward and applied science of emotional intelligence in the global workplace: Key issues and challenges

The workplace often is thought of as a place where the power of reason and logic reign supreme, but scholars and practitioners have begun to challenge this notion. They increasingly are viewing the workplace as a dynamic environment in which the forces of culture, reason, and emotion weave a complex tapestry. Changes brought on by globalization, technology, changing organizational structures, and demographic shifts have made modern organizations increasingly complex and interconnected. As the business world becomes more interconnected, emotional intelligence will likely play an important role as people from diverse backgrounds and cultures collaborate to reach business goals (Sy & Cote, 2003). Researchers from around the world have shown a great deal of interest in the topic of emotions and emotional intelligence in the workplace. The publication of Emotional Intelligence in 1995 did much to stimulate general and scientific interest in the topic. The book raised 3 key issues which needed to be explored and further validated scientifically: 1) Emotional Intelligence is a psychological construct relatively independent from traditional IQ and personality. 2) Emotional Intelligence is important because it can account for additional variance in outcomes, including academic and vocational outcomes, when IQ and personality variables are controlled. 3) Unlike traditional IQ and personality constructs, emotional intelligence can be meaningfully developed in individuals. As researchers and practitioners from around the world explore the practical implications of emotional intelligence, many are questioning whether research and methods conducted and validated with mostly Western populations will be ¿portable¿ to other cultures. While it may be tempting to generalize our research findings, the way in which ¿intelligent¿ behavior manifests itself is to a large extent culture bound (Greenfield, 1997; Sternberg, 2004). Thus, there are many questions about the role that culture, both national and organizational, plays in the expression and development of emotional intelligence in the workplace.