Multilingualism in International Business

2022 ◽  
pp. 858-879
Author(s):  
Libi Shen
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
International Business ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Corporate Communications ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Technology Advancement

Language situations vary in different nations. In some countries, a variety of languages are spoken; in others, a single language is used. People who have the linguistic competence to speak several languages are multilingual. What role does multilingualism play in multinational corporations? Is multilingualism a problem or a solution for international business? Does English as a lingua franca play a role in international business? How business leaders react to multilingualism or Englishization? Opinions are divided. Multilingualism has been the focus of interest in recent decades due to globalization, tourism, technology advancement, international trade, and so forth. Language barriers and linguistic diversity surfaced which may impact corporate communications in international business. Specific language policies might be needed for corporate communications. The aims of this chapter are to explore the roles of multilingualism and Englishization in international business, and to seek approaches for better corporate communications. Associated issues and problems as well as solutions and recommendations will be explored and discussed.

Multilingualism in International Business

2019 ◽  
pp. 178-206
Author(s):  
Libi Shen
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
International Business ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Business Leaders ◽  
Linguistic Competence ◽  
Corporate Communications ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Specific Language ◽  
Technology Advancement

Language situations vary in different nations. In some countries, a variety of languages are spoken; in others, a single language is used. People who have the linguistic competence to speak several languages are multilingual. What role does multilingualism play in multinational corporations? Is multilingualism a problem or a solution for international business? Does English as a lingua franca play a role in international business? How business leaders react to multilingualism or Englishization? Opinions are divided. Multilingualism has been the focus of interest in recent decades due to globalization, tourism, technology advancement, international trade, and so forth. Language barriers and linguistic diversity surfaced which may impact corporate communications in international business. Specific language policies might be needed for corporate communications. The aims of this chapter are to explore the roles of multilingualism and Englishization in international business, and to seek approaches for better corporate communications. Associated issues and problems as well as solutions and recommendations will be explored and discussed.

scholarly journals Developing shared communication practices: A study of BELF in multinational team meetings

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-153
Author(s):  
Tone Holt Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Cultural And Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Team Meetings ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Language Research ◽  
Communication Practices

AbstractA growing number of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) adopt English as their official corporate language. Research on English used as a business lingua franca (BELF) in such contexts shows how its use is negotiated, context dependent, and influenced by cultural and linguistic diversity. Multinational teams (MNTs) are legion within MNCs, and need to find efficient ways of communicating across their diversity, in particular in demanding and complex interactions such as meetings. This case study uses non-participant observation and interviews to study how one MNT has developed shared BELF communication practices for meetings. It examines the BELF communication practices in both the MNC context and at the team level. The analysis of the data shows that team members were highly aware of the challenges posed by cultural and linguistic diversity, and how they developed their local communication practices by processes of developing common ground, building trust, and good leadership.

Middle East luxury retail sector – opportunities or uncertainties in the future?

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-39
Author(s):  
Roger Moser ◽  
Gopalakrishnan Narayanamurthy
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
International Business ◽  
Market Entry ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Senior Executive ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Future

Subject area The subject area is international business and global operations. Study level/applicability The study includes BSc, MSc and MBA students and management trainees who are interested in learning how an industry can be assessed to make a decision on market entry/expansion. Even senior management teams could be targeted in executive education programs, as this case provides a detailed procedure and methodology that is also used by companies (multinational corporations and small- and medium-sized enterprises) to develop strategies on corporate and functional levels. Case overview A group of five senior executive teams of different Swiss luxury and lifestyle companies wanted to enter the Middle East market. To figure out the optimal market entry and operating strategies, the senior executive team approached the Head of the Swiss Business Hub Middle East of Switzerland Global Enterprise, Thomas Meier, in December 2012. Although being marked with great potential and an over-proportional growth, the Middle Eastern luxury market contained impediments that international firms had to take into consideration. Therefore, Thomas had to analyze the future outlook for this segment of the Middle East retail sector to develop potential strategies for the five different Swiss luxury and lifestyle companies to potentially operate successfully in the Middle East luxury and lifestyle market. Expected learning outcomes The study identifies barriers and operations challenges especially for Swiss and other foreign luxury and lifestyle retailers in the Middle East, understands the future (2017) institutional environment of the luxury and lifestyle retail sector in the Middle East and applies the institutions-resources matrix in the context of a Swiss company to evaluate the uncertainties prevailing in the Middle East luxury and lifestyle retail sector. It helps in turning insights about future developments in an industry (segment) into consequences for the corporate and functional strategies of a company. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 5: International Business.

