BUSINESS ENGLISH AS THE LINGUA FRANCA IN THE MACEDONIAN COMPANIES – A STRATEGY FOR THE FUTURE

Abstract

The progress of society, in all areas, largely depends on the quality and the advancement of the companies in one country. Since the economy of a country is the primary drive for progress, the corporate world must evolve and advance in order to keep up with the trends and the constant changes in the business environment and thus continue the progress of societies. This paper aims to provide an understanding of the importance of business English as a lingua franca in advancing Macedonian businesses. Although the primary purpose for developing business English has been business interaction among English-speaking and non-English speaking companies, with time, the companies have dragged in native languages turning business English into a lingua franca in the corporate world. Therefore, not only has business English progressed into the backbone of international trade, which is crucial for the economic development of the countries, but it also became essential for the companies' internal communication, which is vital for their operation and performance. That being said, the main implication of this paper is to enlighten Macedonian society on the significance of introducing business English as the lingua franca in Macedonian companies. By discussing and analysing specific areas on how business English can improve the competitiveness of the Macedonian companies and workforce, the researcher proposes a strategy for the future based on; introduction of a Business English course in the Macedonian educational system, training of employees, employment of staff conversant with English, use of simple vocabulary and repetition of statements, and embracing language diversity.