Language Management Strategies in Austrian and Slovenian SMES
According to the ELAN study and a substantial body of previous research, a significant amount of business is being lost in the eu due to a lack of language skills. In our article, we analyse how Austrian and Slovenian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMES) adopt language management strategies...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Primorska
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Managing Global Transitions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.hippocampus.si/ISSN/1854-6935/15.365-378.pdf |
| Summary: | According to the ELAN study and a substantial body of previous research,
a significant amount of business is being lost in the eu due to a lack of language
skills. In our article, we analyse how Austrian and Slovenian small
and medium-sized enterprises (SMES) adopt language management strategies
(LMSS). We investigate, by means of a questionnaire sent to Slovenian
and Austrian SMES, how aware they are of the elan findings, what language
strategies they have adopted and whether the knowledge of English
is sufficient for their successful business operations on global markets. The
findings show that Slovenian exporting SMES are not completely aware of
the benefits a language management strategy could bring to their business
operations on foreign markets. In contrast, Austrian exporting SMES
are more likely to provide language training for their staff, employ native
speakers, and use local agents for their language needs considerably more
often, as well as use the services of professional translators and interpreters
almost three times more often. |
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| ISSN: | 1581-6311 1854-6935 |