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Source publication
The principal aim of this paper is to explore the impact of language on communication within large and geographically dispersed multinationals. Much of the earlier research emphasizes the importance of horizontal communication and team building as control and coordination mechanism in such organizations: yet the role of language is often forgotten....
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... a Finnish middle man- ager, fluent in both English and Spanish, acted as a language intermediary for his superiors. The role of the translator not only allowed this manager to gain access to sensitive information, but also placed the middle manager in a powerful gatekeeper role, to an extent not usually found at his lower hierarchical position. Fig. 1 depicts the different types and combinations of language fluency that may be found in a given subsidiary. Clearly, there are wider combinations than those shown-for example, when the broader extent of subsidiaries, and thereby languages, is included. However, this depiction does provide a basis for exploring different paths of ...
Context 2
... wider combinations than those shown-for example, when the broader extent of subsidiaries, and thereby languages, is included. However, this depiction does provide a basis for exploring different paths of language-based communication patterns and influence within the MNC. The Finnish middle manager in Mexico, for instance, occupied Position 1 in Fig. 1, with all three relevant languages-parent (Finnish), company (English) and subsidiary (Spanish): a combination of languages that delivered a powerful communication node position. In general, communication clusters tended to emerge around multilingual staff ...
Citations
... Within the discipline of international business (IB), the domain of language-sensitive work is a relatively young field, which became established after the pioneering work of Marschan et al. (1997), Marschan-Piekkari et al., (1999a, 1999b. Over the past two decades, there has been enormous growth within the field, with scholars investigating a range of topics related to language in the workplace, such as multilingual teams (Henderson, 2005;Tenzer & Pudelko, 2017), knowledge transfer (Holden and Von Kortzfleisch, 2004), expatriation (Vulchanov, 2020), leadership (Tenzer & Pudelko, 2015), and social identity (Lauring, 2007). ...
... Furthermore, there is an emerging body of literature on language and organisations which considers the micropolitics of language choices and the power dimensions of corporate language policies. Marschan-Piekkari et al. (1999b) first pointed out that corporate language policies can lead to employees constructing themselves as superior or inferior based on linguistic proficiency. Since then a range of studies have further explored these processes. ...
Although there is now a substantial body of literature exploring the effects of language diversity in international management contexts, little attention has been paid to the ethical dimensions of language diversity at work. This conceptual paper draws on the concept of epistemic injustice in order to explore how language, and in particular corporate language policies, may act as a source of epistemic injustice within the workplace. It demonstrates how language competence affects credibility judgements about a speaker, and also considers how corporate language policies can create situations of hermeneutic injustice, in which marginalised groups are denied the vocabularies to understand their own experiences. Finally, ways in which such epistemic harms can be reduced are discussed, and the possibilities for management education to create epistemically responsible managers are highlighted.
... In the case of local females, neither their embeddedness in culture, nor their familiarity with local norms and values or language, was able to offset the lack of local experience. This stands in contrast to prior findings on the role of language and communication in power structures (Marshan-Piekkari et al., 1999). Whether this effect is driven by the supply or demand sides remains unclear. ...
Purpose
The purposes of this paper are to delve into the “liability of foreignness” among immigrants and to explore factors that may enhance or moderate such liability while obtaining jobs in host countries. We explore the competition for jobs in a host country among foreign-born individuals from various backgrounds and local residents, by examining such factors as their human capital, as well as, for the foreign-born, their duration of residence in the host country.
Design/methodology/approach
Applying configurational theorizing, we propose that the presence of specific human capital can help reduce the challenges associated with the “liability of foreignness” for migrants who have shorter durations of stay in the host country, and, to a lesser extent, for female migrants. Our study draws upon extensive career data spanning several decades and involving 249 employees within a Danish multinational enterprise.
Findings
We find that specific human capital helps established immigrants in general, although female immigrants are more vulnerable. We furthermore find a strong “gender liability” in the industry even for local females, including returnees in the host countries. Our findings suggest that for immigrants, including returnees, career building requires a mix of right human capital and tenure in the host country, and that career building is especially challenging for female immigrants.
Originality/value
While the concept of “liability of foreignness” – focussing on discrimination faced by immigrants in the labour market – has been brought to the fore, a notable gap exists in empirical research pertaining to studies aiming at disentangling potential means to overcome such liability, as well as in studies seeking to explore this issue from a stance of gendered experience.
... It then presents an exploratory study conducted with six interview partners in the Italian food production sector. Drawing on Ehrenreich's (2011) adaptation of Schneider's (2007) Dynamic Model of Postcolonial English for conceptualising developments in the globalizing corporate world, we examine the role of language and talent management from the perspective of HR managers and to code-switching into other languages, information asymmetries or power-authority distortions, and inefficient decision-making processes (Aichhorn & Puck, 2017;Brannen et al., 2014;Harzing et al., 2011;Harzing & Feely, 2008;Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1999;Neeley, 2013;Peltokorpi & Vaara, 2014;Sanden, 2020). On the other hand, diverse languages and cultures can reduce decision biases, as researchers have suggested that the cognitive distance of processing information in a foreign language mitigates the effect of manipulative framing (Keysar et al., 2012) and heuristic biases (Volk et al., 2014). ...
