The Correlation of Business English as Lingua Franca and the Job Satisfaction of Non-native Speakers of English

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 Definitions

2.1 Business English as lingua franca (BELF)

2.2 Foreign Language Anxiety

2.3 Job satisfaction

3 Current state of research

3.1 Effects of FLA

3.2 FLA and job satisfaction

4 Preliminary conclusion and research gap

5 Hypothesis

6 Methodology

6.1 Measuring instruments

6.1.1 Frequency of use of English at work

6.1.2 Personal English skills

6.1.3 Current job position

6.1.4 FLA in Formal Settings scale (FLA-FS)

6.1.5 Job satisfaction

6.2 Conduct of the Study

6.3 Selection of sample

6.4 Data evaluation

7 Results

7.1 Descriptive statistics

7.1.1 Statistical evaluation

7.1.2 Analysis of variance

7.2 Correlation analysis

8 Discussion

8.1 Summary

8.2 Practical significance

8.3 Limitations and recommendations for further research

9 Conclusion

Research Objectives and Key Themes

This thesis examines the correlation between Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) arising from the use of Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF) and the job satisfaction of non-native speaking employees, aiming to determine whether language-induced anxiety hinders professional self-actualization and overall job satisfaction in multinational organizations.

• Impact of Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) on non-native speakers in international business settings.
• The influence of English proficiency levels on psychological well-being and communication behavior.
• Correlation between language-induced anxiety, professional self-actualization, and job satisfaction.
• Role of organizational leadership and psychological safety in mitigating the effects of language barriers.
• Practical strategies for human resources to support non-native employees in multinational teams.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction: This chapter highlights the prevalence of English as a global business language and identifies the potential for language to act as a barrier, causing anxiety and negatively impacting employee well-being and job satisfaction.

2 Definitions: This section defines key concepts central to the thesis, specifically Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF), Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA), and the psychological construct of job satisfaction.

3 Current state of research: This section reviews existing literature on the effects of FLA and its relationship with job satisfaction, noting a significant gap in empirical data within business contexts.

4 Preliminary conclusion and research gap: The chapter summarizes how language-induced anxiety harms psychological safety and teamwork, establishing the necessity for the current empirical study.

5 Hypothesis: This chapter outlines the study's objectives and states two main hypotheses predicting negative correlations between FLA, job satisfaction, and professional self-actualization.

6 Methodology: This chapter details the research design, including the use of the FLA-FS scale and a job satisfaction survey conducted among 104 individuals in multinational organizations.

7 Results: This section presents the statistical evaluation of the survey data, providing descriptive statistics and revealing analytical results concerning correlations between FLA and job satisfaction.

8 Discussion: The results are interpreted here, offering practical managerial recommendations for creating a psychologically safe communication climate in multinational companies.

9 Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings, confirming that FLA negatively impacts job satisfaction and self-actualization, and suggests areas for future large-scale research.

Keywords

Business English as Lingua Franca, BELF, Foreign Language Anxiety, FLA, Job Satisfaction, Professional Self-actualization, Psychological Safety, Non-native speakers, Multinational Organizations, Communication Barriers, Workplace Psychology, FLA-FS scale, Language Proficiency, Employee Well-being, Quantitative Study

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

This research primarily investigates the correlation between Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA) caused by the use of Business English as a Lingua Franca (BELF) and the job satisfaction of non-native English speaking employees in multinational organizations.

What are the primary thematic areas covered?

The study covers the psychological impact of language barriers, the role of professional self-actualization, the influence of English proficiency, and the creation of psychologically safe communication climates within global business teams.

What is the primary goal of the study?

The primary goal is to empirically determine if a negative correlation exists between FLA and job satisfaction, and whether FLA hinders an employee's professional self-actualization.

Which scientific methods were employed?

The researcher conducted a quantitative study using a questionnaire that included the "FLA in Formal Settings" (FLA-FS) scale and a job satisfaction survey, statistically analyzed through JASP using Spearman's correlation and ANOVA.

What does the main body of the work address?

The main body reviews existing literature on language anxiety and job satisfaction, designs and conducts an empirical study, analyzes the resulting data, and discusses practical organizational implications.

Which keywords characterize this thesis?

Key terms include Business English as Lingua Franca (BELF), Foreign Language Anxiety (FLA), Job Satisfaction, Professional Self-actualization, Psychological Safety, and Workplace Psychology.

Did the study find that beginner-level English speakers are the only ones affected by FLA?

No, while the study confirmed that beginners show higher anxiety scores, it also demonstrated that FLA affects employees with advanced or fluent English skills due to fears of negative evaluation by colleagues.

What role does psychological safety play in the context of this study?

Psychological safety is identified as a critical foundation for a healthy work climate; the study argues that acknowledging and mitigating FLA is essential for team leaders to build such an environment.