Languages mean business
Marvin Cuschieri
A significant percentage of European SMEs lose business every year as a direct result of linguistic and intercultural weaknesses, concludes a recent report submitted to the EU by business leaders. The report continues by adding that as much as 11 per cent of European SMEs lose business every year as a direct result of linguistic and intercultural weakness and that SMEs could considerably improve their export performance if languages were used in a strategic manner.
The report was drafted by the Business Forum for Multilingualism, a forum which brings together prominent business and human resources leaders from across Europe in order to discuss investment in language skills and identify how companies can use language skills to maximise economic performance.
Although it appears certain that English will keep its leading role as the world business language, it is other languages that will make the difference between mainstream and excellence and provide a competitive edge over other regions in the world. For instance, German, French and Russian are highly in demand, as well as Mandarin and other Chinese languages.
Member states' governments are still very far from the common objective defined by the EU at the Barcelona Summit in 2002, when it was agreed that every citizen should at least learn two languages at school in addition to his/her mother tongue. This is unfortunate, considering the benefits of multilingualism. For instance, the unemployed miss out on work opportunities in different EU member states because of lack of language skills.
The report also calls on the European Commission to improve the awareness and accessibility of funding opportunities within the field of language learning because current application procedures are widely seen as "cumbersome" and "time-consuming". This situation can be addressed by having streamlined applications which are then disseminated in an effective manner.
The report concludes with a number of recommendations. These include the need for national governments to promote both formal and informal learning of a wide range of languages, create private-public partnerships in the field of language learning, and also enhance recognition methods of acquired language skills. Companies need to apply a wide range of language management strategies, such as investing in language training, and working with translators and interpreters is also pinpointed.
On a European level, the authors of the report outline the need to create a platform for exchange of best practices for companies and the business community at large, and also encourage the member states to commit more resources in order to address the problem of the lack of language skills.
Multilingualism Commissioner Leonard Orban pointed out in his reaction to the report's main findings that "linguistic diversity and investing in language and intercultural skills can be turned into a real asset for prosperity", and that the report recommendations are "an excellent contribution" to the upcoming communication on multilingualism.
• Mr Cuschieri is an executive at Impetus Europe Consulting Group Ltd.
The report was drafted by the Business Forum for Multilingualism, a forum which brings together prominent business and human resources leaders from across Europe in order to discuss investment in language skills and identify how companies can use language skills to maximise economic performance.
Although it appears certain that English will keep its leading role as the world business language, it is other languages that will make the difference between mainstream and excellence and provide a competitive edge over other regions in the world. For instance, German, French and Russian are highly in demand, as well as Mandarin and other Chinese languages.
Member states' governments are still very far from the common objective defined by the EU at the Barcelona Summit in 2002, when it was agreed that every citizen should at least learn two languages at school in addition to his/her mother tongue. This is unfortunate, considering the benefits of multilingualism. For instance, the unemployed miss out on work opportunities in different EU member states because of lack of language skills.
The report also calls on the European Commission to improve the awareness and accessibility of funding opportunities within the field of language learning because current application procedures are widely seen as "cumbersome" and "time-consuming". This situation can be addressed by having streamlined applications which are then disseminated in an effective manner.
The report concludes with a number of recommendations. These include the need for national governments to promote both formal and informal learning of a wide range of languages, create private-public partnerships in the field of language learning, and also enhance recognition methods of acquired language skills. Companies need to apply a wide range of language management strategies, such as investing in language training, and working with translators and interpreters is also pinpointed.
On a European level, the authors of the report outline the need to create a platform for exchange of best practices for companies and the business community at large, and also encourage the member states to commit more resources in order to address the problem of the lack of language skills.
Multilingualism Commissioner Leonard Orban pointed out in his reaction to the report's main findings that "linguistic diversity and investing in language and intercultural skills can be turned into a real asset for prosperity", and that the report recommendations are "an excellent contribution" to the upcoming communication on multilingualism.
• Mr Cuschieri is an executive at Impetus Europe Consulting Group Ltd.