Shifting the faultlines of language: A quantitative functional-level exploration of language use in MNC subsidiaries

Barner‐Rasmussen, Wilhelm; Aarnio, Christoffer

doi:10.1016/j.jwb.2010.07.006

Cited by 133 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Critical contributions used the notion of "linguistic imperialism" to understand how language can be a hegemonic force shaping bodies of knowledge impacting on (management) knowledge workers themselves (Tietze & Dick, 2013). 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).…”

Section: Recent Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

2014

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Language lies at the heart of international business (IB) activities, yet language as a key construct in the field of IB has not been sufficiently articulated or theorized. Language presents itself in forms such as national, corporate, technical or electronic, in functions in terms of defining hierarchies, exercising power or facilitating integration and in features such as the use of mixed syntax or gendermarking. Understanding the complex interplay between the multiple facets of language and how they affect day-to-day operations is becoming increasingly critical to global business effectiveness. The purpose of this special issue is, therefore, to catalyze and set a course for the development of a new domain in IB scholarship originating from an explicit focus on language.

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Section: Recent Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

2014

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“…Marschan-Piekkari, Welch & Welch, 1999b; and asymmetries in language fluency may contribute to the emergence of different organizational factions (Hinds, Neeley & Cramton, 2013). As language fluency often correlates with age, occupational position and organizational level (Barner-Rasmussen & Aarnio, 2011;Fredriksson, Barner-Rasmussen & Piekkari, 2007;Heikkilä & Smale, 2011), the effects of a shift in the language regime are unequally distributed.…”

Section: Language In An International Business Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

How non-native English-speaking staff are evaluated in linguistically diverse organizations: A sociolinguistic perspective

Śliwa

Johansson

2014

J Int Bus Stud

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The aim of this paper is to examine the effects of evaluations of non-native speaking staff's spoken English in international business settings. We adopt a sociolinguistic perspective on power and inequalities in linguistically diverse organizations in an Anglophone environment. The interpretive qualitative study draws on 54 interviews with non-native English speaking staff in 19 UK business schools. We analyze, along the dimensions of status, solidarity and dynamism, the ways in which nonnative speakers, on the basis of their spoken English, are evaluated by themselves and by listeners.We show how such evaluations refer to issues beyond the speaker's linguistic fluency, and have consequences for her or his actions. The study contributes to the literature on language and power in international business through offering fine-grained insights into and elucidating how the interconnected evaluative processes impact the formation and perpetuation of organizational power relations and inequalities. It also puts forward implications for managing the officially monolingual, yet linguistically diverse organizations.

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“…Even the few studies that included a larger number of MNCs (e.g. Barner-Rasmussen & Aarnio, 2011;Harzing, Köster & Magner, 2011) focused only on specific language pairs, such as German and Japanese, or looked at just one home country language, such as Finnish.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hablas vielleicht un peu la mia language?A comprehensive overview of the role of language differences in headquarters–subsidiary communication

Harzing

Pudelko

2013

The International Journal of Human Resource Management

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The management of human resources in headquarters (HQ)-subsidiary relationships requires intensive communication, but effective communication often depends on having a shared language. Hence, language differences can be a serious threat to the successful management of human resources in multinational corporations (MNCs). In this large-scale quantitative study, encompassing data from more than 800 subsidiaries in thirteen countries, we investigated four related issues. First, in terms of the importance of language differences, we found that HQ-subsidiary relationships are clearly affected by language differences and that the latter form a distance category of their own, which should not be subsumed under the related, but separate concept of cultural differences. Second, regarding the consequences of language differences for communication outcomes, we found that a lack of a shared language is associated with misunderstanding, conflict and parallel information networks which could harm HQ-subsidiary interactions. Third, with regard to the impact of language differences on communication methods, we found that a lack of a shared language is associated with a significantly lower level of oral (face-to-face and phone) communication, but not written communication. Fourth, and finally, in terms of a potential solution to communication problems caused by language differences, we found that expatriates can facilitate both communication and knowledge transfer between HQ and subsidiaries.

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Shifting the faultlines of language: A quantitative functional-level exploration of language use in MNC subsidiaries

Cited by 133 publications

References 23 publications

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

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

How non-native English-speaking staff are evaluated in linguistically diverse organizations: A sociolinguistic perspective

Hablas vielleicht un peu la mia language?A comprehensive overview of the role of language differences in headquarters–subsidiary communication

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