Role of English language in agricultural organisations

Abstract

Background – The importance placed on having good English language proficiency and skills to secure employment in Malaysia is a well-known fact. However, very little is known about the role of the English language in multilingual organisations within the agricultural industry in Malaysia. As such, this study aimed to examine the employees’ perception of the use of the English language in a professional context particularly in the Malaysian agricultural and agricultural related sectors. Methods – A concurrent triangulation design was used to quantitatively evaluate the data. A total of 320 questionnaires from employees of 10 agriculture and agriculture related companies were analysed. Additionally, interviews were also conducted with 10 employers from the human resources department as they provided deep insights into the language matters of the organisations. Results – The employers and employees agree that English language proficiency has economic value and can play an important role at the workplace, as this skill can influence one’s career path in terms of employability and career progression. Conclusions - From the standpoint of employees, a more insightful idea on the influence of English on career development in the agricultural industry has been obtained. These findings have implications for learning outcomes of students, education system, and policymakers aspiring for the human capital which is needed for Malaysia to become a high income and developed nation.