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DOCUMENT RESUME

NO 166 983

FL 010 113

AUTHOR

Inman, Marianne E.TITLEAn' Investigation of _he Foreign Language NeedsU.S. Corporations Doing Business Abroad.

PUB DATEDec 78

NOTE216p.; Parts of the appendices may be marginallylegible due to small type

EDRS PRICE

DESCRIPTORS

ABSTRACTMF-$0.83 HC-$11.37 Plus Postage.

*Business; English (Second Language); *English for Special Purposes; *Foreign Countries; interpreters; Language Ability; *Language Instruction; LanguagePrograms; *Languages for Special Purposes; *Second

Language Learning; Spanish; Translation.

This study of the foreign language requirements of U.S. corporations doing business abroad examines characteristics of corporate language training programs and policies with regard both to

U.S. national employees going outside the United States tc work andto non-U.S. national employees, generally working in their own

countries. The role of translation and interpreting in the corporate

environment both within the United States anE abroad was alsostudied. Of particular interest were tte extent to which language

requirements and language training are included in corporate planning and the extent to which occupationally-oriented special purpose

language training is included in the language training provided tocorporate employees. Data were collected by means cf a detailed

questionnaire sent to the U.S. headquarters cf 267 American companies reported to be doing business abroad. Questionnaires were returned by

184 companies. Among the findings are the following;

(1) the greatestamount of international business in which U.S. corporations are

involved is currently being done in Western Europe, followed byCentral and South America, Canada, the Middle East, and the Far

(2) Spanish is the language most studied by U.S. nationals gain abroad and also the language most involved in translation andinterpreting; (3)U.S. corporations doing business abroad rely

primarily on English as the business language and the means ofcommunication; and (4) language training is provided to a majority of

U.S. national employees going overseas and outranks technical,

cultural, and managerial training in tyre cf training provided. Asample questionnaire is included.(SW)East;

_************* ********** ****41_*** ********* *44 ** ********* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best the4 can be made *from the original document.********************************** *************4** *_******* r-4

C;)LaAN INVESTIGATION OF

OF U.S. CORPORATIOLANGUAGE NEEDS

INESS ABROAD

APPROVED BY SUPERVISORY CO MITTEE!

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

EDUCATION &WELFARE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OFEDUCATION

THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN

REPRO-DucEp EXACTLY AS RECEIVEDFROMTHE PERSON OR ORGANIZATIONORIGIN.ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONSSTATED DO NOT NECESSARILYREPRE.SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE_OFEDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS

MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

Mart G kvv?

11h-Leth

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) AND

USERS OF THE ERIC SYSTEM."

Copyright

by

Marianne Elizabeth Plzak Inman

1978
t To

My Family

4

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEEDS

OF U.S. CORPORATIONS DOING BUSINESS ABROAD

by

MARIANNE ELIZABETH PLZAK INMAN, B.A.,

DISSERTATION

Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of

The University of Texas at Austin

in Partial FulfillMent of the Requirements for the Degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AU7 N

December 1978

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many people have influenced and contributed in innumerable ways to this dissertation, and to all of them I express sincere thanks and appreciation.

I should like in particular to thank my

chairman, Dr. David DeCamp, who sa gener,usly contributed his time, scholarship, enthusiasm, and frienuship to me during every phase of the project; and the members of my committee--Dr. John G. Bordie, Dr. Laurel A.. Briscoe, Dr. M. All Jazayer y, and Dr. Winfred P. Lehmann--who were always available to offer advice or to discuss any aspect of the study.

I am also grateful to Dr. Calvin P. Blair

of the Graduate School of Business who contributed many helpful suggestions to the development of the questionnaire and to the research methodology employed in the study. .Special: thanks are due to the staff of the Foreign Language Education Center--Nona Blanchard, Lee Clark, Noel Brown, and Mimi

3ardagjy--for their kindness, generous assistance, and ability always

to brighten a day, and to the Office of Graduate Studies for the research grant which greatlyo-facilitated the conducting of this research. I should like also to acknowledge the contributions of John Hammer and the staff members cF the Center for Applied Lin- guistics who,shared important information with, me in the initial phases of the study and whose continuing interest in the project a has been most encouraging.Dr. A. Hood Roberts,of Roberts Informa- tion Services, Inc., has provided invaluable assistance and advice in the final stages of the project and in countless other ways as well Dr. Norvell Northcutt of the Southwestjducational Develop- ment Laboratory helped in the data analysis stage of the project and directed the internship program in which I was fortunate to participate.

