Language in International Business: A review and agenda for future research
A new online paper reviewing 264 articles on language in IB
A few years ago, Helene Tenzer, Siri Terjesen and myself felt there was a need to review the growing body of research in the field of Language in International Business in order to provide a systematic agenda for future research. Today, I am happy to announce our paper has been accepted for publication.
- Tenzer, H.; Terjesen, S.; Harzing, A.W. (2017) Language in International Business: A review and agenda for future research, Management International Review, vol. 57, no. 6, pp. 815-854. Available online... - Publisher's version (free access) - Related blog post - Presentation slides
Abstract
A fast growing number of studies demonstrates that language diversity influences almost all management decisions in modern multinational corporations. Whereas no doubt remains about the practical importance of language, the empirical investigation and theoretical conceptualization of its complex and multifaceted effects still presents a substantial challenge. To summarize and evaluate the current state of the literature in a coherent picture informing future research, we systematically review 264 articles on language in international business.
We scrutinize the geographic distributions of data, evaluate the field’s achievements to date in terms of theories and methodologies, and summarize core findings by individual, group, firm, and country levels of analysis. For each of these dimensions, we then put forward a future research agenda. We encourage scholars to transcend disciplinary boundaries and to draw on, integrate, and test a variety of theories from disciplines such as psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience to gain a more profound understanding of language in international business. We advocate more multi-level studies and cross-national research collaborations and suggest greater attention to potential new data sources and means of analysis.
Related blogposts
- Hablas vielleicht un peu la mia language?
- Managing expatriates’ identity: subtle desire, big impact
- How to manage multi-lingual teams?
- The many benefits of a shared language in multinationals
- English as a Lingua Franca in Academia
- Why is learning the host country language important for expatriates?
- Managing Expatriates in China: A Language and Identity Perspective
- Four seasons in one day? On the fluidity of identity in an era of global mobility
Copyright © 2022 Anne-Wil Harzing. All rights reserved. Page last modified on Sun 24 Apr 2022 14:49
Anne-Wil Harzing is Emerita Professor of International Management at Middlesex University, London. She is a Fellow of the Academy of International Business, a select group of distinguished AIB members who are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the scholarly development of the field of international business. In addition to her academic duties, she also maintains the Journal Quality List and is the driving force behind the popular Publish or Perish software program.
