Language in Subsidiaries Between Social Legitimation and Power Imbalances: A Bourdieusian Analysis
This research aims to understand language dynamic and its association with power and socialization within a Qatari subsidiary established in Tunisia. To achieve this goal, we conduct a thematic content analysis based on Bourdieu framework. 14 employees were interviewed and results demonstrate that legitimate language is absorbed differently according to employees’ hierarchical level. Furthermore, language training established by the multinational was shown to be ineffective since it has reinforced power imbalances within the subsidiary.