Localize or local lies? The power of language and translation in the multinational corporation

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to previous research on intraorganizational power in multinational corporations (MNCs). It shows that a subsidiary manager may use language and acts of translation to resist control from headquarters and to (re)define his and his unit’s power position in a headquarters-subsidiary relationship. It also uncovers the interplay between natural languages and “company speak” as a specialized language. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a single case study of a European MNC undergoing strategic change. The data were drawn from company documents, personal interviews and focus group discussions. Findings – The findings show that actors at both headquarters and in the focal subsidiary employed language and translation to exercise power over meanings; headquarters exerted control over “mindsets” and practices, while subsidiaries responded by resisting these meaning systems. The authors argue that the crossing of language boundaries offers a window onto shifting power positions and micro-politics in the MNC. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to a single translation act in a focal headquarters-subsidiary relationship. Practical implications – From the managerial perspective, any process of communication in a multilingual context needs to be sensitive to power (re)definitions associated with language and translation. Originality/value – This study sheds light on translation as a political act and hidden activity in the MNC.

Let’s Talk about Language: A Review of Language‐Sensitive Research in International Management

“…Corporate‐specific language use is aptly illustrated by what international management scholars label as ‘company speak,’ which consists of specific company‐related words, phrases, and acronyms (e.g. Logemann and Piekkari, ). Such company speak may have a significant role in increasing shared understanding and subsidiary power in the strategic change process of the MNC (Logemann and Piekkari, ).…”

The multifaceted role of language in international business: Unpacking the forms, functions and features of a critical challenge to MNC theory and performance

“…Thematically, the relationship between the English language as a dominant language over "other" languages has been researched, raising issues of dominance and the hierarchizing of relationships by language ability (Barner-Rasmussen & Aarnio, 2011;Heikkilä & Smale, 2011;Steyaert et al, 2011). Most recently, the field has begun to employ cultural and political models of translation to understand the transformation of meaning in global contexts (Janssens et al, 2004;Logemann & Piekkari, forthcoming;Piekkari, Welch, Welch, Peltonen, & Vesa, 2013).…”

From Translation to Organization to International Business: an Academic No Man’s Land

“…on the efficiency of given options, or on the power of discourse and translation (Logemann;Piekkari, 2015), i.e. on internal (and external) conflicts of position.…”

“…As suggested by colleagues from the neighboring discipline, chances are that the specific "translatological" observation has a lot to say about the dynamics of discourse in this new world of globalizing communication, e.g. about "local lies" (Logemann;Piekkari, 2015). In specific cultures (or cultural subareas) the future development and the continuity of discourse may be(come) unintelligible without a systematic survey of trends, currents, models in translation.…”