Sincere appreciation is also due to Dr. Domingo

Dominguez and Dr. Betty Mace-Matluck of the Bilingual and Inter- national Education Division of SEDL for their guidance, advice, and friendship during my period of work with that division. The assistance of Ms. Sue Bryarly and Ms. Anita Dalback in typing the manuscript is gratefully acknowledged. To my parents, who have given the example of their lives and their constant love and support, no adepuate thanks can ever be expreSsed. And to my husband David, a true friend and colleague, go my respect, love, and deepest gratitude. MEI vi

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE NEEDS

OF U.S. CORPORATIONS DOING BUSINESS ABROAD

Publication No.

Marianne Elizabeth Plzak Inman, Ph.D.

The University of Texas at Austin, 1978

Supervising Professor:

David DeCamp

This study has examined the position of language-and lan- guage training in the-international corporate environment, focusing on three aspects of corporate language policies, program, and perceived requirements: (1)foreign languages for U.S. nationals sent abroad; (2) translation and interpreting; and (3) foreign languages (often English) for non-U.S. nationals. Of particular interest were details of the training pro- cess and the extent to which Languages for Special Purposes (LSP) research and training are included in corporate-sponsored programs. Data were collected by means of a detailed twelve-page questionnaire sent to the U.S. headquarters of 267 American com- panies resorted to be doing business abroad.

Twenty-eight dif-

ferent categories of company were represented in the sample. Questionnaires were returned by 184 companies, or 68.9 percent vii of those contacted.

Major findings of the study were the following:

(1) The greatest amount of international business, in which U.S. corporations are involved is currently being done in Western- Europe, followed by Central and South America, Canada, the Middle

East, and the Far East.

(2) Spanish is the language most studied iv U.S. nationals going abroad and also the language most invOlved.in translation and interpreting. -(3) U.S. corporations doing businesS abroad rely primarily on English as the business language and the means of communication. (4) Language training is provided to a majority of U.S. national employees going overseas and outranks technical, cultural, and managerial training in type of training provided. (5) LSP training is only rarely included in U.S.1national employees' pre-assignment language instruction. (6) Translation and interpreting requirements are generally handled by corporate. employees whose jobs are in a non-language area. (7) English is generally the language in which technical training is given to non-U.S. national employees overseas. (8) A far greater commitment exists to language training for non-U.S.- national employees than to U.S. national employees. viii 9 Language training for non-U.S. national employees is overwhelmingly done in English and is apt to include an LSP (i.e., a job-oriented). component. (10)

For most companies doing international business,

language training has played no role irn the planning of their overseas operations. A foreion,larguage proficiency, therefore, for U.S. (z. nationals and non-U.S. nationals alike, is strictly ancillary to an employee's main job and essentially serves only to enhance his other skills and capabilities.

As a result, foreign language

educators at all levels have begun to advocate and introduce non-traditional, interdisciplinary courses and curricula. ix

TABLE OF CONTE'

Page

LIST OF TABLES

xiv

LIST OF FIGURES

..666666.6.0xvi

Chapter

1.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM...a.

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND..000.06.....1

THE STUDY

5

Purposes00.00.......5

Methodology..........

Scope and Delimitations

......7

ASSUMPTIONS

............8

Theoretical Assumptions

ti8

Methodological Assumptions

8

DEFINITION OF TERMS

00.9 NOTES .m.....10

A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

11

INTRODUCTION

..*6......11

LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL TRAINING FOR

AMERICANS WORKING ABROAD'.

