The dynamics of privilege: How employees of a multinational corporation construct and contest the privileging effects of English proficiency

Gaibrois, Claudine; Nentwich, Julia (2020). The dynamics of privilege: How employees of a multinational corporation construct and contest the privileging effects of English proficiency Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 37(4), pp. 468-482. John Wiley & Sons 10.1002/cjas.1563

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In this article we analyze how privilege is dynamically constructed as well as contested. A positioning analysis of interviews with employees of a multinational organization reveals the construction of a hierarchy of privilege. As this hierarchy is based on English proficiency along with other diversity dimensions, privilege is multifaceted. Furthermore, privilege is also contested. Contesting English-proficiency–related privilege is connected to the speaker's position in the hierarchy of privilege. The analysis shows that both category membership and specific competences and skills cumulate to produce privileging effects, but also the possibilities for contesting privilege. At the same time, although the privilege gained by English proficiency is not invisible and is regularly contested, it is nevertheless silenced by those in advantage.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	Business School > Institute for Marketing & Global Management > Global Management Business School
Name:	Gaibrois, Claudine0000-0003-4100-4342 and Nentwich, Julia
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
ISSN:	0825-0383
Publisher:	John Wiley & Sons
Language:	English
Submitter:	Claudine Gaibrois
Date Deposited:	26 Aug 2022 09:36
Last Modified:	29 Nov 2023 15:05
Publisher DOI:	10.1002/cjas.1563
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.17501
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/17501