International Business Research; Vol. 11, No. 2; 2018 ISSN 1913-9004 E-ISSN 1913-9012 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 116 Willingness to Learn: Cultural Intelligence Effect on Perspective Taking and Multicultural Creativity Diana R. Castañeda 1 , Aihua Huang 1 & Ahuitz R. Avalos 2 1 School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China 2 School of Economics and Management, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China Correspondence: Diana R. Castañeda, School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, ZP 510641. Received: December 6, 2017 Accepted: January 4, 2018 Online Published: January 8, 2018 doi:10.5539/ibr.v11n2p116 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v11n2p116 Abstract Technological development has intensified interconnectivity in the global sphere creating highly diverse markets and workplaces making increasingly challenging for contemporary organizations to manage culturally diverse environments while benefiting from t hem. Hence, fostering employees’ ability to produce both novel and useful ideas within cross-cultural environments has gained enormous importance. This research attempts to better understand the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ), perspective taking, and multicultural creativity. Data analysis from a causal, descriptive, non-experimental network survey, containing a remote associates test, supports the proposed theoretical framework in which cultural intelligence has an influence on the relationship between perspective taking and the individuals’ capability of drawing upon knowledge from distinct cultures. The results of the study show that two dimensions of cultural intelligence, motivational CQ and behavioral CQ, positively influence individuals’ multicultural creativity. These findings have positive implications when facing the urgent necessity of cross-cultural collaboration. Keywords: creativity, cultural intelligence, multicultural environment, multicultural experience, multicultural creativity, perspective taking 1. Introduction Due to technological developments as well as pressure from globalization processes, workplaces have become more culturally diverse and interdependence has greatly contributed to diversify markets since organizations have to deal with stakeholders from diverse cultural backgrounds. Globalization has also swelled the idea of belonging to a world which is systematic and where we all share common concerns, such as climate change. This unprecedented facet of multiculturalism as well as the increased interconnectivity among individuals, make organizations more dependable on employees’ creative ideas, especially those that come from multicultural environments since they can particularly better respond to the complexity of present-day markets as well as enrich the organization’s knowledge base. For instance, the Global Innovation Index of 2016 revealed that innovations call for more international collaboration, not only to enhance creativity but also to expand the scope of innovation (Cornell University, INSEAD, & WIPO, 2016). Amabile (1983) defined creativity as the development of ideas that are both novel and useful. However, this study focuses on creativity that requires drawing on knowledge from various cultures, which is known as multicultural creativity (Chua, 2013). Indeed, scholars have proven that a multiculturally diverse environment has a positive influence on creativity (Leung, Maddux, Galinsky, & Chiu, 2008; Maddux, Adam, & Galinsky, 2010). This type of creativity, as it includes generated knowledge from distinct cultures, has achieved a certain complexity degree that responds to the inherent necessities of multicultural environments as wells as to the demands of the current worldwide context. However, it is imperative to note that intercultural work environments do not always lead to the creation of novel and useful ideas and even sometimes obstruct the creative process (Chua, 2013). This is mainly because tensions and conflicts unavoidably take place as organizations become more culturally diverse (Jehn & Mannix, 2001). For instance, scholars have demonstrated that experiencing indirect cross-cultural tensions and conflicts in a