Question

EU Funds Language Learning: Key Concepts: management training and development, management development and competitive advantage, the European Union, global mind-set, language training, globalization

Notes: The classrooms are busy at the University of Bedfordshire in Britain. However, instead of being filled with traditional university students, business people fill the rooms. The University of Bedfordshire is offering a program funded by the European Union to help business people learn foreign languages. The basic idea behind the program is to use the facilities at the university not only for the benefit of traditional students, but also for the benefit of the local community. The European Union hopes the program will help local business people gain a competitive edge over their rivals.

Currently about 80 people are enrolled in the program. One man taking advantage of the opportunity is Martin Brady who runs a company that helps firms find manufacturers in China. Brady is studying Mandarin. He wants to gain basic conversational skills that he hopes will help him when he is working in China. Already, Brady has noticed a difference in how Chinese people respond to him when he uses his newly acquired language skills. Brady notes that in China the relationship is as important as the business deal, and feels that his language skills will go a long way towards building relationships with Chinese business people.

Martin Brady, it appears, has figured out what many Britons have not. Foreign language skills are important in business. Research shows that Britain lags at the bottom when it comes to learning foreign language skills, and this deficiency may be causing British firms to miss opportunities to do business in other countries. Currently, most British firms have a tendency to do business in foreign countries where English is spoken, and avoid countries that speak a foreign language. As a result, firms tend to take a reactive approach to their business strategy going only where they think they can do business instead of looking at the entire world to see where the best opportunities lie. In the hopes of getting other people to realize the competitive advantages languages can give companies, the European Union will be funding the programs again. This time the program will be offered at ten universities across the country making the program more available to everyone.

Discussion Questions: be detailled in your answers

1- How might a lack of knowledge of foreign languages influence the strategic direction of a firm? What does your response suggest about the ability of the firm to compete in the global market place?

2- In China, the relationship between business people is an important part of a business deal. How can knowledge of the local language help build that trust? What can be learned from the experiences of Martin Brady, a British businessman enrolled in the European Union’s language program?

3- When an American business person in a foreign country insists on speaking only in English, what message is it sending to clients? How can knowledge of the local language help managers avoid an ethnocentric approach to business?

4- How does culture affect the different business functions? How can knowledge of different languages help managers in the different functional areas?

Answer 1

1. Knowledge of Foreign Language is very important in business. Especially when the firm is engaged in business more than one country or we can say doing business with firm’s of different country. In this case, the Brady belongs to Britain but his business is to help firms to find manufacturers in China and to support his business activities and to engage well with Chinese people it is important to earn Mandarin Chinese as Chinese people prefer communicating in Chinese. It helps in developing closer business relationship and making strategic decisions as well as helpful to compete in the global market place through effective working communication and business growth.

2. In China, people believe in more personal level business relations and prefer to do business with people whom they have developed good contact. Therefore, trust and strong relationship is an important part of business deal. Knowledge of local business is an advantage which brings business close through more understanding and strong communication. From the experience of Martin Brady who is a British businessmen engaged in European union language program we can say that Martin has found that relationship in china is equal important to business deal and businessmen’s in China prefer communicating in Chinese. He noticed difference while he communicated with Chinese people in their own language.

3. When an American business person in a foreign country is insisted to speak in English only, it shows the message that English is truly an international language. English is now the official language of business and cannot be rejected by anyone saying that he/she cannot communicate in English. However, knowledge of the local language is an added advantage to the business and sometimes can be used to avoid the ethnocentric approach of business but it not appropriate. Local Languages cannot be considered is much important in business. One standard language that is English serves as the standard language of communication in business internationally.

4. Culture has strong impact on business functions and operations. Vision and mission of a company is highly impacted by culture. Suppose, in China, they have culture to build strong interpersonal relationships at workplace, life time employment, business ethics, etc. They have impact on business functions and strongly followed at workplace. Language also helps mangers in taking decisions. If manager have knowledge of different language, he can take decision more appropriately indifferent functions.