Linguistic racism in inter-culture service encounter
ISSN: 0736-3761
Article publication date: 31 May 2022
Issue publication date: 27 July 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Language plays an important role in a successful service exchange, but it can become a source of discrimination if one party is a non-native speaker in the host country. This study aims to examine the linguistic racism that non-native customers experience in Inter Culture Service Encounters (ICSEs) and delves into factors that contribute to the underlying psychological responses and the behavioral outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
A phenomenological approach was used where 16 individuals were interviewed to discover themes through non-native customers' lens using an inductive process. Next, the emerged categories were classified based on extant literature, using a deductive approach.
Findings
The findings highlight the role of language varieties as a strong social identity cue for non-native customers where the associated stigma makes them see ICSE as a stereotype threat. Most importantly, these experiences shape their future behavior by avoiding direct interactions with the servers and adopting other service channels. Several “social others” influence this process.
Originality/value
This study explores the notion of linguistic racism in an ICSE from a non-native consumers’ lens and thus adds to this under-researched literature. Using a phenomenological approach, the authors propose a framework focusing on the perception of language-related stigma and discrimination experienced by non-native consumers’ along with possible behavioral responses.
Keywords
Citation
Malik, A.Z. and Paswan, A. (2023), "Linguistic racism in inter-culture service encounter", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 40 No. 5, pp. 585-596. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-03-2021-4545
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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