219
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
1 collections
    0
    shares

      If you have found this article useful and you think it is important that researchers across the world have access, please consider donating, to ensure that this valuable collection remains Open Access.

      Prometheus is published by Pluto Journals, an Open Access publisher. This means that everyone has free and unlimited access to the full-text of all articles from our international collection of social science journalsFurthermore Pluto Journals authors don’t pay article processing charges (APCs).

      scite_
       
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: found
      Is Open Access

      The Persistent Impact of Language on Global Operations

      Published
      research-article
      Bookmark

            Abstract

            In studies of firms' internationalisation, language has tended to be bundled into 'cultural and psychic distance boxes'. In this article, an attempt is made to unbundle the impact of language through (a) an examination of the way in which language influences the pattern of foreign market expansion; and (b) an analysis of how a firm may try to cope with language diversity by adopting a common corporate language. We conclude that attempts to impose a common corporate language may hinder or alter information flows, knowledge transfer, and communication.

            Content

            Author and article information

            Journal
            cpro20
            CPRO
            Prometheus
            Critical Studies in Innovation
            Pluto Journals
            0810-9028
            1470-1030
            September 2001
            : 19
            : 3
            : 193-209
            Article
            10032421 Prometheus, Vol. 19, No. 3, September 2001, pp. 193-209
            10.1080/08109020110072180
            33194cfa-d85c-4393-873c-b613362b1719
            Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

            All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

            History
            Page count
            Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 35, Pages: 17
            Categories
            Original Articles

            Computer science,Arts,Social & Behavioral Sciences,Law,History,Economics
            Internationalisation,Information,Language,Internet,Common Corporate Language

            References

            1. Johanson Jan and Vahlne Jan-Erik. . 1977. . 'The internationalisation process of the firm: a model of knowledge development and increasing foreign market commitments'. . Journal of International Business Studies . , Vol. 8((1)): 23––32. .

            2. Langhoff Tine. . 1997. . “'The influence of cultural differences on internationalisation processes of firms: an introduction to a semiotic and intercultural perspective'. ”. In The Nature of the International Firm: Nordic Contributions to International Business Research . , Edited by: Bjorkman Ingmar and Forsgren Mats. . p. 135––64. . Copenhagen : : Copenhagen Business School Press. .

            3. Wiedersheim-Paul Finn. . 1972. . Uncertainty and Economic Distance . , (Studia Oeconomiae Negotiorum, Acta Universitatis 7). Uppsala : : Uppsala University Press. .

            4. Wright Colin and Wright Sue. . 1994. . 'Do languages really matter? The relationship between international business success and a commitment to foreign language use'. . Journal of Industrial Affairs . , Vol. 3((1)): 3––14. .

            5. Reeves Nigel and Wright Colin. . 1996. . Linguistic Auditing: A Guide to Identifying Foreign Language Communication Needs in Corporations . , Clevedon : : Multilingual Matters Ltd. .

            6. Marschan-Piekkari Rebecca, Welch Denice and Welch Lawrence. . 1999a. . 'Adopting a common corporate language: IHRM implications'. . International Journal of Human Resource Management . , Vol. 10((3)): 377––90. .

            7. Luostarinen Reijo, Korhonen Heli, Jokinen Jukka and Pelkonen Timo. . Globalisation and SMEs . , (Studies and Reports 59/1994). Finland: : Ministry of Trade and Industry. .

            8. Hood Neil and Truijens Thorsten. . 1993. . 'European locational decisions of Japanese manufacturers: survey evidence on the case of the UK'. . International Business Review . , Vol. 2((1)): 39––63. .

            9. Fixman Carol S.. 1990. . 'The foreign language needs of US-based corporations'. . Annals . , Vol. 511: September;: 25––46. .

            10. Shao Alan T. and Herbig Paul. . 1993. . 'The future of Sogo Shosha in a global economy'. . International Marketing Review . , Vol. 10((5)): 37––55. .