scholarly journals The Language Features and Translation of Business Contracts

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. p42
Author(s):  
Li Chunying
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
International Business ◽  
Foreign Relations ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Chinese Economy ◽  
Business Contract ◽  
Reform And Opening Up ◽  
Opening Up

Since the reform and opening up policy was adopted, Chinese economy has been keeping on developing with high speed, so as to its international trade. Therefore, English business contracts are widely used in the foreign economic and trade activities. However, we also find that there are still many foreign-related economic disputes which mainly caused by the ambiguity of translation happening in these trades. Due to the unclear rules of the parties’ obligations and rights, the improper translation of the contract, the meaning vague and the loose broad, the parties are tracked in this situation where any part of them could intentionally or unintentionally exploited a contractual loophole to avoid responsibility and obligation, which would lead to a dispute. The distortion of translation can lead to the fuzziness and uncertainty of contract which can be easily exploited by commercial fraud to evade responsibility; this situation is happened in reality and practice which has negative impact on foreign relations and trade. In order to make the business activities carried out more effectively, this article will discuss it mainly from the perspective of lexical characteristics and translation principal of business contract in order to make the translation be more accurate to benefit international business trade.

scholarly journals Tourism and international business: The theoretical approach and practical experiences

2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-37
Author(s):  
Dobrica Jovicic ◽  
Marko Stojiljkovic
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
International Business ◽  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Tourism Research ◽  
Theoretical Concepts ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Transnational Companies ◽  
Practical Experiences

The paper discusses the relationships between tourism and international business. The research is based upon combining various theoretical concepts, significant empirical experiences and own attitudes of the authors. The key conclusion of the paper is that, despite of the partial progress in understanding tourism businesses, the relationships between tourism and international business need additional stimulus. In other words, more complete research in the related domains is needed in future. Any understanding of tourism is inadequate without appreciating the contributions that international business might bring, yet at the same time international business is incomplete in its coverage of international trade unless tourism is considered. The consumption-driven agenda of much tourism research has been favoured over supply-side discourses of the production process it self. That is why the role of major transnational companies, setting the trends that other types of firms in the tourism sector follow is focused in the paper.

scholarly journals Review International Trade Includes Business Strategy and the Role of International Organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Johnwey Andelekke ◽  
Mkamzee Gichuru
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
International Business ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
National Economy ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Economic Trends

The aim of this article is to include an overview of international business, with a particular emphasis on strategic international business and organizations. This evolution is mostly attributed to the advancement in research and tracking technologies, which are expanding in lockstep with the evolving attitudes and thoughts of increasingly evolved humans. As a part of this transformational phase, nations must collaborate on both national and regional levels. The aim of this article is to include an overview of international business, with a particular emphasis on strategic international business and organizations. No such thing as a pure national economy exists. The majority of the planet is much too large to dismiss as a consumer or a rival. As a result, we are obligated to educate students about foreign perspectives in order for them to comprehend global economic trends.

Globalisation and the dilemmas of international trade unionism

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Gumbrell-McCormick
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Global Economy ◽  
Trade Union Movement ◽  
Labour Movement ◽  
Trade Unionism ◽  
Union Movement ◽  
Economic Developments

This article presents the author's reflections on the possibilities of a restructuring of the international trade union movement, on the basis of a collective research project to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) which seeks to open a debate within the movement over the lessons to be learned from its history as a guide for its future action. The most important question facing the trade union movement today is what is generally called 'globalisation', a phenomenon that goes back many years, both in terms of economic developments and labour struggles. From this perspective, the paper examines the basis for the existing divisions of the international labour movement, before going over the work of the ICFTU and of the International Trade Secretariats (ITSs) to achieve the regulation of the multinational corporations and of the international economy, and concluding on the prospects for unity of action in the unions' work around the global economy.

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