Intercultural communication effectiveness, cultural intelligence and knowledge sharing: Extending anxiety-uncertainty management theory

We extend the conceptualization of Anxiety-Uncertainty Management theory to include an intercultural capability in the form of cultural intelligence (CQ) and by linking intercultural communication effectiveness to knowledge sharing. Specifically, we formulate a moderated- mediation model and test the model using survey data collected from employees working in intercultural contexts in Australia (n = 285). Results show that anxiety is significantly and negatively related to knowledge sharing. Similarly, results demonstrate that uncertainty is significantly and negatively related to knowledge sharing. Results of the moderated-mediation analysis using the PROCESS approach show that intercultural communication effectiveness mediates the abovementioned relationships and that the first stages of mediation (i.e., anxiety-intercultural communication effectiveness and uncertainty-intercultural communication effectiveness relationships) are moderated by CQ. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.