Publication Date
12-29-2020
Document Type
Contribution to a Book
Publication Title
Collaborative Spaces at Work: Innovation, Creativity and Relations
Editor
Fabrizio Montanari, Elisa Mattarelli, Anna Chiara Scapolan
DOI
10.4324/9780429329425
Abstract
An indispensable desideratum in collaborative spaces is to foster dynamic, barrier-free environments where professionals from different backgrounds can find common ground for collaborative projects. However, although such goals cannot be met without proficient and effective communication, research on the use of language as the most important means of information exchange in collaborative spaces is still needed. Our contribution in this chapter consists in exploring the linguistic interactions among coworkers of such spaces. We propose a multidisciplinary approach integrating insights from the organizational literature on communication and research methods in theoretical linguistics. The sociolinguistic analysis of two coworking spaces reveals essential traits such as language diversity, the use of different formal and informal linguistic registers, as well as the appeal to various media and communication modalities. This type of versatility can foster information exchange, knowledge sharing, and, ultimately, effective collaboration. However, it might also act as a barrier to communication, suggesting the need for collaborative spaces to establish common linguistic ground as the basis for promoting collaboration.
Department
Management
Recommended Citation
Ludovica Leone, Cristina Guardiano, Monica Alexandrina Irimia, Elisa Mattarelli, and Fabrizio Montanari. "Language in collaborative spaces: Advantages and barriers" Collaborative Spaces at Work: Innovation, Creativity and Relations (2020). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429329425
Included in
Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Technology and Innovation Commons
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge/CRC Press in Collaborative Spaces at Work: Innovation, Creativity and Relations on December 29, 2020, available online: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429329425
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