Breaking barriers: examining the impact of language on employee-driven innovation in European multinational subsidiaries in Thailand

Abstract

This study explores the impact of language barriers on employee-driven innovation (EDI) within the context of a multinational firm’s subsidiary in Thailand. EDI is crucial for organizational innovation and growth, but previous research has focused on its barriers in Western contexts, leaving a gap in understanding how it works in non-Western environments, particularly multinational subsidiaries. This research addresses this gap by investigating how language barriers affect innovation in diverse cultural and linguistic settings. Qualitative research used semi-structured interviews with subsidiary employees and managers to understand their experiences. Thematic analysis identified language barriers, communication quality, trust, and perspective polarization themes in the data. This study shows that communication quality is crucial to EDI in multinational subsidiaries. Language barriers must be overcome while building trust and fostering a collaborative environment where employees feel empowered to innovate. A bottom-up communication approach that encourages all employees to share their ideas and experiences works well. Structured reporting systems that allow employees to regularly share their insights and feedback can also help bridge language gaps and prevent valuable ideas from being lost.