How Language Diversity Affects Knowledge Processing in Multinational Teams

This study investigates how language diversity affects knowledge processing in multinational teams (MNTs). Based on qualitative case studies of 15 MNTs in three German automotive corporations we show how MNT members’ lack of lexical and syntactical proficiency in the working language creates evident language barriers, which cause ostracism and sidelining of low-proficiency team members and consequently impede knowledge accumulation and exchange. We also reveal how pragmatic and prosodic transfer between team members’ mother tongues and the working language creates hidden language barriers, which cause divergent sensemaking and agreement illusion, thus negatively affecting knowledge examination and accommodation. Our findings introduce a cautionary note to communication accommodation theory and encourage a more complex and complete conceptualization of communication challenges in global organizations. They furthermore elucidate the intricacies of knowledge processing in multinational team settings and refi...