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Language-based discrimination in multilingual organizations: A comparative study of migrant professionals’ experiences across physical and virtual spaces

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  • Back, Hilla
  • Piekkari, Rebecca

Abstract

We compare migrant professionals’ experiences of language-based discrimination across physical and virtual spaces. The minority status of these professionals stems from their foreign origin and lack of proficiency in the local language of their new country of residence. We conducted a case study of a multinational corporation after a shift to remote work triggered by COVID-19. Our findings indicate that while language-based discrimination takes more interpersonal and overt forms in physical spaces, it becomes more organizational and subtle in virtual spaces. We shed light on how technology dependency and dispersion affect the forms and experiences of language-based discrimination in different spaces. Our contribution lies in defining language-based discrimination as a construct of modern discrimination, which has received scant attention in previous research.

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  • Back, Hilla & Piekkari, Rebecca, 2024. "Language-based discrimination in multilingual organizations: A comparative study of migrant professionals’ experiences across physical and virtual spaces," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(3).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:59:y:2024:i:3:s1090951624000026
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jwb.2024.101518
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Paulina Segarra & Vijayta Doshi & Martyna Śliwa & Marco Distinto & Arturo Osorio, 2024. "The Business of (Im)migration: Bodies Across Borders," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 194(4), pages 747-752, November.

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