Managing linguistic diversity in organizations on Réunion Island
Type de matériel :
TexteLangue : français Détails de publication : 2025.
Ressources en ligne : Abrégé : This article presents the findings of an exploratory qualitative study conducted with dyads composed of employees and their customers in service organizations duringe situations involving multilingual communication. The study aims to contribute to significant debates linking business, work, and society by exploring a new paradigm focused on organizational phenomena of plurilingualism within a specific geographical region, where languages are structurally similar and maintain power relations among them. It seeks to explore the Creole-speaking environment of Réunion Island (a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean), characterized by the coexistence of two main languages: Creole, a regional language, and French, which holds prestigious status. A thematic analysis of 201 participant observations reveals considerable heterogeneity in langauge use, resulting in comprehension issues for both monolingual Creole speakers and those partially bilingual in Creole. To bridge these communication gaps, which impede organizational objectives, employees develop strategies such as adjusting their speech or employing non-verbal communication. These findings expand research on multilingualism in organizations, which has predominantly focused on multinational companies operating in different countries. At the managerial level, based on the findings, it is recommended to develop training programs that enable employees to identify profiles—particularly exclusive Creole speakers and partial bilingual Creole speakers—in order to adapt their approach and communication to foster the cooperative climate essential for successful exchanges.
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This article presents the findings of an exploratory qualitative study conducted with dyads composed of employees and their customers in service organizations duringe situations involving multilingual communication. The study aims to contribute to significant debates linking business, work, and society by exploring a new paradigm focused on organizational phenomena of plurilingualism within a specific geographical region, where languages are structurally similar and maintain power relations among them. It seeks to explore the Creole-speaking environment of Réunion Island (a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean), characterized by the coexistence of two main languages: Creole, a regional language, and French, which holds prestigious status. A thematic analysis of 201 participant observations reveals considerable heterogeneity in langauge use, resulting in comprehension issues for both monolingual Creole speakers and those partially bilingual in Creole. To bridge these communication gaps, which impede organizational objectives, employees develop strategies such as adjusting their speech or employing non-verbal communication. These findings expand research on multilingualism in organizations, which has predominantly focused on multinational companies operating in different countries. At the managerial level, based on the findings, it is recommended to develop training programs that enable employees to identify profiles—particularly exclusive Creole speakers and partial bilingual Creole speakers—in order to adapt their approach and communication to foster the cooperative climate essential for successful exchanges.




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