How Openness and Conscientiousness Shape Project Outcomes in International Remote Projects: The Mediating Role of Cultural Intelligence

Abstract

This study examines how project managers’ openness to experience and conscientiousness influence team and client outcomes in international remote projects through the mediating role of cultural intelligence (CQ). Drawing on Trait Activation Theory (TAT), we argue that these traits are selectively translated into culturally adaptive capabilities because they provide the cognitive flexibility and systematic discipline that support cultural adaptation. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with 250 project managers, we find that CQ fully mediates the effects of both traits on project team impact and partially mediates the effect of conscientiousness on project client impact. These findings support a selective mediation perspective, showing that only traits aligned with the demands of cultural learning are translated into culturally adaptive project outcomes, with implications for how organizations select and develop project managers for culturally diverse international projects.