Maximizing Human Capital by Developing Multicultural Competence

Multicultural competence, defined as an understanding of international business and social relations plus the attitudes, skills, and special knowledge necessary to apply it, is identified as an emerging component of human capital in the global economy. This article documents the growing demand for multicultural competence, describes the course content and advisor activities that have been recommended to develop this capacity, and comments on the limits and inherent dangers of providing multicultural exposure to everyone. The article also identifies new roles, such as that of a “culture broker,” which characterize the global economy. Academic advisors are urged to help students maximize their human capital by adding multicultural competence skills as part of their formal education.