This bachelor thesis aims to evaluate the opportunities and risks that the use of English as a common language within an enterprise poses. It addresses the resulting challenges and offers possible ways to approach these. In particular, the need to assess employees’ language proficiency will be examined more in depth: two popular language tests, the TOEIC and the BULATS test, will be introduced and compared in order to appraise their value to company that plans to intensify the corporate use of English. Also, the specific challenges that arise regarding the training of employees will be explained in detail, as well as those in establishing the use of English in the enterprise.
Furthermore, this thesis intends to give insight on the definition of the term “Lingua Franca” in former times as well as its modern usage. To enhance the understandability of why it is English that is chosen as the universal language, the history of the language is briefly described. Finally, from the entirety of investigations, conclusions on the choice of English as company language shall be drawn, and an outlook on the possible future of English as the World Language shall be given.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction: Rakuten’s English policy – a bold but rewarding move
2 Definition of the term “Lingua Franca”
2.1 Historical use
2.2 Recent use
3 Historical Aspects: The development of English into the world-wide Lingua Franca
3.1 Reasons for English becoming the “World Language”
3.2 Geographic spreading of English proficiency
3.3 Comparison: Recent Statistics vs. 1999 Statistics
4 Opportunities of English as a Lingua Franca
4.1 Opportunities within the enterprise itself
4.2 Opportunities for the enterprise in a global context
5 Risks of English as a Lingua Franca
5.1 Risks within the enterprise itself
5.2 Risks for the enterprise in a global context
6 Resulting Challenges
6.1 Assessment of skills: different types of tests
6.1.1 TOEIC
6.1.2 BULATS
6.1.3 Comparison
6.2 Training of employees
6.3 Establishing the use of English as Lingua Franca
7 Conclusions
8 Prospects for the future of English as the World Language
Objectives and Topics
This bachelor thesis examines the strategic implementation of English as a corporate Lingua Franca, using the example of the Japanese company Rakuten to explore how such a policy aids or hinders organizational growth. The study aims to identify the primary opportunities and risks associated with linguistic standardization and addresses the practical challenges of assessing employee language proficiency and providing effective training in a professional environment.
- The role and definition of Lingua Franca in historical and modern business contexts.
- Opportunities and risks of English as a corporate language for internal organization and global market presence.
- Evaluation and comparison of language proficiency assessment tools (TOEIC vs. BULATS).
- Strategies for effective employee training and the establishment of an English-speaking corporate culture.
- Future prospects of English as a global World Language in light of increasing multilingualism.
Excerpt from the Book
1 Introduction: Rakuten’s English policy – a bold but rewarding move
In today’s world globalization plays a major role in every aspect of our lives: fashion, food technology, science and especially economy. It has a great impact not only on where we do business, but also on how and with whom we do business. In order to keep up with the ongoing globalization trend and to gain advantage over competitors, some enterprises take more drastic steps than others.
For instance, the Japanese e-commerce firm Rakuten Inc., which is among the world’s top ten online retailers, announced in July 2010 that English will henceforth be the official language within the company. Hiroshi Mikitani, the CEO of Rakuten threatened that any corporate officers are not proficient in English in two years’ time will be fired. To evaluate their language skills, every employee has to take the TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) test, which is a common standard for Japanese businesses to assess language skills, on regular basis. Furthermore, employees are obligated to hold all executive meetings as well as compose every internal document in the new corporate language.
Within the company, this radical approach is called “Englishnization”. Mikitani’s motivation to take such measures is easily comprehensible: in order to be able to successfully do business internationally, employees need to be able to communicate with colleagues and clients all over the world. This will only work effectively if they can do so themselves and do not have to rely on translators or other employees’ language skills. To accomplish this, Rakuten invests in training, additional time for studying and a reward system. Nevertheless, the media and business world were very critical of Rakuten’s new policy: they feared that the communication within the enterprise would be impaired and that employees would greatly dislike and boycott the new policy, especially when it came to speaking English to other Japanese native speakers, with whom they would usually communicate in their mother tongue. According to one of Rakuten’s managers, these fears were without foundation: he reported that some employees felt a slight uneasiness about speaking English, but that the staff was ready to take on the challenge.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Rakuten’s English policy – a bold but rewarding move: This chapter introduces the corporate “Englishnization” policy at Rakuten Inc. as a case study for global business communication strategies.
2 Definition of the term “Lingua Franca”: This section explores the evolution of the term “Lingua Franca” from its historical pidgin origins to its modern usage as a neutral communication language.
3 Historical Aspects: The development of English into the world-wide Lingua Franca: This chapter outlines the historical factors, including colonialism and the internet revolution, that established English as the dominant global medium.
4 Opportunities of English as a Lingua Franca: This section details the potential benefits of English standardization, such as improved internal collaboration, cost reduction, and enhanced global market competitiveness.
5 Risks of English as a Lingua Franca: This chapter identifies the potential pitfalls, ranging from decreased employee morale and misunderstandings to the loss of specialized knowledge due to language barriers.
6 Resulting Challenges: This section provides an in-depth analysis of implementing language proficiency testing, effective corporate training methods, and maintaining a sustained English-speaking environment.
7 Conclusions: This chapter summarizes the findings, emphasizing that a successful transition to a corporate Lingua Franca requires a long-term, strategic approach rather than immediate enforcement.
8 Prospects for the future of English as the World Language: This final chapter discusses how linguistic shifts and rising multilingualism might impact the future status of English as the dominant global language.
Keywords
Lingua Franca, Englishnization, Corporate Language, Globalization, Rakuten, Business Communication, Language Assessment, TOEIC, BULATS, Employee Training, Multilingualism, World Language, Internationalization, Corporate Strategy, Language Proficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The work examines the strategic implications, benefits, and risks for companies that decide to adopt English as their official corporate language, using Rakuten Inc. as a primary case study.
What are the core thematic fields covered?
The paper covers the historical development of English as a global language, the organizational impact of its adoption, testing methodologies for employees, and training strategies.
What is the central research question?
The research explores how the implementation of English as a corporate Lingua Franca affects business development and whether the potential advantages for global communication outweigh the risks associated with internal friction and translation challenges.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The thesis conducts a descriptive and analytical review of corporate case studies, comparative analysis of standardized language tests (TOEIC and BULATS), and a survey of linguistic and management literature.
What is covered in the main section?
The main part of the thesis discusses the operational steps for establishing a corporate language policy, including the selection of testing tools, the design of effective training programs, and the creation of an immersive language environment.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Essential keywords include Lingua Franca, Englishnization, Corporate Strategy, Globalization, Language Assessment, and Business Communication.
How does Rakuten’s “Englishnization” differ from standard corporate policies?
Rakuten’s policy is uniquely radical due to the strict enforcement and the ultimatum given to senior officers to gain proficiency or face termination, combined with comprehensive company-wide training and rewards.
What distinguishes the TOEIC and BULATS tests?
While both are respected, TOEIC is primarily designed for business-specific proficiency assessment, whereas BULATS is more flexible, offering adaptive computer-based testing that is often more cost-effective and faster for corporations.
Is the adoption of English always beneficial for a global firm?
Not necessarily. The thesis concludes that for certain departments like customer service or marketing, utilizing the client's native language may remain more effective than enforcing a one-size-fits-all English policy.
- Citation du texte
- Sonja Schricker (Auteur), 2013, Challenges for Internationalization. The Role of English as a Lingua Franca in the Corporate Environment, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/343516
