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English As a Lingua Franca in the Business Domain: the Case of University Spin-Off Companies in Galicia

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English As a Lingua Franca in the Business Domain: the Case of University Spin-Off Companies in Galicia English as a lingua franca in the business domain: The case of university spin-off companies in Galicia Autora: Verónica Pérez Gómez Tese de doutoramento UDC / 2020 Directora: María Jesús Cabarcos Traseira Titora: María Jesús Cabarcos Traseira Programa Oficial de Doutoramento en Estudos Ingleses Avanzados: Lingüística, Literatura e Cultura Dona María Jesús Cabarcos Traseira, en calidade de directora da tese de doutoramento English as a lingua franca in the business domain: The case of university spin-off companies in Galicia escrita pola doutoranda Verónica Pérez Gómez ACREDITO Que a devandita tese de doutoramento reúne os requisitos formais e técnicos necesarios para a súa lectura e defensa pública, e que cumple tamén cos requisitos para optar á mención internacional. Na Coruña, a 9 de xaneiro de 2020 Asdo: María Jesús Cabarcos Traseira. iii my voice is the offspring of two countries colliding what is there to be ashamed of if english and my mother tongue made love my voice is her father’s words and mother’s accent what does it matter if my mouth carries two worlds Kaur, R. (2017). Accent. The sun and her flowers (p. 139). UK: Simon & Schuster. v Acknowledgments The completion of this dissertation would not have been possible without the cooperation of many people that, one way or another, have played a part in it. First, I am very grateful for all the participants from the Galician companies who collaborated in this project. It was an extremely positive experience that allowed me to be in contact with people from a wide range of interesting areas. My other most important debt is to my supervisor, Dr. María Jesús Cabarcos. I am truly thankful for her wise guidance, constant support, and immense patience through all these years. I feel that thanks to you I have grown not only academically speaking but also personally during this entire process. I am also tremendously grateful to the Institute of Applied Linguistics of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, as they were always willing to help me to integrate in the academic environment. Moreover, I am particularly thankful that Dr. Anna Szczepaniak-Kozak was supervising me during my Erasmus doctoral stay in Poznań. Besides her academic guidance, she made me feel at home in this cold but beautiful city. I would also like to express my gratitude to Professor Kathleen Wheatley and Professor Gabriel Rei Doval for their useful advice during my academic stay at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Since I have mentioned Milwaukee, I could not forget the beloved friends I made there: thank you Paula, Ruth, Carlos, and Iván for all your psychological support and for reminding me that humour puts everything into perspective. vii Continuando no plano das amizades, non podo esquecerme dos meus dous amigos da infancia, Javi e Sylvie, por darme sempre ánimos e por terme aturado en toda esta “etapa tesiana”. Grazas infinitas á miña familia, Mariluz, Manolo, Luis e Paula por todo o apoio que dunha forma ou doutra me levan dado, e especialmente a meus pais, Luz e Manuel, por inculcarme a importancia do esforzo desde pequena, ademais de educarme nos valores do afecto, a tolerancia e a responsabilidade. Grazas, en definitiva, por crer en min. Por último, pero non menos importante, grazas Iván por acompañarme nesta longa viaxe e estar sempre aí para animarme nos momentos complicados, celebrar os de ledicia, impulsarme nos de procrastinación e axudarme a avanzar nos de bloqueo. Por máis que o ceo estea gris en Compostela, fas que cada día teña un brillo especial. viii Resumen El inglés como lengua franca en el ámbito empresarial: Estudio de las spin-off universitarias en Galicia. Los estudios pertenecientes al campo del inglés como lengua franca y del inglés como lengua franca de los negocios (ELF/BELF) hacen hincapié en cómo el concepto de competencia en lengua inglesa basada en el hablante nativo inglés no se ha cuestionado hasta hace poco. Más concretamente, los investigadores de ELF/BELF han señalado cómo los estudios correspondientes al área de la comunicación internacional empresarial y de gestión han abordado el uso del inglés desde la perspectiva del inglés como lengua nativa, en lugar de considerar que la mayor parte de la comunicación internacional tiene lugar entre hablantes de inglés no nativos. Por consiguiente, los materiales pedagógicos que se elaboran para la enseñanza del inglés en el ámbito empresarial toman al hablante nativo de inglés como referencia. De este modo, los investigadores del campo de ELF/BELF han enfatizado la necesidad de llevar a cabo más estudios que analicen la forma en la que los individuos conceptualizan el uso