... Though few in number, studies across Anglophone and non-Anglophone contexts have found that competence in multiple languages brings both indirect advantages in the form of access to power structures and information (Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1999) and concrete financial benefits (Damari et al., 2017;Gazzola et al., 2019;Isphording, 2013;Liwiński, 2019). Much of the existing research does not distinguish between mother tongues and learned foreign languages and is conducted in migration studies or in officially bi-or trilingual regions such as the Basque country (Isphording, 2013). ...
... Most of these figures are calculated in terms of quantifiable sales/export potential, thus focusing on external communication with foreign clients or suppliers. Nevertheless, the qualitative research mentioned in the previous section (Aichhorn & Puck, 2017;Harzing & Feely, 2008;Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1999;Neeley, 2013;Peltokorpi & Vaara, 2014;Sanden, 2020) reporting on internal communication suggests that lacking sufficient language skills can also present challenges within companies, particularly in terms of accessing higher levels of management. ...
The rise in cross-border business in recent decades has led to changes in corporate and working languages and a corresponding surge in research. At the same time, the field of strategic and global talent management has also developed rapidly, but to date has not included language. This paper calls for the integration of language training as a key element of strategic talent management in MNCs. A small-scale interview study with employees from three large Italian companies reveals a broad range of approaches to language and talent management, suggesting there is an urgent need for further cross-case research. The results also show that (a) while English is gaining rapidly in importance, especially at corporate/senior management levels, Italian still plays a central role in some companies; (b) language skills are perceived as bringing added value to employees and companies and can be seen as crucial to the expansion process; and (c) talent management plays an important role in attracting and retaining excellent employees but appears to still be in its infancy in Italy. We therefore argue that strategic talent management urgently needs to be better understood and implemented, and should include proactive language training.
... Upon arrival, however, the new hire may find that the local language dominates everyday interactions, with limited translation and reduced access to (informal) information compared to their native-speaking peers. This phenomenon has been empirically researched in different organizations (see e.g., Marschan-Piekkari, Welch, & Welch, 1999). ...
Information technology has been shown to support organizations' diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. However, the role of language as a dimension of diversity has often been overlooked, especially for highly-skilled migrants joining organizations in non-Anglophone countries where English serves as the corporate language. Through 25 interviews at the Finnish branch of an international professional service firm, we investigate how these individuals navigate language barriers in both physical and virtual workspaces, with particular focus on coping strategies to language barriers after the COVID-induced transition to full virtual work. We find a dual effect of virtual work on inclusion: while linguistic minorities may reduce their short-term emotional strain in virtual settings, they may also increasingly detach from the majority group in the long run. These findings challenge the prevailing assumption that technology universally overcomes hidden barriers, emphasizing the necessity for tailored DEI-initiatives that consider the individual needs of different minority groups.
... Experiences of exclusion in workplace can have a significant impact on individual's job satisfaction, productivity and overall well-being. Marschan-Piekkari et al. (1999a) studied employees' performance by sampling multinational enterprise based in Finland, their findings show that the Finnish employee group felt empowered than non-Finish employee group in decision-making; participating in work-related activities. On the other hand, the non-finish group experienced disconnection and exclusion (Marschan-Piekkari, et al., 1999b). ...
Exclusion takes many forms, which can be based on factors relating to an individual’s identity or background. Discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability are some common forms of exclusion that can significantly impact individuals’ lives, both personally and professionally. In this pilot study, we explore the career prospects of migrant academics and learn more about their opportunities and challenges. We focus on experiences of ten migrant academics’ working at British and Finnish higher education institutions (HEI) across six categories, i.e. recruitment, promotion, teaching, research, leadership, and networks. While most of the interviewees felt ‘disempowered’ in relation to recruitment, promotion, leadership, and network building, the results were mixed for teaching and research. We believe our evidence-based interventions can help HEIs, researchers, and policymakers work together to support migrant academics navigate through their careers.
... The ultimate result is that blue-collar workers and service assistants for whom the corporate language, English, is a barrier, suffer from a lack of access to basic work-related information and may therefore be excluded in specific work situations. These findings coincide with previous research which demonstrates how individuals with weak competence in the corporate language are found to be excluded from information networks, communication flows and decision-making processes (Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1999a;Tange and Lauring, 2009), and experience restricted involvement in social interactions . ...
