Multilingualism, innovation, and productivity: an examination of the impact of multilingualism in the workplace, with reference to the BRICS countries
- Authors: Leyne, Breda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Multilingualism -- BRIC countries , Bilingual communication in organizations , Second language acquisition , Language in the workplace , Diversity in the workplace , Communication in organizations , Intercultural communication , Labor productivity , Organizational behavior , Technological innovations , BRICS countries
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148149 , vital:38714
- Description: This study examined whether the choice of language in the workplace affects personal and workplace productivity. The study has focussed on those working in countries which come under the BRICS grouping, Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa, as this provided a rich comparison of historical, economic and linguistic contexts. The research undertaken sought to explore the impact of prevailing language usage amongst employees of multi-national companies operating within the BRICS countries. With the assumption that these workforces will include multilingual individuals, the study set out to ascertain whether multilingualism has been recognised as a factor that might impact upon personal productivity or progress, either in a positive or negative fashion. The study set out to consider how language use may affect economic behaviour, firstly on a personal level and then to extrapolate this more widely into organisational productivity and innovation. This was set against background research into; theoretical perspectives on the acquisition of additional language, perceived benefits of bilingualism for individuals, studies of the management of language use with multinational corporations and relationships between language and economics. The conclusion reached is that multilingualism could have a beneficial impact on wider workforce productivity, and that it is not just a ‘language problem’ as it often seems to be treated. The final conclusion is that this may be something that should be more carefully considered by organisations in an increasingly global workplace. The researcher considers that multilingualism could be better employed as a workplace productivity metric, in a way that arguably it is not at present.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
- Authors: Leyne, Breda
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Multilingualism -- BRIC countries , Bilingual communication in organizations , Second language acquisition , Language in the workplace , Diversity in the workplace , Communication in organizations , Intercultural communication , Labor productivity , Organizational behavior , Technological innovations , BRICS countries
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148149 , vital:38714
- Description: This study examined whether the choice of language in the workplace affects personal and workplace productivity. The study has focussed on those working in countries which come under the BRICS grouping, Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa, as this provided a rich comparison of historical, economic and linguistic contexts. The research undertaken sought to explore the impact of prevailing language usage amongst employees of multi-national companies operating within the BRICS countries. With the assumption that these workforces will include multilingual individuals, the study set out to ascertain whether multilingualism has been recognised as a factor that might impact upon personal productivity or progress, either in a positive or negative fashion. The study set out to consider how language use may affect economic behaviour, firstly on a personal level and then to extrapolate this more widely into organisational productivity and innovation. This was set against background research into; theoretical perspectives on the acquisition of additional language, perceived benefits of bilingualism for individuals, studies of the management of language use with multinational corporations and relationships between language and economics. The conclusion reached is that multilingualism could have a beneficial impact on wider workforce productivity, and that it is not just a ‘language problem’ as it often seems to be treated. The final conclusion is that this may be something that should be more carefully considered by organisations in an increasingly global workplace. The researcher considers that multilingualism could be better employed as a workplace productivity metric, in a way that arguably it is not at present.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2020
The four flows model and organising: a case study of the grounding programme at the University of Fort Hare
- Dube, Nomzamo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9873-6566
- Authors: Dube, Nomzamo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9873-6566
- Date: 2015-01
- Subjects: Communication in organizations , Organizational behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24739 , vital:63538
- Description: The research focuses on McPhee and Zaug (2000)’s four flows model prevalent in the Communicative Constitution of Organisation (CCO) school of thought to explicate its applicability in the organisation of the Grounding Programme, a compulsory trans-disciplinary first year programme at Fort Hare University. This thesis diverts emphasis from studying organisation as a noun to Karl Weick (1979)’s view of seeing organisation as a verb, shifting emphasis to the term organising, thus looking at organisation as an on-going process not as an entity. The theoretical basis of the research is Giddens’ structuration theory which attempts to offer a conceptual stability to the friction of employees’ compelling needs for freedom and the organisational rules and policies. The structuration theory is foundational to the CCO perspective which gave birth to the four flows model, therefore perfectly ideal for the purpose of the study. Research methods used in this study are open ended interviews, participant observation and document examination. These complement each other and impeccable for this study. Upon intersecting the four flows model and the Grounding Programme, it came to light that the model was formed out of a series of models and theories, the weaknesses of each model or theory perpetuates to the next hence causing series of problems. Unsolved issues of the structuration theory perpetuates to the CCO which in the long-run extend to the four flows model. Findings also show that the inadequacies of one communicative flow of the four flows model affect the other flows hence it is sometimes difficult to track how the actual problem began. Again, not all flows are relevant for organisational purposes. In spite of McPhee and Zaug’s attempt to narrow the model into four distinct flows, the model still remains incomprehensive and has loopholes when linked to a particular organisation because organisations are different. However, McPhee and Zaug’s model ought to be credited for its successes too, which are outlined in the thesis. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015-01
- Authors: Dube, Nomzamo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9873-6566
- Date: 2015-01
- Subjects: Communication in organizations , Organizational behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/24739 , vital:63538
- Description: The research focuses on McPhee and Zaug (2000)’s four flows model prevalent in the Communicative Constitution of Organisation (CCO) school of thought to explicate its applicability in the organisation of the Grounding Programme, a compulsory trans-disciplinary first year programme at Fort Hare University. This thesis diverts emphasis from studying organisation as a noun to Karl Weick (1979)’s view of seeing organisation as a verb, shifting emphasis to the term organising, thus looking at organisation as an on-going process not as an entity. The theoretical basis of the research is Giddens’ structuration theory which attempts to offer a conceptual stability to the friction of employees’ compelling needs for freedom and the organisational rules and policies. The structuration theory is foundational to the CCO perspective which gave birth to the four flows model, therefore perfectly ideal for the purpose of the study. Research methods used in this study are open ended interviews, participant observation and document examination. These complement each other and impeccable for this study. Upon intersecting the four flows model and the Grounding Programme, it came to light that the model was formed out of a series of models and theories, the weaknesses of each model or theory perpetuates to the next hence causing series of problems. Unsolved issues of the structuration theory perpetuates to the CCO which in the long-run extend to the four flows model. Findings also show that the inadequacies of one communicative flow of the four flows model affect the other flows hence it is sometimes difficult to track how the actual problem began. Again, not all flows are relevant for organisational purposes. In spite of McPhee and Zaug’s attempt to narrow the model into four distinct flows, the model still remains incomprehensive and has loopholes when linked to a particular organisation because organisations are different. However, McPhee and Zaug’s model ought to be credited for its successes too, which are outlined in the thesis. , Thesis (MSoc) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2015
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015-01
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