Global Leadership and Language
By Sanden and Pietikäinen
In Osland, Reiche, Maznevski and Mendenhall, Advances in Global Leadership (Vol. 16)
Abstract:
This chapter explores connections between global leadership (GL) and language. By drawing on theories and concepts from sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, and language-sensitive international business and management studies, we discuss areas where language can be incorporated into GL research and vice versa. The chapter starts by outlining different dimensions of language as well as providing a brief historical account of the study of language within applied and sociolinguistics. This demonstrates that these fields encompass a broad range of topics and perspectives related to language in the global workplace. We argue that integrating language in GL offers valuable insights into organizational communication dynamics and leadership practices, for example, by uncovering intricacies of workplace interaction and explaining the impacts of linguistic diversity in the workplace. Similarly, GL concepts can help language scholars understand the leadership role in global, multilingual organizations, for example, in relation to language management. Combining GL and language research can provide researchers and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of leadership processes in global contexts.