Abstract:

Globalization has had a significant impact on all businesses and industries including construction. It reduced distance and time between all points of the world in near real-time which stimulated international projects. Lebanon plays an important role in international business activity due to its strategic location on the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanese engineers and construction companies for example, work in different countries throughout the Middle East and the Arab world. Working with people from different cultures can present a unique set of problems and challenges. The concept of Cultural Intelligence (CQ) looks at the ability of effectively adapting to different cultures. On the surface, it would seem the Lebanese people and industries should have a high CQ due to Lebanon’s culturally diverse population and its history as a trade portal between Europe and the Middle East. This paper seeks to understand the level of awareness of CQ and determine if it is being used to solve cross-cultural complexities in Lebanon’s construction industry. An online survey was developed and administered to project managers who have worked in Lebanon.