한국기업 해외주재원의 현지언어사용능력이 현지적응에 미치는 영향

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

As Korean firms expand internationally they experience heightened sensitivity toward the need to ensure that expatriates adjust to the foreign environment. Studies on expatriate adjustment point to the challenge of adjusting to communication, and firms consider host language proficiency in expatriate selection while offering selected expatriates predeparture host language training. In the case of South Korea’s construction and engineering firms, expatriate managers hold college degrees which require years of English language study. It is expected that host language proficiency will have little influence on adjustment of Korean expatriates in English-speaking countries and strong influence on adjustment in non English-speaking countries, thus justifying increased investment in predeparture language training for expatriates on assignment in non English-speaking countries. This study analyzes empirically survey results from 141 recently repatriated Korean employees of several major construction and engineering firms.
Results provide support for Korean firms’ further investment in expatriate training focusing on educating expatriates in skills relating to cross-cultural competence and foreign languages other than English. Results have profound implications for international business skill education for Korea’s multinational firms.