Languages unlock business success: … but co‐operation and cultural awareness also have important roles to play

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to hghlight the role of foreign‐language skills in business success – both for exporting firms and those defending their place in the domestic market.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents the results of a survey into the foreign‐language skills of 2,500 UK executives, the views of Jeff Toms, director of marketing and client services, of Farnham Castle international briefing and conference center, and the experiences of a former Staffordshire University lecturer who has set up a company to fill recruitment gaps with foreign students, enabling exporters to interact with overseas customers and prospects in their native tongue.

Findings

The paper reveals that 20 percent of UK businesses have lost business opportunities because of their failure to embrace new language skills. Suggests some of the ways in which these deficiencies can be overcome.

Practical implications

The paper advances the view that, in addition to foreign‐language skills, the main characteristics a global manager needs are: flexibility; an understanding of differences; patience; and a sense of humor.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates that managers who are successful at home are not always the ones who enjoy success abroad.

Citation

(2007), "Languages unlock business success: … but co‐operation and cultural awareness also have important roles to play", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 32-34. https://doi.org/10.1108/09670730710753979