00*.12

Summary

30

TRANSLATION AND INTERPRET

32
Page-

Summary

39

FOREIGN LANGUAGES AS ANCILLARY SKILLS

....039

Summary

.......43

FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND CAREER EDUCATION

43

Summary

53

LANGUAGES FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES (LSP)

54

Summary

.......65 NOTES ......a*6a67

METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES

..69

OVERVIEW

..9..69'

SELECTION OF RESPONDENTS ,......69

THE DATA GATHERING PACKAGE

71

Rationale and Contents

.......#0000.71

The Pilot Study

74

The Main Study

75

DESIGN OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

76

DATA PROCESSING AND ANALYSIS

82

METHODOLOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS=

83

LIMITATIONS

600.4400#...84

NOTES .*#.#a*a087 'FINDINGS 88

RESPONSES

0.#... .....0.88

THE QUESTIONNAIRE-.

.....89 xi Page

General Information

..aO..39

Foreign Language Training for

U.S. Nationals., .. ,.. .. .. -.fa a.93

Translation and Interpreting

.afa

Language-Training for-NOn7U.S.

National Employees

Ngn-Responses

.- , ..a

Comments

90.'a .. a.a .....

Summary

NOTES ...aaaa WOO aa

SUMMARY

SURVEY RESULTS

125

Findingt ,

...aI28

Discussion

..**Fag*mesa130

Assumptiont

..........a:a,..1351,6a.

SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

,..... ,:.......,.139

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

.....143

CONCLUSION

..,...Se.145 NOTES ... .pa aaaa'a 00 a9''a.'. 147 -APPENDIXESa.0.a104- ...109 ...1111 Oa a aaa.119 ... a a0.123 a a.127 128..
A. -COVER LETTERS ACCOMPANYING QUESTIONNAIRE,

PILOT- AND MAIN- STUDIES

..149 3.4

PILOT VERSION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE.

C.COVER LETTERS ACCOMPANYING PILOT AND MAIN

STUDIES, FOLLOW-UP MAILINGS

...6,9a xii

13.151.

164/

APPENDIXES

Page D.

NOTE ATTACHED TO QUESTIONNAIRE IN FOLLOW-UP

MAILING, PILOT STUDY

..165 E.

REVISED VERSION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

USED IN THE MAIN STUDY

.166

NOTE ATTACHED TO QUESTIONNAIRE IN FOLLOW-UP

MAILING,,MAIN STUDY

BIBLIOGRAPHYO 00000

0'0600*0.178

179

LIST OF TABLES

''Table 1. 2.

3.Number of Companies Contacted Per Category

Distribution of Responses by Category of Company

Locations of International Business

.....Page 72
90
93
4.

Criteria for Selecting U.S. Nationals

for Overseas Assignments ...............94

Type of Pre-Assignment Training Provided

Employees Going. Overseas by Type of

Overseas Operation

........95 6.

Company Language Policy..........a96

7.

Means by Which Employees Obtain

Language Proficiency..........'.98

8.

Methods by Which Companies Provide

Language Training

.....999..00.99

9.LocatiOn of Language Training....:.......99 ..

10.

Actual Lotation of Instruction100,

11.

When Training Takes Place100

12.Languages-Most Studied by'U.S.-

Nationals Going Abroad

.............102

13.Areas Where a Foreign Language Proficiency

Is Perceived asImportant.

......S..103

14.,,Translation Requiremehp0990.105

16.

Mearis by Which Translation and Interpreting,

Requirements are Met

..106 16.

Languages Involved Most in Translation

and Interpreting ..108 xiv Table Page

17.Lahguage of InstrUction of

Technical/Vocational Training

.08.0111 18.

Companies Offering Technical/Vocational

Training and/or Language Training by

Category ofCompanY

113
19.

Classifications of Non-U.S. National

Employees Receiving Training, by Percent

....114 20.

Number of Companies Contacting Language

Organizations, ASsociations119

21.

Reasons Cited for Non-Response120

XV

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

'Page. 1.

Size of Company in Number of EmplOyees.0.0e ..91

Size of Company in Annual Revenues

..........,92 xvf 'STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

INTRODUCTION,

In this study the position of language and language train- in the international corporate environment is examined, and some suggestions for improvements in corporate staffing, planning, and operations are proposed.

The study attempts to depict a com-

plete and thorough view of language activities=in the business world.quotesdbs_dbs32.pdfusesText_38

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