Abstract

We advance research on the impact of business English as a lingua franca (BELF) on the communication of multinational companies (MNCs). Study 1 helps predict country-level variations of linguistic style in the English language of 2,223 press releases from US, UK, German, and French companies. Press releases are a specific genre of narratives used to engage investors. Study 2 demonstrates in a controlled quasi-experimental setting that adapting linguistic styles alongside well-established frameworks of cultural values can shape investors’ attitudes and intentions. Within-language linguistic style differences in the use of BELF can create barriers to communication fairly overlooked in International Business.

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call