Title: International language management: contained or dilute communication

Authors: Jakob Lauring, Hanne Tange

Addresses: Institut for Ledelse, Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus University, Haslegaardsvej 10, 8210 Aarhus V, Denmark. ' Department of Language and Business Communication, Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus University, Fuglesangs Alle 4, 8210 Aarhus V, Denmark

Abstract: This paper addresses how the management decision to implement English as a common corporate language affects the practice of intercultural communication within international corporations. Drawing on a qualitative study of 14 Danish companies, the study identifies contained and dilute communication as obstacles to cooperation and communication, highlighting the social character of language in the multilingual workplace. The practices of contained and dilute communication are related to group formation, sociolinguistic awareness and linguistic competence, and the authors recommend that international managers adopt a pro-active stance on language diversity, promoting social interaction between organisational speech communities.

Keywords: language management; multilingual organisations; intercultural communication; cross-cultural management; organisational demographics; diversity management; international management; international corporations; Denmark; cooperation; group formation; sociolinguistic awareness; linguistic competence; language diversity; social interaction.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2010.033605

European Journal of International Management, 2010 Vol.4 No.4, pp.317 - 332

Published online: 07 Jun 2010 *

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