Cultural intelligence as a catalyst for global competitiveness: The role of opportunity recognition and language distance in hotel brand success

Abstract

As the tourism and hospitality industries rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, brand international competitiveness has emerged as a critical priority for global hotels operating in an increasingly competitive landscape. Grounded in opportunity recognition theory and dynamic capabilities theory, this study proposes a conceptual model to investigate how organizational cultural intelligence enhances hotel brand competitiveness and examines the mediating role of international opportunity recognition and the moderating effect of language distance within the context of Chinese multinational hotels. Findings reveal that while uneven language distance across host countries can disrupt cultural intelligence and impede brand competitiveness, this negative impact is mitigated by the hotel’s unique international opportunity recognition framework. By integrating management psychology with brand construction practices, this study underscores the dynamic interplay among cultural intelligence, opportunity recognition, and language distance in driving global brand success, providing actionable insights for hotels aiming to bolster their international competitiveness in culturally diverse markets.