Abstract
In this study, we evaluate the association between linguistic structures and innovation. We analyze correlations among three linguistic structures – gender distinctions, emphasis on individualism, and hierarchy differentiation – and the aggregate country patenting activity for five years from 2008 to 2012. Our findings indicate that there is a systematic association between language structures and innovation. These insights have significant relevance to the international business field, especially to multinationals’ innovation-related global strategy. The results are also important for policymakers affecting regional and national economic development.
Highlights
Recent studies in a wide range of fields have related language to a number of characteristics including trust, cognition, perception, and sense-making
Language is a key aspect of international business, but far it has been studied mainly from a cross-cultural perspective (Brannen, Piekkari, & Tietze, 2014)
Understanding the different levels of innovative output between countries has been a major issue of interest for academics, practitioners, and policymakers alike
Summary
Recent studies in a wide range of fields have related language to a number of characteristics including trust, cognition, perception, and sense-making. Multinational corporations and other global business actors continuously evaluate nations’ relative capacity and positioning vis-à-vis innovation These business players actively utilize this knowledge when they develop strategies to source and cultivate new technologies and ideas, locate research and development infrastructure, procure human capital and intellectual property assets, and optimize international networks of cooperative alliances and joint ventures. Only recently have scholars initiated efforts targeted at understanding the specific association between language structure and managerially relevant individual and societal behaviors. This stream of research evaluates how the cognition-related impact of linguistic structure leads to differentiated outcomes, thereby effecting global economic behavior and policies. Our findings demonstrate that there is a significant correlation between these variables, illustrating an association between language structure and innovation
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