Leveraging common language in the workplace: case study evidence from a franco-asian SME

Abstract

Communication problems are a prevalent issue in international business. While language is a means of ensuring coordination among various company units, using the same language without company-specific features is not enough to ensure effective communication. Through the case study of an international (French-Asia) trading firm, we aimed to understand how an internationally expanding company deals with the challenges of communication by establishing a common workplace language, and what individual differences impact the reported knowledge and use of this language. We found that comprehension and use of this language are dependent on hierarchical position in the company, native language, and seniority in the company. Our results encourage the development of an official glossary that a common workplace language can then be based on.