            11. Yoshihara Hideki. . December. 1999 . Global Operations Managed by Japanese and in Japanese . , (Discussion Paper Series No. 108). December. , Kobe University. .

            12. O'Grady Shawna and Lane Henry W.. 1996. . 'The psychic distance paradox'. . Journal of International Business Studies . , Vol. 27((2)): 309––33. .

            13. Marschan-Piekkari Rebecca, Welch Denice and Welch Lawrence. . 1997. . 'Language: the forgotten factor in multinational management'. . European Management Journal . , Vol. 15((5)): 590––98. .

            14. 2000. . 'Closer borders and open palms'. . Economist . , 9 September;: 100

            15. 2000. . 'Le cyber challenge'. . Economist . , 11 March;: 61

            16. Horvitz Paul. . 2001. . 'IBM to translate websites'. . Australian . , 16 January;: 40

            17. Dowling Peter J., Welch Denice E. and Schuler Randall S.. 1999. . International Human Resource Management: Managing People in a Multinational Context . South-Western , Cincinnati :

            18. Lahtinen Mari. . 2000. . Language Skilled Employees in Multinationals-Implications to Communication and International Human Resource Management . , Helsinki : : Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. .

            19. Hagen Stephen. , ed. 1999. . Business Communication Across Borders: A Study of Language Use and Practice in European Companies . , London : : Languages National Training Organization/Centre for Information on Language Training and Research. .

            20. Fraser Janet. . 1999. . 'Can't you just translate? Findings of a survey of freelance translators living outside the UK'. . ITI Bulletin . , June;: 12––15. .

            21. Marschan-Piekkari Rebecca, Welch Denice E. and Welch Lawrence S.. 1999b. . 'In the shadow: the impact of language on structure, power and communication in the multinational'. . International Business Review . , Vol. 8((4)): 421––40. .

            22. PaIo UlIa. . 1997. . Language Skills in Inter-Unit Communication of an Internationalising Company--The Case of Outokumpu . , p. 77 Helsinki : : Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. .

            23. Kaijansinkko Riikka. . 1998. . The Use of a Common Company Language in German International Companies . , Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration. .

            24. Lester Tom. . 1994. . 'Pulling down the language barrier'. . International Management . , Vol. 49((4)): 44

            25. Ricks David A.. 1993. . Kunden in International Business . , Cambridge , MA : : Blackwell. .

            26. 1990. . The Times . , 1 March;

            27. Johanson Jan and Wiedersheim-Paul Finn. . 1975. . 'The Internationalization of the firm: four Swedish cases'. . Journal of Management Studies . , October;: 305––22. .

            28. Benito Gabriel R. G. and Gripsrud Geir. . 1992. . 'The expansion of foreign direct investments: discrete rational location choices or a cultural learning process}'. . Journal of International Business Studies, third quarter . , : 461––76. .

            29. Petersen Bent and Pedersen Torben. . “'Twenty years after: support and critique of the Uppsala internationalisation model'. ”. Edited by: Bjorkman Ingmar and Forsgren Mats. .

            30. Carlson Sune. . 1975. . How Foreign is Foreign Trade?, Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis . , (Studiae Oeconomiae Negotiorum 11). Uppsala : : Uppsala University Press. .

            31. Crick David. . 1999. . 'An investigation into SME's use of languages in their export operations'. . International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research . , Vol. 5((1)): 19––31. .

            32. Wiedersheim-Paul Finn, Oison Hans C. and Welch Lawrence S.. 1978. . 'Pre-export activity: the first step of internationalisation '. . Journal of International Business Studies . , Vol. 9((1)): 47––58. .

            33. Simmonds Kenneth and Smith Helen. . 1968. . 'The first export order: a marketing innovation'. . British Journal of Marketing . , Vol. 2:: 93––100. .

            34. Marsh Peter. . 1998. . 'Language poser resolved'. . Financial Times . , 30 November;: III

            Comments

            Comment on this article