Employee commitment to corporate globalization: The role of English language proficiency and human resource practices

We investigate factors affecting the commitment of non-native English-speaking employees to the globalization of their firms, focusing on the role of self-perceived English language proficiency and human resource (HR) practices. By surveying 693 non-native English speakers in Japan, we found that their self-perceived English language proficiency and HR practices that promote learning a foreign language have direct and interactive effects on the affective and normative commitment to their firms’ globalization. It is important for firms based in non-Anglophone countries to promote English language proficiency of their employees through HR practices when they consider globalizing their operations to other countries.