GEM&L: Language-sensitive research in International Business and Management: Current perspectives on societal challenges

Language-sensitive research in IB and management:

Current perspectives on societal challenges

Language is at the heart of how we make sense of and interact with the world around us. Languages, as a primary means of communication, can be described as systems of meanings central to the understanding of organizational, social, and global realities (Tietze et al., 2003). These realities are continuously changing, influenced by such forces as climate change, the recent pandemic, digitalization, and political conflict (Piekkari et al., 2021), and infused with societal tensions related to values, norms, and attitudes (Beugelsdijk et al., 2022). Organizations of all kinds are currently experiencing, but also driving, the volatile dynamics of these grand challenges and many are grappling with pressing issues concerning their environmental, social, and corporate governance in which language is present in a myriad of ways.

Against this backdrop, we invite researchers and practitioners focusing on language in international business (IB) and management to respond to this call for papers with proposals that consider how we – as a language-sensitive research community – can contribute to a better understanding of current societal and organizational challenges. With GEM&L’s overarching focus on language, IB and management, the topics below serve as a reference and inspiration for a constructive dialogue at the 16^th annual conference. The call cross-cuttingly extends to proposals revolving around multilingual IB and management communication as well as translated IB and management language and discourse in connection with current societal challenges.