The economic value of languages: perceptions of the business upper class of Galicia

Abstract

This study’s purpose is to analyse the economic value that the languages receive from Galician upper class business managers. This research takes the Galician upper class as the object of study to investigate their perceptions regarding the languages used in the business world national and internationally to be in contact with customers and other companies. Twenty Galician managers make up a sample of informants who provided data, which is here treated using a qualitative methodology. A questionnaire allows us to know the informants’ sample profile and to resolve whether they are consistent with the requirements to consider them as upper class. Additionally, a semi-structured interview is the main data extraction tool, and finally, all the people interviewed signed an ethical code that guarantees the confidentiality of the provided data.

Keywords

• economics of language
• neoliberalism
• upper class
• Galician language
• business