Empirical research in intercultural communication competence: a review and recommendation

The complex nature of intercultural communication competence continues to prove to be a methodological challenge to the researcher. There are conceptual (e.g., how intercultural communication competence is operationalised) and methodological (e.g., construct biases, instrument validation, etc.) considerations to be addressed. This paper reviews empirical research in intercultural communication competence with the purpose of highlighting these considerations, identifies recent positive developments in instrument validation and theoretical approaches, and recommends a culture-general approach to intercultural communication competence for research in the future.