Demonstrates how differences in the French and British cultures have directly impacted the ways in which financial liabilities can be recognized, measured, and reported, and discusses the necessity of cross-cultural training for international businesspeople even for a field as objective and numerically oriented as accounting. (Auth/JL)

Reports the results of a large-scale survey on the demand for business German in German-American companies. Results showed German proficiency was not considered a key qualification, but a significant portion of oral communication in these companies took place in German. German proficiency was most needed in management and marketing departments.…

Examines how prevalent the provision of pre-departure cross-cultural and language training is among American companies operating internationally, and whether U.S. companies still lag behind their German counterparts in offering this type of training before sending their employees overseas. Author/VWL)

Examined the role of e-mail and faxing in Finland's international business communication. Surveys investigated business professionals' opinions about how the technology affected their writing practices and linguistic choices. Results indicated that the technology made their work faster, easier, and more efficient, and the amount of written…

Identifies three types of translation blunders found in international business communication: those due to carelessness, those due to words having multiple meanings, and those due to idioms. A number of mistakes from actual advertising mistranslations are included as examples. (Author/CK)

Presents a brief history of direct foreign investment in Cuba since 1982. This investment currently plays an important role in Cuba as a replacement to Soviet aid and as a means to earn foreign exchange. Tourism and mining are the preferred area for foreign investment because both of these sectors offer hard currency returns for Cuba. (20…

Analyzes critical incidents provided by professional interpreters. Findings indicate three major roles interpreters play: editor, cultural coach, and monitor/checker. The article discusses the implications of these roles in order to make the international executive an informed consumer of interpretation services. (13 references) (Author/CK)

Rhetorical strategies employed in three intercultural negotiations between British and Singaporean businessmen are examined. Communication breakdowns are attributed more to a lack of the will to adapt and understand, rather than intercultural differences, pointing out the importance of sensitivity and flexibility in adapting to different…

Discusses the need to enhance United States/European Union (EU) commercial and educational cooperation. Differences between US and EU language and trade policies are explored and the importance of plurilingualism in the global economy is examined. The role of the French Language, especially "Le francais des affaires," in facilitating…

This article analyzes how semantic differences between English and Japanese affect the discourse when Japanese speakers engage in negotiation in English, and how and to what degree English-language proficiency affects discourse. Results of the study show the importance of language and cultural knowledge in cross-cultural negotiation. (Auth/JL)

Students in advanced business Spanish courses gave oral presentations on geo-political and economic conditions in chosen Hispanic countries. The goals of these reports were to increase awareness of the unique identities of these countries, to introduce research tools for use in business research, and to inculcate linguistic and humanistic…

Discusses cultural issues that demand attention in the classroom and in executive training sessions and suggests need for research that identifies sources of misunderstandings, such as hidden attitudes leading to wrong cultural assumptions. Relevant research concerning concept of stereotypes is reviewed, presence of stereotypes about Latin…

Discusses the academic emphasis on students acquiring fluency in a second language to foster their advancement in the business world of international commerce. Notes that human resource experts in U.S.-based international corporations often give a low priority to linguistic fluency and emphasize the need for cultural expertise. (Seven references)…

Examines the significance of foreign languages for business, particularly Business Chinese, in the 1990s; its curriculum requirements; and the impact of business languages on international business. The article proposes a developmental plan for Business Chinese at the college level including goals, course materials, learning activities, and…

"Language for business" programs, well established at universities, could be expanded to include beginning language courses. It is argued that "language for business" courses at the beginner's level can attain some of the goals of business language study at an early stage and usefully complement their more advanced…