How does your cultural intelligence contribute to your adjustment? Unveiling the link between cultural intelligence and cross-cultural adjustment using meta-analysis Chhaya Mani Tripathi School of Management Studies, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Prayagraj, India Rahul Pratap Singh Kaurav FORE School of Management, New Delhi, India, and Tripti Singh School of Management Studies, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Prayagraj, India Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and cross-cultural adjustment (CCA) using meta-analytic methods. The paper serves a dual purpose as it critically examines the CQ-CCA literature and provides summary effects using meta-analysis to determine how CQ and its facets affect CCA and its three dimensions. Design/methodology/approach – A meta-analysis of 77 studies involving 18,399 participants was conducted to obtain the summary effects. The studies reporting the relationship of CQ and/or its facets with CCA or any of its dimensions were included in the analysis. Findings – Results revealed that CQ (overall) and all individual CQs were positively and significantly related to CCA and its three subdimensions. Although CQ (overall) had a strong effect on CCA and moderate to strong effects on all the subdimensions of CCA, the strongest effect size was measured for the relationship of motivational CQ with CCA. Not only this, when individual CQs’ relationships were assessed with the individual adjustment dimensions, the motivational aspect of CQ happened to be the most influencing factor, having a close to strong effect on interaction adjustment. Research limitations/implications – Since the study combines the results from numerous empirical research conducted over time, it avoids the limitations that an individual study has, which is carried out at a single point in time and on a limited sample. Originality/value – This study adds to the academic research by critically reviewing the CQ-CCA literature. It also works as a guiding map for future research in the area. The study highlights the summary effects for each association between CQ and CCA and their dimensions, elucidating the mixed findings reported in previous research. Keywords Cultural intelligence, Cross-cultural adjustment, Meta-analysis, Summary effect Paper type Literature review 1. Introduction The increasing globalisation and the need to interact with people from different cultural backgrounds have made cultural intelligence (CQ) imperative to the success of individuals CQ and adjustment: a meta-analysis 167 The infrastructural support provided by FORE School of Management, New Delhi, in completing this article is gratefully acknowledged. Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies. The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2049-8799.htm Received 19 January 2023 Revised 26 May 2023 1 September 2023 25 October 2023 Accepted 26 October 2023 Journal of Global Mobility: The Home of Expatriate Management Research Vol. 12 No. 1, 2024 pp. 167-197 © Emerald Publishing Limited 2049-8799 DOI 10.1108/JGM-01-2023-0006