The multinational corporation as a multilingual organization
- 1 October 2006
- journal article
- Published by Emerald in Corporate Communications: An International Journal
- Vol. 11 (4), 406-423
- https://doi.org/10.1108/13563280610713879
Abstract
Purpose – This paper seeks to explore the use of common corporate language(s) in multinational corporations (MNCs). These organizations are usually multilingual and characterized by high language diversity. Parallel streams of literature in international management and international business communications are built upon to problematize the notion of a common corporate language. Design/methodology/approach – Information gathered from 36 personal interviews of the German-based multinational Siemens is the primary source of data for this case study. The interviews were conducted in three different languages in three different organizational units of Siemens AG in Finland and Germany. Findings – It was possible to identify powerful interplay between two languages – German and English – and to uncover discrepancies between company policy and employee practices with regard to language use. On the basis of these findings, the challenges of managing language in multinationals are discussed. Originality/value – Argues that a common corporate language may not be as widely shared within the firm as the term suggests, given the multilingual nature of most multinationals, variation in the language proficiency of their employees, and the level of analysis used in previous research.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Language Fluency, Socialization and Inter-Unit Relationships in Chinese and Finnish SubsidiariesManagement and Organization Review, 2007
- The multinational corporation as a multilingual community: Language and organization in a global contextJournal of International Business Studies, 2006
- English as a lingua franca in Nordic corporate mergers: Two case companiesEnglish for Specific Purposes, 2005
- The role of language skills in corporate communicationCorporate Communications: An International Journal, 2004
- Siemens CEO Heinrich von Pierer on cross-border acquisitionsAcademy of Management Perspectives, 2002
- Business discourse: Old debates, new horizonsInternational Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 2002
- The Persistent Impact of Language on Global OperationsPrometheus, 2001
- Adopting a common corporate language: IHRM implicationsThe International Journal of Human Resource Management, 1999
- Social Mobility and Language Use in an American Company in JapanJournal of Language and Social Psychology, 1987
- Qualitative Data Analysis: A Sourcebook of New MethodsEducational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 1986