Report on Language Management Strategies and Best Practice in European Smes: the PIMLICO Project
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Report on Language Management Strategies and Best Practice in European SMEs: The PIMLICO Project April 2011 ‘If I am selling to you, then I speak your language, aber wenn du mir etwas verkaufst, dann muβt du Deutsch sprechen’. Willy Brandt, Former German Chancellor This report presents the outcomes of the PIMLICO study. The study was the first step of the European Commission's initiative to promote greater use of foreign languages by SMEs. This is an independent report. The views expressed herein are those of the independent experts which do not necessarily reflect the official position of the EUROPEAN COMMISSION European Commission. Report on Language Management Strategies and Best Practice in European SMEs: the PIMLICO Project Table of contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.1. What is PIMLICO? .............................................................................................................................................................. 7 1.2. The PIMLICO Phases ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 1.3 PIMLICO Methodology ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 1.4. Purpose of the PIMLICO Report .................................................................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 2: HOW SERIOUS IS THE PROBLEM? ................................................................................................................ 10 2.1 The Context for Action .................................................................................................................................................. 10 2.2. Findings from Previous Studies ............................................................................................................................... 11 2.3. Barriers to the Internationalisation of SMEs ...................................................................................................... 13 2.4. Profile of SMEs’ International Trading Patterns ............................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 3: PIMLICO CASE STUDIES ...................................................................................................................................... 15 3.1. Common Language Measures ................................................................................................................................... 15 3.2. Key Characteristics of the PIMLICO Case Studies ............................................................................................. 16 3.3 The Impact of the Language Management Strategy ........................................................................................ 21 3.4. The Super-SME ‘Top Performers’ ............................................................................................................................ 22 CHAPTER 4: LANGUAGE SUPPORT STRUCTURES ........................................................................................................... 35 4.1 General Support Programmes at National and International Le vel ....................................................... 35 4.2. Examplars of Regional Language Support for Companies ........................................................................... 47 4.3. Examplars of Local Language Support Initiatives ............................................................................................ 48 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................................................................................... 57 CHAPTER 6: RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 61 6.1. Recommendations for the European Commission .......................................................................................... 61 6.2. Recommendations for National Governments .................................................................................................. 61 6.3. Recommendations for Business Intermediaries............................................................................................... 62 6.4. Recommendations for SMEs ...................................................................................................................................... 62 6.5. Recommendations for Education ............................................................................................................................ 62 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 ANNEX 1 – PIMLICO Methodology ............................................................................................................................................ 77 ANNEX 2 – PIMLICO: Guidance Issued to Researchers ................................................................................................. 83 ANNEX 3 – Criteria for Identifying ‘Top Performers’ .................................................................................................... 84 ANNEX 4 – PIMLICO Interview Questionnaires ................................................................................................................ 85 ANNEX 5 – Profiles of 40 Best-Practice Case Studies .................................................................................................... 90 1 Report on Language Management Strategies and Best Practice in European SMEs: the PIMLICO Project ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report has been undertaken as the culmination of the PIMLICO survey which was commissioned by the European Commission Directorate‐General for Education and Culture (DG EAC). The coordination and supervision of PIMLICO with regard to its project development, quality control, implementation, reporting and follow-through have been undertaken by Olivier Brouet and Florence Ortmans at Tipik, whose work has been invaluable in the completion of this first phase of the project. The interviews with the 40 selected small and medium-sized international companies across 27 EU Member States were undertaken by a team of selected international researchers whose work provided the essential empirical data for the study. Their careful, well-researched contact, visits and highly productive interviews, which were so vital to the successful compilation of this report, took place over a six-month period during 2010. Their field reports of international SME trading activity using languages were collated to provide key insights into how exemplar companies employ language management strategies to improve their performance and particularly their bottom line. The selection and day-to-day management of the researchers, including international communications, guidance and training, and the collation of the individual country reports, were ably handled by Susanne Hagen, Semantica Ltd (UK), whose persistence, as well as her expert deployment of diplomatic and project management skills were an essential ingredient in the success of the PIMLICO survey. The research methodology was based on models, definitions and systems adapted from the ELAN Project (2006). Critical amongst these is the concept, definition and exemplification of the language management strategy (LMS). Without the expert knowledge of multilingual business communication set out and described by Professor Hagen, the principal author of the ELAN Report, it would have been difficult to have the necessary tools to identify and describe how best practice can be optimally achieved by European SMEs and how they can secure international trade success. The publication of this report now forms the basis for the next stage of the project. In the second phase, Tipik’s team will draw on the main insights contained in the report to implement a European communication initiative and to promote the exemplar practice and application of language management strategies amongst European businesses during 2011. They will achieve this with the assistance of key business stakeholders, such as the EU’s Business Platform, and they will make available a significant range of products, such as guides and systems to support SMEs and disseminate these throughout Europe. The team-work of researchers, project managers, and communications specialists in producing this report is greatly appreciated. But as the author I would like to extend a special thanks to the small and medium-sized European businesses which appear in Annex 5 who willingly gave up time to take part in this study and give us the benefit of their valuable know-how to assist other companies to become more successful in their international activity.