Exploring the impact of foreign language use on managerial decision-making

: a qualitative study with German-speaking managers

Abstract

As global business becomes increasingly multilingual, understanding how foreign language use affects decision-making is essential. This study investigates how managers in a multinational company perceive the influence of the foreign language effect on cognitive processing, risk perception, emotional engagement, and moral judgment. Using semi-structured expert interviews with 15 native German-speaking managers who regularly use English at work, the study employs qualitative content analysis to explore how foreign language use is perceived to shape different aspects of managerial decision-making. While many participants appeared to experience stable cognitive and emotional engagement across languages, others described slower reasoning, greater deliberation, or more restrained communication 3 particularly in unfamiliar or high-stakes contexts. These findings suggest that subtle yet meaningful changes might have occurred in both decision outcomes and the processes by which decisions were made and communicated. Cultural norms may have exerted a more substantial influence on ethical judgments than language, and linguistic confidence appears to be a relevant but insufficiently examined variable. The study expands the current literature by offering context-sensitive insights that challenge the generalizability of experimental foreign language effect findings. It emphasizes the importance of considering language proficiency and organizational context when assessing foreign language use in managerial decision-making in research and practice. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of raising awareness about these often-overlooked dynamics and encouraging the integration of language-sensitive reflection and training into managerial practice and future research.

Date of Award	25 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Cristina Soares Pacheco Mendonça (Supervisor)