Language & Culture

The language difference is one potential barrier between you and your customer. Language and communications should be part of your business strategy, which can include language skills, translations, website marketing and cultural awareness. By learning to communicate in a language your customer understands you should develop highly successful business partnerships. If you need any further information about any Language & Culture our trade advisers will be pleased to help.

Recommended Services

• Regional Language Network Yorkshire and Humber (RLNYH)
  The RLNYH exists to increase the international competitiveness of companies by breaking down language and cultural barriers. The RLN offers free and impartial advice and support to companies to improve their international communications including translations, interpreting, language and training courses, cultural differences, communications planning and website localisation.
• Export Communications Review
  A UK Trade & Investment export communications review can help you look at the way you present your business and your products to overseas customers. It will look specifically at the way you tackle language and cultural issues and make recommendations for overcoming the potential barriers. The aim is to provide you with the confidence to deal with overseas customers both now and in the future. British Chambers of Commerce provide export communications reviews on behalf of UK Trade & Investment.

Graduate Placement Schemes:

• Language Graduate Placements
  A language graduate can help your business to develop your international business, through undertaking research, translations, strategy development, and sales support. Graduates may be accessed through the RLN YH or one of our leading universities or through one of the graduate placement schemes below:
• International Student Placement Office (ISPO)
  ISPO is managed by RLN YH and can help source international students from a host of European Universities for work placements up to 12 months. Placements can help companies gain knowledge of foreign markets, help with market research, languages and strategy development.
• Graduate Link
  Graduate link promotes graduate recruitment in companies by sourcing graduates from the region’s universities. Graduates can be either native speaking or language graduates, and are tailored to meet your specific business needs. Graduate Link is funded by Yorkshire Forward and operates on behalf of the eleven universities and higher education colleges in Yorkshire and Humber.
• The British Overseas Industrial Placement Scheme (BOND)
  The BOND scheme is a UK Trade & Investment initiative, managed by the British Council. High quality overseas professionals from key commercial sectors are assigned to UK companies to undertake a tailored practical work attachment for up to twelve months. This scheme can give your business the potential to develop business partnerships in key developing international markets.

Instant Website Translation:

• Yahoo! Babel Fish
  Use this on-line resource to instantly for text and webpage translation.
• Free2Professional
  Free2Professional Translation allows users to obtain free instant translations of both text and web pages.

Cultural Information:

• Business Culture Information
  The Executive Planet website gives advice on business etiquette, customs and protocol for doing business worldwide. Each of its country guides provide advice on making deals, entertaining clients and customers, making appointments and giving gifts, all appropriate to the relevant culture.
• Lingualearn
  Provides tailor-made training on cultural issues including body language, business etiquette and information on the culture of business in the target country.

Key:

Indicates a link to an external website, which will open in a new window. Close the window to return to this page. UK Trade & Investment is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Indicates an Adobe Acrobat PDF download. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat reader you can download the reader here.
Indicates a Microsoft Word document download.