IMPACT OF CULTURAL DEXTERITY ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE: STUDY OF INDIAN COMPANIES IN GLOBAL MARKETS

Authors

  • Dr. Arif Habib Founder, Global Ideaz, Startup Mentor, Corporate leader 28 year.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53555/4v8y5354

Keywords:

Cultural Dexterity, Cross-Cultural Localization, Indian MNCs, Business Performance, Global Markets

Abstract

Cultural dexterity—defined as an organization’s ability to understand, adapt to, and localize across diverse national cultures—has emerged from sidelines to critical determinant of international business success. Such a premise of direct co-relation of Cultural Dexterity competence to Business performance has to be tested by a primary research, along with a proposed Cross cultural difference measuring scale using Culture Dexterity model proposed in this journal. While global literature documents the relationship between cultural adaptation and performance for Western multinational corporations (MNCs), empirical evidence from Indian MNCs remains limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of cultural dexterity on business performance among Indian companies operating in foreign markets, with specific reference to India (domestic market) and Saudi Arabia (foreign market). Using primary data collected 417 respondents across India & Saudi Arabia, through the Culture Wizard (CW) Model dashboard and secondary performance data sourced from AC Nielsen reports (2018–2023), the study measures consumer cultural differences, employee cultural differences, and corresponding cultural adaptation scores. The findings reveal statistically significant cultural differences between domestic and foreign markets and a strong positive correlation between cultural adaptation and business performance. The results empirically establish that Indian MNCs demonstrating higher levels of consumer and employee cultural adaptation achieve superior financial outcomes in foreign markets. The study contributes a structured cultural localization theoritical framework that can serve as a strategic template for Indian MNCs and globalizing startups.

References

1.Caprar, D. V., Devinney, T. M., Kirkman, B. L., & Caligiuri, P. (2015). Conceptualizing and measuring culture in international business and management: From challenges to potential solutions. Journal of International Business Studies, 46(9), 1011–1027. https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2015.33.

Usefulness: strong JIBS treatment of how “culture” should be conceptualized and measured in IB research — excellent foundation for defining cultural dexterity as a measurable, multi-level construct.

2.Malay, E. D. (2024). The dynamics in the relationship between perceived cultural distance, cultural intelligence, and adjustment of international students. International Business Review, 28(?), — (article on CQ × perceived distance dynamics).

Usefulness: empirical work in IBR linking cultural intelligence and perceived cultural distance to adjustment — useful for hypotheses about when cultural dexterity matters most for international performance (moderation/mediation logic).

3.Brannen, M. Y., & Thomas, D. C. (2010). Bicultural individuals in organizations: Implications and opportunity. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 10(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470595809359580.

Usefulness: frames bicultural individuals as a distinct organizational resource — directly relevant to firm-level dexterity arguments (aggregation of bicultural/ CQ resources → improved cross-border performance).

4.Chevrier, S. (2003). Cross-cultural management in multinational project groups. Journal of World Business, 38(2), 141–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1090-9516(03)00007-5.

Usefulness: classic JWB empirical study of how cross-cultural management practices (adaptive strategies, relationship development) operate in multinational project groups — a good practical link from dexterity to operational outcomes in international settings.

5.“Global Dexterity” by Andy Molinsky 2024 Harvard Business Review publication page 22

6.“Managing across cultures” by Simon & Solomon 2022, Tata McGraw Hills Publication page 13.

7.Harvard Business Review Article 2020, (hbr.org/topic/cross-cultural-management), hbr.org/topic/cross-cultural-management, Cultural differences are more complicated than what country you are from – by Molinsky / Working for Chinese and Indian companies overseas: human resource challenges and the nation’s brand by Masood Chand (Assistant Professor of International Business in the Department of Management at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas)

8.5a & 5b - Article in Knowledge at Wharton 2021 “Indian Consumer Good firms go shopping abroad, will it work? Getting under the skin of consumers: The middle east market has been a learning process for Marico.” Page 2-4

9.Knowledge at Wharton (University of Pennsylvania) articles (http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu). Indian Consumer Good firms go shopping abroad, will it work? Getting under the skin of consumers: The Middle East market has been a learning process for Marico. Marico getting under the skin of consumers in international markets : an example of cross culture management in international marketing by an Indian company.

10.Harvard Business Review Article(hbr.org/topic/cross-cultural-management), hbr.org/topic/cross-cultural-management, Cultural differences are more complicated than what country you are from – by Molinsky / Working for Chinese and Indian companies overseas: human resource challenges and the nation’s brand by Masood Chand (Assistant Professor of International Business in the Department of Management at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas)

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Published

2026-02-06