Language is now firmly on the research agenda for international business and management. However, although attention is now being given to the effects of language on social interactions, rather than purely focusing on language as a matter of strategic priority, there is relatively little known about how language contributes to Othering processes in which employees experience marginalisation and exclusion as a result of evaluations of their linguistic competences. This conceptual paper highlights a number of ways in which linguistic evaluations drive such processes, and particularly draws on postcolonial perspectives in order to explore language as a tool of marginalisation and oppression. We demonstrate that language is closely tied to ideological constructions of the ideal worker, and highlight that English-language competence in particular, is often positioned as an essential skill for managerial roles, which can lead to exclusion of those who do not confirm to this expectation. Additionally, we draw on research which explores language as a key component of social identity, and thus an important factor in the construction of in-groups and out-groups within the workplace, in order to demonstrate not only the influence of context on the salience of language as a marker of identity, but also how language intersects with other identity characteristics in processes of exclusion. We conclude by demonstrating the possibilities to resist Othering in order to create more inclusive workplace environments.
... Another strand of studies focuses on how language policy impacts status and power in workplaces. A series of Finnish studies within the field of business communication concluded that power resides with those employees who are proficient in the corporate language, English (Charles and Marschan-Piekkari 2002), and that employees who do not acquire competence in English are excluded from participating in company-wide activities and are confined to local operations (Marschan-Piekkari et al. 1999). Conversely, choosing the national language as corporate language may disadvantage international employees who lack full competence in that language, both in terms of access to information and career paths (Bjørge and Whittaker 2015). ...
... Our findings are in line with some past works (e.g. Marschan- Piekkari, Welch and Welch 1999;Peltokorpi, 2017;Selmer and Lauring, 2015) that have highlighted that language barriers can disrupt work while language training of expatriates and their attempt to speak in the local language facilitates connectedness, communication, and knowledge transfer. ...
... with meanings and hierarchies beyond the language per se, generating critical events and impediments for business relationships, such as relation-related avoidance behaviours (Elo, Benjowsky, & Nummela, 2015). Language often represents organisational power structures that may be exclusionary to some while being implicit and less visible to others (Marschan-Piekkari, Welch, & Welch, 1999). At the other end of the spectrum are long-standing efforts to dismantle language-related barriers to international understanding and IB relationships through the establishment of global languages or linguae francae. ...
... However, individual-level language-related issues in IB contexts have also been found to be entangled with power in other ways. For example, individuals who know relevant languages (e.g. the language used by top management) tend to have better access to information and are thus better positioned to advocate the interests they represent (Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1999), influence firm-level decisions (Vaara, Tienari, Piekkari, & Säntti, 2005) and act as organisational boundary spanners (Barner-Rasmussen et al., 2014). Language skills thereby helps in decreasing psychic distance by facilitating the understanding of other cultures, institutional and market environments and so forth (Ambos, Leicht-Deobald, & Leinemann, 2019;Ivanova-Gongne, Lång, Brännback, & Carsrud, 2021). ...
... While a lack of language knowledge can be compensated for by using boundary spanners or interpreters, this would mean a loss of control over resources and thus lower self-perceived power (Voyer & McIntosh, 2013). Those with weak or irrelevant language skills often feel disenfranchised (Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1999), anxious (Wang, Clegg, Gajewska-De Mattos, & Buckley, 2020), excluded (Gaibrois, 2018) and even ostracised (Neeley, Hinds, & Cramton, 2012). ...
Intercultural business interaction has received limited scholarly attention in business-to-business (B2B) marketing research, with language and culture particularly being largely neglected topics despite the literature noting their importance in B2B marketing. This study addresses this omission by focusing on how managers make sense of the role of language in intercultural business interactions. We also explore the role of language as a potential source of individual power in international business (IB) relationships. The empirical enquiry focuses on an extreme case of Russians' intercultural business interactions with Finns or in Finland before the war in Ukraine. The findings show that context and language, as well as translation power dynamics are intertwined, generating an additional level of power dynamics that emerge from the business per se. Language particularly influences self-perceived power in business relationships and can lead to dependence or frustration due to linguistic limitations. The study contributes to research on B2B marketing and IB by highlighting that individual-level exposure to intercultural business interactions entails significant linguistic challenges that cannot be solved only by using English. Specifically, it contributes to addressing the issue of language in use, which has rarely been examined in the literature on intercultural interaction in the B2B environment.
... According to Lester's findings, several of the world's most prominent multinational corporations, including Siemens, Electrolux, and Olivetti, have chosen a single official language to serve as the fundamental mode of communication among the company's employees. In some instances, this is the language spoken in the country of origin of the parent company, while in others, another language is used (Marschan-Piekkari et al., 1999b;Abd Alia & ALhamad, 2022;Faraj & Alhamad, 2022). ...
In today's increasingly complex and interconnected world, connections in organizations are more important than ever. Connections can help organizations to improve communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. They can also help build trust and rapport, leading to a more positive and productive work environment. There are two main types of connections in organizations: formal and informal. Formal connections are defined by the organization's structure, such as reporting relationships and team memberships. Informal connections develop naturally between people, such as friendships and working relationships. Both formal and informal connections can be important for organizations. Formal connections can help ensure that information is shared effectively and that decisions are made promptly. Informal connections can help build relationships and trust, leading to a more collaborative and innovative work environment. The chapter discusses the importance of connections in organizations and provides some tips on how to build and manage connections effectively. The chapter also discusses the challenges of managing connections in organizations and how technology can be used to improve connections.
