Departamento de Ciências da Linguagem (DCL)
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Browsing Departamento de Ciências da Linguagem (DCL) by Author "Abrantes, José Luís"
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- EditorialPublication . Delplancq, Véronique; Costa Lopes, Ana Maria; Amante, Susana; Oliveira, Isabel; Abrantes, José Luís; Pato, Lúcia; Amaral, Odete; Relvas, Susana; Fidalgo, Susana
- Foreign language skills: a challenge for the economyPublication . Delplancq, Véronique; Costa, Ana Maria; Oliveira, Ana Maria; Amante, Susana; Oliveira, Isabel; Abrantes, José Luís; Pato, Maria Lúcia; Amaral, Odete; Fidalgo, SusanaAwareness of the fact that multilingualism opens doors to new markets and new business opportunities is not an original phenomenon, but the various works produced with a view to its being acknowledged are still little publicized and granted little practical use also. Showing mastery of communicative skills in several foreign languages is always valuable for the market economy, not only in terms of sales and marketing, but also in order to reach new target groups and establish lasting strategic relationships. The purpose of this article is to provide a general overview of the studies carried out in this context, focusing in particular on aspects such as the increasingly obvious relationship between in force language practices of a diversified nature and the proper functioning of businesses. Equally important is the mastery of language skills, seen as an important driving force of cross-border cooperation, as well as the development of an emotional culture within the business world, propitious to the implementation of efficient language management strategies, which are clearly beneficial inasmuch as the market economy is concerned.
- Foreign languages and employability: a complex relationship. Case study in the region of Viseu (Portugal)Publication . Delplancq, Véronique; Costa, Ana Maria; Oliveira, Ana Maria; Amante, Susana; Abrantes, José Luís; Pato, Lúcia; Amaral, Maria Odete; Relvas, Susana; Fidalgo, SusanaThe challenges of today's societies when it comes to employability and to the reality of the current labour market are more and more delicate and diversified. One of the major commitments we expect from higher education is to prepare its students to face this kind of complexity, understanding its nuances and having the capacity to adapt quickly to situations which are common in companies’ lives. From this perspective, the assessment of the impact that the mastery of FL (foreign languages) among our students can have on the different business sectors becomes paramount. It involves reorganising the work carried out with the students during their academic path and raising awareness of future professionals so they may understand the importance of obtaining and mastering communicative skills in foreign languages that will provide them with the right tools to ensure an effective response to the requirements they will have to meet when they apply for a job. The close connection that exists between higher education institutions and the business world also allows the companies to realize that they should (re)think their recruitment policy in order to take into account the importance of foreign languages. Bearing this in mind, the project "Foreign Languages and Employability" (FLE), that will be presented in this article, started in January 2017, at the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (IPV), in Portugal. It focuses on creating a closer relationship with the local business community in order to understand its needs regarding foreign languages. The aim of the project is to strengthen the more practical aspects of the students’ education to ensure the graduates’ employability and a successful professional development. Data collection is carried out through the analysis of job offers, through the replies given to online surveys and through semi-structured interviews. The project includes representatives of the different IPV schools (Agrarian, Education, Health, Technology and Management) working in different sectors of the institution.
- The contribution of foreign languages in the development of enterprises: a review of literaturePublication . Delplancq, Véronique; Costa, Ana Maria; Oliveira, Ana Maria; Amante, Susana; Oliveira, Isabel; Abrantes, José Luís; Pato, Lúcia; Amaral, Odete; Fidalgo, SusanaForeign languages have been the subject of research due to their importance as a means of communication. In fact, the competitiveness of companies is, nowadays, influenced in part by the communication resulting from their contact with companies from different countries, which requires a thorough knowledge of the language of these countries. On the other hand, for the success and progression of workers, it is crucial they acquire and develop foreign language skills. In this context, there have been multiple efforts by the European Commission to promote language learning in Europe and worldwide. In fact, over the past few years, several studies have demonstrated the need of companies to value foreign language skills among workers and collaborators. Multilingualism becomes, therefore, increasingly fundamental to the growth of the economic power of companies, and the competence in foreign languages can be the key factor to enter the labour market. Thus, the present study aims to understand the importance of foreign languages in the development of enterprises and their workers. The research question underlying the review of literature is: “What is the perception of companies regarding the importance of foreign languages for their economic progression and for their workers? To answer this research question, a review of the literature was conducted taking into consideration documents, reports and other secondary sources. For the collection of scientific evidence, research was carried out in the following databases: Science Direct from Elsevier; PubMed; B-on; Google Scholar and in the RCAAP portal. We used as descriptors of our search the following terms: industry, foreign language, multilingualism, higher education, employment, enterprise, among others.