Language Management Of Transnational Corporatations

In contemporary society,the nexus between globalization and localization often demands Transnational Corporations(TNCs)to develop competitive language proficiency,thereby minimizing communicative and managerial challenges when they correspond with their partnering organizations.This norm has become a prominent need for those TNCs,potentially increasing a level of success in the global business arena.Besides,the development of information technology and the increasing mobility of transnational employees are closely intertwined with language diversity in contemporary TNCs.Thus,as exemplary cases,this study aims to explore factors influencing language management among TNCs in Shanghai.This study adopts Language Management Theory(LMT)and global sociolinguistic theories to explore the current status quo of language use,language need and language proficiency of TNCs,and their language management process and the possible factors influencing the effectiveness of business communication.Hence,the primary research questions that guide this study are:(1)What is the status quo of language management of TNCs in Shanghai?(2)What factors influence the implementation of TNCs' language management strategies?(3)How does their language management impact TNCs' global integration and local development?and(4)What are the implications for the construction of language capability of TNCs?This study designed a three-phase mixed-method approach,including:(1)a qualitative approach that aims to explore the types and characteristics of language management in the three selected TNCs(Case study ?);(2)a quantitative approach that aims to investigate the strategies of language management and the possible factors influencing the effectiveness of business communication by employing questionnaires;(3)an interpretive project that explores the three prominent cases and their mechanisms of language management and to reveal the impact of the mechanisms on TNCs' global business competence(Case study ?).Through systematic data collection and analysis,the findings indicated four significant components.Initially,the first component refers to the multilayered agents in TNCs and their diverse interests and perceptions of the roles and functions of language that promote the dynamics of language management in the notion of TNC.From an organizational perspective,language management is an essential part of human resource management and knowledge management.However,from an individual perspective,language management is not only a form of human capital,but it is also a form of social capital that promotes social interaction and identity development.Secondly,language management strategies are predominantly used in corporate language policies,which entail influencing factors such as international strategies,headquarter location,organization structure,subsidiary role,and employees' language capability.Notably,the most significant factor is the sociocultural environment in native countries where the headquarters are located.Thirdly,a common corporate language can minimize the communication barriers that multilingual communities often face.However,employees' language proficiency in common languages may form language clusters,avoid in-depth communications that entail fear they face or sabotage their employment credentials.Finally,two prominent aspects of language proficiency are ingrained into TNCs,such as TNCs' language management system's capability and employees' communicative performances.The ways to enhance the language proficiency of TNCs and their language management system begin with evaluating motivational and aspirational factors.These factors can optimize language resources.Namely,employees' communicative performances should not only be judged by their multilingual capabilities,which still focus solely on the fundamental skills of labeled language such as English,Japanese,Chinse,among others,but it should also be encouraged to boost the communicative repertoires.In this respect,employees can access or engage in multilayered spaces of the TNCs,which may increase the level of success in business communication and resemble bricolage.Therefore,employees' capabilities in their language performance should be recognized as an essential part of their communicative capability.Finally,this study suggests two crucial implications to promote theory and practice in scholarship.Firstly,TNCs can develop a language proficiency model that promotes the dynamic and multilayered feature of language management.Secondly,TNCs as multilingual communities should regard language as a fundamental form of human and social capital that can be exchangeable and rebranded as sociocultural resources.The symbolic power can bolster the quality of communication among employees from diverse cultural backgrounds.Overall,TNCs as agencies stimulate agents from different language management systems and promote linguistic capital to enhance their global competitiveness.