Unlocking Global Success: The Role of Cultural Intelligence and International Experience in Enhancing Expatriates’ Adjustment and Well-Being

In today's increasingly interconnected world, the psychological well-being of expatriates remains a critical concern for organizations. This research analyzes the impact of informal field-based learning (IFBL) and expatriate leadership behaviors on increasing expatriate adjustment and well-being. Grounded in established theoretical models and extensive literature on cultural intelligence (CQ) and international experience, this study investigates the effect of CQ and international experience on expatriate performance; it employs a cross-sectional research method to administer questionnaires to the participants – Chinese expatriates working with Sinosteel Construction & Development Co. Ltda in Bolivia. Data was analyzed using SPSS and Hayes Process macro. Results show that IFBL has a large and highly significant positive impact on expatriate adjustment and psychological well-being. Furthermore, expatriate adjustment partially moderates the IFBL and well-being link, such that the relationship is stronger for those with higher IFBL scores. The study also looks at moderation effects, discovering that expatriate international experience (EIE) boosts the relationship between IFBL and adjustment. Thus, it has been determined that CQ does not exert a significant moderating effect on this relationship. Therefore, it provides useful suggestions to those multinational firms that want to improve their expatriate practices and policies. The current study proposes that organizations can enhance expatriate adjustment and organizational effectiveness by drawing attention to the role of informal learning and accenting the value of CQ, which can enhance the performance and well-being of expatriates.