Transcript EuroEd: pathway

Vilnius, 02-03 2011
Prof. Dr. Anca Colibaba
Executive President, EuroEd Foundation
Iasi, Romania
www.inclass-project.eu
(Some) Conclusions of ELAN* Study:
“SMEs in the European Union lose contracts worth several
millions each year due to language and culture barriers.”
“The companies affected by this loss of business reported that
in many cases they failed to secure contracts worth several
million of Euro.”
“Companies can grow their Business by acquiring better
Foreign Language Skills.”
*ELAN stands for Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Foreign Language Skills
in Enterprise. This pan-European study was commissioned by EC in 2006.
(http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/Focus/docs/elan_en.pdf)
While lack of appropriate language skills can be funny…
”Drop your trousers here for the best results.”
(Dry cleaner's, Bangkok)
“Order your summer suit. Because is big rush, we will
execute customers in strict rotation.”
(Tailor shop, Rhodes)
…or puzzling…
“Not to perambulate the corridors in the
hours of repose in the boots of ascension.”
(Hotel catering to skiers, Austria)
…some can be really damaging for a business…
“Total Quality Qontrol”
(Chapter title from a book about the history of the Garuda
Airline, Indonesia)
Specail today : No icecream ( Restauranmt in Belgrade)
“Visitors are expected to complain at the office
between the hours of 9 and 11 am daily.”
(Hotel, Athens)
BUT!
Is it enough to speak somebody else’s
language to eliminate all communication
barriers?
THEN….
…maximise export opportunities by taking into consideration the…
… CULTURAL ASPECTS AND INTERCULTURAL
COMMUNICATION ISSUES!
WHO WE ARE
Institute for Social and Economic Research IRES FVG, Italy
(www.iresfvg.org)
EuroEd Foundation, Romania
(www.euroed.ro)
Inno-Motive Nonprofit Ltd., Hungary
(www.innomotive.hu)
Semantica Ltd, UK
(www.semanticaltd.eu)
WHAT WE DO
In-CLASS, the Intercultural Communication
and Language Assessment Scheme supports
SMEs to improve their international
competitiveness.
www.inclass-project.eu
WHY WE DO IT
Companies which undergo regulated
communication audit tend to operate more
effectively in selling their goods and services
into markets where their mother tongue is
not spoken.
WHO WE HELP
The In-Class scheme helps businesses
overcome language and cultural barriers in
international trading.