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AALTO UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS ABSTRACT International Business Master’s Thesis 11.05.2011 Aija Nousiainen k78529

The relationship between language and careers in Multinational Corporations: A case study of UPM-Kymmene Oyj

Objectives of the study This study aims to investigate the role of language in career management both from organizational as well as individual perspective. The research objective of the study is to examine how the organization’s language strategy/practices can act as a facilitator or barrier for career mobility. Also, to find out how the individual’s own language competences affect career mobility and if their language skills affect their own perception of their own career success.

Summary The Thesis explores the relationship between language and careers in MNC environment through the case company UPM. The research aims to define the effect of common corporate language on career mobility. Also, language effects on individual career mobility and success are examined through six interviews with Global Functions personnel, six interviews with Human Resource personnel, and other observations of UPM processes and practices.

Findings and conclusions The choice of English as common corporate language was generally seen as a facilitator for career mobility. Moreover, if the individual possessed English language skills it had a positive effect on the individual’s career mobility within the Global Functions and that in turn had a positive influence on the individual’s perception of his/her own career success.

Keywords: Language, Careers, MNC, Career mobility, Career Success