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Intercultural communication in foreign subsidiaries: The influence of expatriates' language and cultural competencies

Author

Listed:
  • Vesa Peltokorpi

    (GREGH - Groupement de Recherche et d'Etudes en Gestion à HEC - HEC Paris - Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

Despite their dual impact on intercultural communication, scholarly discussions on languages and cultural values have evolved separately in international management literature. Building on the three communication zones theory (Du-Babcock & Babcock, 1996), which describes intercultural communication through three different language proficiency zones, the present study explores the influence of expatriates' host country language and cultural competencies on intercultural communication in foreign subsidiaries. In contrast to international management literature in which cultural values and languages have been treated independently, interviews in 58 Nordic subsidiaries in Japan show that expatriates' host country language and cultural competencies are accompanied by different challenges and opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Vesa Peltokorpi, 2010. "Intercultural communication in foreign subsidiaries: The influence of expatriates' language and cultural competencies," Post-Print hal-00528389, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00528389
    DOI: 10.1016/j.scaman.2010.02.003
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Guttormsen, David S.A., 2018. "Does the ‘non-traditional expatriate’ exist? A critical exploration of new expatriation categories," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 233-244.
    2. Fabian Jintae Froese & Kwanghyun Kim & Aileen Eng, 2016. "Language, Cultural Intelligence, and Inpatriate Turnover Intentions: Leveraging Values in Multinational Corporations through Inpatriates," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 283-301, April.
    3. Silke Roth, 2019. "Linguistic Capital and Inequality in Aid Relations," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 24(1), pages 38-54, March.
    4. Zhang, Ling Eleanor & Harzing, Anne-Wil, 2016. "From dilemmatic struggle to legitimized indifference: Expatriates’ host country language learning and its impact on the expatriate-HCE relationship," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(5), pages 774-786.
    5. Liu, Xiaohui & Gao, Lan & Lu, Jiangyong & Wei, Yingqi, 2015. "The role of highly skilled migrants in the process of inter-firm knowledge transfer across borders," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 56-68.
    6. Dan Wang & Di Fan & Susan Freeman & Cherrie Jiuhua Zhu, 2017. "Exploring cross-cultural skills for expatriate managers from Chinese multinationals: Congruence and contextualization," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 123-146, March.
    7. Jesper EDMAN & Riki TAKEUCHI, 2021. "Do Japanese Expatriates Matter for Foreign Subsidiary Performance? A Role-Based Analysis of Three-Wave Panel Data," Discussion papers 21046, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    8. Peltokorpi, Vesa, 2015. "Corporate Language Proficiency and Reverse Knowledge Transfer in Multinational Corporations: Interactive Effects of Communication Media Richness and Commitment to Headquarters," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 49-62.
    9. Alfredo Jimenez & Jonas Holmqvist & Diego Jimenez, 2019. "Cross-Border Communication and Private Participation Projects: The Role of Genealogical Language Distance," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 59(6), pages 1009-1033, December.
    10. Lauring, Jakob & Klitmøller, Anders, 2015. "Corporate language-based communication avoidance in MNCs: A multi-sited ethnography approach," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 46-55.
    11. Vesa Peltokorpi & Markus Pudelko, 2021. "When more is not better: A curvilinear relationship between foreign language proficiency and social categorization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(1), pages 78-104, February.
    12. Emad ABU-SHANAB & Khalil Md NOR, 2013. "The Influence Of Language On Research Results," Management Research and Practice, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 5(4), pages 37-48, December.
    13. LÁZÁR Tímea, 2020. "Students’ Foreign Language And Intercultural Communication Competencies Based On A Survey At The University Of Debrecen," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 540-550, July.
    14. Wang, Dan & Feng, Taiwen & Freeman, Susan & Fan, Di & Zhu, Cherrie Jiuhua, 2014. "Unpacking the “skill – cross-cultural competence” mechanisms: Empirical evidence from Chinese expatriate managers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 530-541.
    15. Peltokorpi, Vesa, 2020. "Host Country National Employees’ Prosocial Behavior toward Expatriates in Foreign Subsidiaries: A Common Ingroup Identity Model Perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    16. Peltokorpi, Vesa, 2015. "Foreign subsidiary top manager nationality and language policy: The moderating effects of subsidiary age and size," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 739-748.
    17. Wang, Qiu & Clegg, Jeremy & Gajewska-De Mattos, Hanna & Buckley, Peter, 2020. "The role of emotions in intercultural business communication: Language standardization in the context of international knowledge transfer," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(6).
    18. Li, Peng-Yu, 2018. "Top management team characteristics and firm internationalization: The moderating role of the size of middle managers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 125-138.

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