del inglés. Considerando estas circunstancias, el objetivo de esta tesis doctoral es averiguar cómo y por qué se usa el inglés en las empresas spin-off relacionadas con las tres universidades gallegas: la Universidad de A Coruña, la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela y la Universidad de Vigo. Para dar respuesta a estas cuestiones, se ha llevado a cabo una exhaustiva revisión de los trabajos más significativos realizados en el área de ELF, junto con la recopilación y análisis de datos empíricos. Esta investigación empírica se basa en una serie de x entrevistas a trabajadores de 47 empresas diferentes. Los resultados indican que los participantes son usuarios de ELF, puesto que no se identifican con el modelo de inglés como lengua nativa (ENL), sino que conciben el inglés como otro medio a través del cual lograr sus metas profesionales. En lo que respecta al uso de otros idiomas, los participantes consideran que estos son secundarios. Asimismo, las conclusiones ponen de relieve la necesidad de centrar la atención de la enseñanza del inglés en el ámbito de los negocios en la adquisición de habilidades pragmáticas y culturales, con el objetivo de que los futuros trabajadores estén convenientemente preparados para la comunicación empresarial a nivel internacional. xi Resumo O inglés como lingua franca no ámbito empresarial: Estudo das empresas spin-off universitarias en Galicia Os estudos pertencentes ao campo do inglés como lingua franca e do inglés como lingua franca dos negocios (ELF/BELF) fan especial fincapé na recente visión problemática da competencia en lingua inglesa baseada no falante nativo. Máis concretamente, os investigadores de ELF/BELF remarcan que os estudos correspondentes á área da comunicación internacional empresarial e de xestión teñen abordado o uso do inglés desde a perspectiva do inglés como lingua nativa, no canto de considerar que a maior parte da comunicación internacional ten lugar entre falantes de inglés non nativos. Polo tanto, os materiais pedagóxicos que se elaboran para a ensinanza do inglés no ámbito empresarial toman ao falante nativo de inglés como referencia. Deste modo, os investigadores do campo de ELF/BELF salientaron a necesidade de levar a cabo máis estudos que analicen a forma na que os individuos comprenden o uso do inglés. Considerando estas circunstancias, o obxectivo desta tese doutoral é investigar como e por que se usa o inglés nas empresas spin-off relacionadas coas tres universidades galegas: a Universidade da Coruña, a Universidade de Santiago de Compostela e a Universidade de Vigo. Para dar resposta a estas cuestións, realizouse unha revisión exhaustiva dos traballos máis significativos dentro da área de ELF, xunto coa recollida e análise de datos empíricos. Esta investigación empírica está baseada nunha serie de entrevistas a traballadores de 47 empresas diferentes. Os resultados indican que os participantes son usuarios xiii de ELF, posto que non se identifican co modelo de inglés como lingua nativa (ENL), senón que conciben o inglés como outro medio para acadar as súas metas profesionais. No que concirne ao uso doutros idiomas, os participantes consideran que estes son secundarios. As conclusións subliñan a necesidade de centrar a atención da ensinanza do inglés no ámbito dos negocios na adquisición de destrezas pragmáticas e culturais, co obxectivo de que os futuros traballadores estean convenientemente preparados para a comunicación empresarial a nivel internacional. xiv Abstract A review of English as a Lingua Franca and Business English as a Lingua Franca (ELF/BELF) literature highlighted how the studies of the international business and management communication areas have dealt with the usage of English according to the English as a native language perspective (ENL), rather than considering that most of the international communication takes place between non-native English speakers. Consequently, the pedagogical materials designed for the teaching of English in business international communication have the native English speaker as the target model. ELF/BELF scholars have thus emphasised that more research on individuals’ conceptualisation of English usage is needed in the ELF/BELF field. Taking these circumstances into account, the aim of this doctoral dissertation is to disclose how and the specific context in which English and other languages are used in Galician spin-off companies connected with the University of A Coruña (UDC), the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), and the University of Vigo (UVIGO). To do so, a comprehensive review of relevant ELF literature was conducted and coupled with the collection and analysis of empirical data. This empirical research is based on interviews conducted among staff from 47 companies. The findings suggest that participants are ELF users who do not identify themselves with the ENL model, but they perceive English as another means
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