A checklist for English in corporate management
Apparently, nothing works in management without English. With the increasing internationalization of companies, the discussion about English as a working language is a recurring topic. Managers who proceed carelessly here can fail miserably, as WU researcher Miya Komori-Glatz from the Institute for English Business Communication knows.
In her research on management English, Miya Komori-Glatz focuses on the general language of work. It primarily revolves around a language that circulates in teams and develops in specific work settings. Often it is a language that is not used as a mother tongue. Establishing such a "universal language," however, Komori-Glatz said, results in "lots of mistakes." There are, however, positive signs in terms of teamwork, he said.
Actually, it's everyday life: international teams work and travel in different language circles. But not everyone finds it easy to deal with a foreign language such as English as a working language. "The changeover within a company from German as the language used to work in to English represents a major transition and is difficult for many employees," says the researcher from the WU Institute for English Business Communication. - Many even lack a language concept!
Opportunity and challenge for teams
"The central question is always how all employees can be reached linguistically and how information barriers can be avoided," says the researcher. It became clear that linguistic and communicative competence in English can be a decisive power factor in the company, which can result in advantages or disadvantages for the employees, depending on the situation.
"But at the same time, in another study of our own, we see that linguistic competencies can also develop collaboratively in teams." For this finding, Komori-Glatz observed and interviewed English-speaking working groups of students. It turns out that the groups developed their own conceptualizations, vocabulary, and communicative practices as they worked together. "The students developed together socially as well as professionally. The process of understanding was also accompanied by a shared vocabulary. They adapted not only the content, but also the way of saying something to each other," says Komori-Glatz, "This indicates that - provided that the staff are consciously committed to it - a joint, inclusive development and learning process can emerge. This is how you successfully get where you want to go."
From the kitchenette to the meeting room
However, in order to actually keep all communication channels open between employees, both among themselves and to managers and the company headquarters, the requirements are high. Particularly crucial here is the flexibility to react when information does not reach everyone or barriers arise. "It does not always make sense to offer all information in English only - especially when there is not yet a uniform language level in the company. If managers want to facilitate communication among multicultural employees from the tea kitchen to the meeting room, it requires the flexibility to also offer information in addition still in the predominant native language to avoid knowledge gaps and fluctuating power relations to the information advantage and disadvantage," says Komori-Glatz. "At the same time, it is important that new employees also feel comfortable in the company and are not excluded by the national language."
Five points to consider
Establishing a working language brings with it many pitfalls, but also many opportunities, she says. "In order to optimise information flows in the company, it is above all important to recognise potential barriers and opportunities. Where are the linguistic competences of the employees? Where can so-called "language clusters", i.e. groups of employees with a common language, form and how can this lead to advantages or disadvantages?", Komori-Glatz explains. And there are also many other things to consider:
- It needs a concept.
If, for example, English is to be established as a working language, fundamental issues must be clarified in advance, such as when it makes sense to use English and how the stakeholders of a company can be reached.
- The conversion of a company language is extremely resource-intensive. Documents have to be translated, everything has to be confirmed or rechecked, languages cannot be acquired quickly. Unfortunately, a general language training is often not enough: the training must be tailored specifically to the industry, the company and even the own activity.
- Beware of shadow hierarchies!
So-called "language nodes", multilingual employees, are a valuable resource for communicating information directly and comprehensibly. However, it becomes difficult when shadow hierarchies develop and the company becomes too dependent on "language nodes" because they have more power than their own function entails.
- Information flows must be monitored and, if necessary, innovatively promoted.
Regularly seeking feedback is important to ensure that the (right) information gets through. Written preparation for meetings or time for brainstorming in smaller groups helps colleagues with less developed language skills who need more time or language tools to express their ideas and contribute.
- Knowledge of foreign languages beyond English is always an advantage.
Even if English is the working language, multilingualism promotes informal information flows and the relationship level. Several studies have shown that even very little knowledge of the business partners' language contributes to trust.
To the studies
Komori- Glatz, Miya and Schmidt-Unterberger, Barbara. (2018): English-medium business education: creating the international managers of tomorrow, today? In: Sherman, Tamah & Jiří Nekvapil (Eds.), English in Business and Commerce: Interactions and Policies. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 310-334.
Komori- Glatz, Miya (2018). Conceptualising English as a business lingua franca (BELF). European Journal of International Management 12(1/2), 46-61.
Komori- Glatz, Miya (2017): (B)ELF in multicultural student teamwork. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca 6(1), 83-109.
