English has evolved from a national language to the dominant medium of international business, shaping not only day-to-day communication but also the deeper structures of corporate culture. This article investigates the role of English as a lingua franca in multinational corporations and its impact on organizational practices, identity, and performance. Drawing on an integrative review of research in international business, applied linguistics, and organizational studies, it synthesizes findings about the rise of English as a corporate language, the emergence of Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF), and the strategic management of language in firms. The paper analyzes how English enables global coordination, accelerates knowledge transfer, and supports brand coherence, while also introducing asymmetries of power, identity tensions, and risks of exclusion for non-native speakers. It argues that language choices are not only communicative decisions but also cultural interventions that shape artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions within organizations. Case-based evidence suggests that deliberate “language strategies” can align corporate culture with globalization goals by balancing English mandates with multilingual realities, investing in global communicative competence, and designing inclusive practices around meetings, documentation, and leadership communication. The article concludes by proposing a culture-sensitive, sector-aware approach to language management that treats English as an enabling infrastructure rather than a universal solution and highlights research-informed levers—training, translation ecosystems, and leadership modeling—to mitigate inequities while realizing performance gains.  

English as a lingua franca, BELF, corporate culture, organizational communication

Крystal D. English as a Global Language. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 212 p. (Also available at: Cambridge University Press website; accessed: 09.10.2025).

Seidlhofer B. Understanding English as a Lingua Franca. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. 240 p. (See also: OUP catalogue; accessed: 09.10.2025).

Neeley T. Global Business Speaks English: Why You Need a Language Strategy Now // Harvard Business Review. 2012. Vol. 90, No. 5. P. 116–124. Available at: HBR website (accessed: 09.10.2025).

Neeley T. The Language of Global Success: How a Common Tongue Transforms Multinational Organizations. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017. 188 p. (See faculty/book pages; accessed: 09.10.2025).

Louhiala-Salminen L., Kankaanranta A. Professional Communication in a Global Business Context: The Notion of Global Communicative Competence // IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. 2011. Vol. 54, No. 3. P. 244–262. DOI: 10.1109/TPC.2011.2161844.

Louhiala-Salminen L., Charles M., Kankaanranta A. English as a Lingua Franca in Nordic Corporate Mergers: Two Case Companies // English for Specific Purposes. 2005. Vol. 24, No. 4. P. 401–421. DOI: 10.1016/j.esp.2005.02.003.

Rogerson-Revell P. Using English for International Business: A European Case Study // English for Specific Purposes. 2007. Vol. 26, No. 1. P. 103–120. (ERIC record; accessed: 09.10.2025).

Piekkari R., Welch D.E., Welch L.S. Language in International Business: The Multilingual Reality of Global Business Expansion. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2014. 272 p. (Publisher pages and previews; accessed: 09.10.2025).

Sanden G.R. Language Strategies in Multinational Corporations: A Cross-Sector Study of Financial Service Companies and Manufacturing Companies. Doctoral thesis. Copenhagen Business School, 2015. Available at: CBS Research Portal (accessed: 09.10.2025).

Hofstede G., Hofstede G.J., Minkov M. Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 576 p. (Full text excerpt; accessed: 09.10.2025).

Schein E.H. Organizational Culture and Leadership. 4th ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010. 464 p. (Digitized copy; accessed: 09.10.2025).

Louhiala-Salminen L., Kankaanranta A. Language as an Issue in International Internal Communication: English or Local Language? If English, What English? // Public Relations Review. 2012. Vol. 38, No. 2. P. 262–269. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2011.12.021.

Center for Intercultural Dialogue. English as Business Lingua Franca (BELF). Key Concept Paper. 2017. Available at: centerforinterculturaldialogue.org (accessed: 09.10.2025).