Most existing models of intercultural competence
have been fairly fragmented. Typically the literature
is reviewed and a list of skills, abilities, and attitudes
is formulated to summarize the literature
(Spitzberg & Cupach, 1989). Such lists appear on
the surface to reflect useful guidelines for competent
interaction and adaptation. For example,
Spitzberg's (1989) review of studies, along with
other more recent studies, produces the partial list
in Table 1. While each study portrays a reasonable
list of abilities or attitudes, there is no sense of integration
or coherence across lists. It is impossible
to tell which skills are most important in which situations,
or even how such skills relate to each
other.