Adopting a common corporate language: IHRM implications

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Abstract
As companies internationalize and expand their operations into more countries, language questions inevitably come to the fore. As a response to operating in many languages and co-ordinating a multinational workforce, companies may adopt a common language for internal communication. However, the challenges associated with such a 'language standardization' and the broader HR considerations have received limited scholarly attention in the extant literature. This article addresses, therefore, the implications of language issues for a range of international HRM activities, including staff selection, training and development, and international assignments. We also explore language policies in the light of HR considerations and the strategic positioning of language-competent staff. The insights gained from various company examples demonstrate that multinationals rely on short-term and long-term HR responses to deal with the language issue. The analysis also reveals the critical role played by expatriates as language nodes, suggesting the need for a more long-term approach to the development of language competencies in multinationals.

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