Innovative horizons: the role of cultural intelligence in encouraging constructive deviance and the mediating role of employee engagement in hotels

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of cultural intelligence on employee engagement and constructive deviant behavior in the workplace. It also captures the moderating role of organizational support in the relationship between employee engagement and constructive deviance. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a questionnaire ( n = 416) from hotel industry employees using a convenience sampling approach. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The results suggest that cultural intelligence has a significant positive relationship with constructive deviance, and employee engagement also mediates this relationship between cultural intelligence and constructive deviance. Practical implications Drawing on the findings of this study, we offer several practical implications for practitioners. We suggest that organizations should invest in training programs that may help employees increase their knowledge, skills and attitudes toward different cultures; in doing so, employees may develop a sense of inclusivity and appreciation for diverse cultures. Originality/value First, by concentrating on those working in the hotel industry, this study offers a more effective explanatory perspective on the social cognitive theory for future research. Second, this study explored hotel workers' constructive deviations, particularly in non-Western contexts.