{"title":"What induces corporations to engage in controversial marketing and environmental practices? A linguistic perspective","authors":"Mahabubur Rahman","doi":"10.1108/imr-07-2023-0134","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"PurposeLinguists classify the world’s languages into two types: futured and futureless. Futured languages (e.g. French) require speakers to grammatically mark future events, a construction that is optional in futureless languages such as German. This treatise examines whether the grammatical structure of the predominant language in a given country explains firms’ propensity to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices. This is expected to happen because a speaker’s future time perspective and temporal discounting vary depending on the type of language used.Design/methodology/approachThe sample period for this research was from 2001 to 2020. The sample of the study consists of 5,275 firms representing 47 countries. The sample is comprised of firms from 29 countries where the predominant language is a strong future time reference (FTR) language and 18 countries with a weak-FTR language. The maximum number of firm-country-year observations of the study was 39,956. This study employed multi-level mixed effects modelling as well as other relevant estimation techniques such as random effect panel regression, ordinary least square regression and two-stage least square regression.FindingsThis research empirically demonstrates that firms based in countries where the predominant language requires speakers to grammatically differentiate between the present and the future – known as strong-FTR or futured languages – engage more often in controversial marketing- and environment-related practices than those located in countries where the predominant language does not necessarily require grammatical differentiation between the present and the future (known as weak-FTR or futureless languages).Practical implicationsThe findings are important for managers of firms with foreign subsidiary operations: top management teams of such firms need to be aware that their foreign subsidiaries’ propensity to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices varies depending on the predominant language those subsidiaries use. Also, firms located in countries with weak-FTR languages need to be more rigorous in their selection process when considering forming a joint venture or acquiring a firm in countries with strong-FTR languages.Originality/valueThe current research enriches the burgeoning body of literature on the effect of language on corporate decision-making. It extends the body of knowledge on the impact of language structure on firms’ inclination to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices.","PeriodicalId":14456,"journal":{"name":"International Marketing Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Marketing Review","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/imr-07-2023-0134","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
PurposeLinguists classify the world’s languages into two types: futured and futureless. Futured languages (e.g. French) require speakers to grammatically mark future events, a construction that is optional in futureless languages such as German. This treatise examines whether the grammatical structure of the predominant language in a given country explains firms’ propensity to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices. This is expected to happen because a speaker’s future time perspective and temporal discounting vary depending on the type of language used.Design/methodology/approachThe sample period for this research was from 2001 to 2020. The sample of the study consists of 5,275 firms representing 47 countries. The sample is comprised of firms from 29 countries where the predominant language is a strong future time reference (FTR) language and 18 countries with a weak-FTR language. The maximum number of firm-country-year observations of the study was 39,956. This study employed multi-level mixed effects modelling as well as other relevant estimation techniques such as random effect panel regression, ordinary least square regression and two-stage least square regression.FindingsThis research empirically demonstrates that firms based in countries where the predominant language requires speakers to grammatically differentiate between the present and the future – known as strong-FTR or futured languages – engage more often in controversial marketing- and environment-related practices than those located in countries where the predominant language does not necessarily require grammatical differentiation between the present and the future (known as weak-FTR or futureless languages).Practical implicationsThe findings are important for managers of firms with foreign subsidiary operations: top management teams of such firms need to be aware that their foreign subsidiaries’ propensity to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices varies depending on the predominant language those subsidiaries use. Also, firms located in countries with weak-FTR languages need to be more rigorous in their selection process when considering forming a joint venture or acquiring a firm in countries with strong-FTR languages.Originality/valueThe current research enriches the burgeoning body of literature on the effect of language on corporate decision-making. It extends the body of knowledge on the impact of language structure on firms’ inclination to engage in controversial marketing and environmental management practices.
期刊介绍:
International Marketing Review (IMR) is a journal that has, as its core remit, the goal of publishing research that pushes back the boundaries of international marketing knowledge. IMR does this by publishing novel research ideas, and by publishing papers that add substance to, question the basic assumptions of, reframe, or otherwise shape what we think we know within in the international marketing field. IMR is pluralistic, publishing papers that are conceptual, quantitative-empirical, or qualitative-empirical. At IMR, we aim to be a journal that recognizes great papers and great research ideas, and works hard with authors to nurture those ideas through to publication. We aim to be a journal that is proactive in developing the research agenda in international marketing, by identifying critical research issues, and promoting research within those areas. Finally, IMR is a journal that is comfortable exploring, and that fosters the exploration of, the interfaces and overlaps between international marketing and other business disciplines. Where no interfaces or overlaps exist, IMR will be a journal that is ready to create them. IMR’s definition of international marketing is purposefully broad and includes, although is not restricted to: -International market entry decisions and relationships; -Export marketing and supply chain issues; -International retailing; -International channel management; -Consumer ethnocentrism, country and product image and origin effects; -Cultural considerations in international marketing; -International marketing strategy; -Aspects of international marketing management such as international branding, advertising and new product development.