ENGLISH-CONFLICTING FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND LANGUAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

: The English language is considered the global business language and a mutual language to provide communication and understanding in business. Learning foreign languages and implementing language management strategies enable cross-cultural communication, business growth and career enhancement. Drawing on this theory of business communication, this study explores the effects of language proficiency in business operations of Kosovan small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which intend to become integrated globally, by using mixed methods and the interpretation of business managers (Sample 1, N = 5), two pilot tests (Sample 2, N = 7 and N = 29) and an online questionnaire (Sample 3, N = 139). The role of English in business communication was interrelated with an analysis of other foreign languages, along with the implementation of language strategies and the effect of language skills on career development. This squares well with the proposition that these three aspects are consistent in their contribution to effective communication in business and convey richness on both an individual and a company level. The findings offer a new perspective on the effects of using foreign languages in business communication, which consequently contributes to internationalization, multilingualism and cross-cultural communication.


Introduction
Many studies have been conducted worldwide explaining the role of foreign languages in business communication and the role of language management strategies (LMSs) in business. The 'Report on Language Management Strategies and Best Practice in European taken seriously by Kosovan enterprises because using English has become unavoidable for companies trying to compete in international markets. There is a limited understanding of how Kosovan SMEs implement LMSs. The responses yielded from the empirical data of this study will attempt to identify the LMSs used by Kosovan SMEs to prevent linguistic barriers from occurring in new foreign markets.

Business communication and career success
"Globalization and cultural issues have wide effects on careers in today's organizations" (Leong & Hartung, 2000, p. 212). Entirely new job positions are created and new skills and qualifications are required in today's businesses (Buchholz et al., 2006). It is certain that the nature of careers is changing, and globalization provides unlimited possibilities for career success. According to Bloch's study (1995), language skills can contribute to career enhancement. Through language skills, employees' career prospects are enhanced. Firstly, Bloch (1995, p. 16) argues that a "high level of knowledge of a foreign language enables one to do things that would otherwise be impossible". Thus, many companies only recruit candidates with specific language skills for their international positions. Much of the recent attention to the spread of English deals precisely with this point: that English is not only helpful but is becoming increasingly necessary for success in the working world, leaving behind those who do not speak it (Johnson, 2009).
Integrating foreign language skills with business skills, educational backgrounds and cross-cultural communication skills is essential (Bloch, 1995). Finding solutions to improve educational and employment opportunities for young people is crucial to Kosovo's development. The use of the English language by the Kosovan people not only indicates a sign of prestige and necessity for people who want to be educated or work abroad, but also as the main tool of communication between people inside and outside the country. Referring to the International Association of Language Commissioners (2018), the municipalities have updated their webpages, which are now in Kosovo's two official languages and English. All the different reports and documents can be found in three languages. The development of entrepreneurship and small firms, education and development in infrastructure are considered as the main sources of income and job creation that may help Kosovo in its economic growth (European Commission, 2013). Through education, language skills and training, young people will be better equipped to compete for jobs, become self-employed and contribute to the innovative and competitive ability of an employer's organization (Pula et al., 2019). This explains why human capital enables individuals to better perceive entrepreneurial opportunities (Davidsson & Honig, 2003).

Methodology
Placing the emphasis on the correlation between doing business and the languages used by the managerial staff of Kosovan SMEs to support business in Kosovo, this study focuses on exploring the effects of English and other foreign languages on business communication and examines the supporting methods that the managers of Kosovan SMEs use to improve their language skills, which contribute to the company's success and to the acceleration of their career development.
Thus, this research is aimed at testing the following hypotheses: Hypothesis 1: English is the foreign language most spoken by the managerial staff of Kosovan SMEs. Hypothesis 2: There is a positive relationship between the effects of the English language and languages other than English on the business communication of Kosovan SMEs. Hypothesis 3: Formal language strategies are often employed by managers of Kosovan SMEs. Hypothesis 4: There is a connection between foreign language skills and career development.
The empirical part of the study is designed as a three-stage mixed methods design in which the author starts with the collection and analysis of qualitative data, which is then followed by a development phase or two pilot tests of translating the qualitative findings into an instrument that is tested quantitatively (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018). Therefore, a mixed methods design was selected to capitalize on the strength of both qualitative and quantitative approaches, to help explain significant findings and for its ability to address the research purpose with sufficient depth and breadth.
The sample comprised top managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs. Despite the fact that literature reviews generally refer to SMEs, this study focused on exporting SMEs as they manage their international business activities across different global markets wherein the effect of foreign language skills in their communication is indispensable. The sample of participants was identified using the Register of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce. Criterion sampling worked well because all individuals represented people who have experienced the phenomenon (Van Manen, 2014), i.e., the use of the English language and/or other foreign languages in their business communication, which enables them to employ LMSs, and to further enhance their career development. The datagathering process in this study was conducted between October 2020 and March 2021.
In the first stage, the qualitative data were gathered by means of five focused, semi-structured in-depth interviews aimed at gathering profound insights into participants' perception of the linguistic and business correlation involving the role of English in business communication and the career development of Kosovan exporting SMEs as well as the effects of language management strategies in business. The anonymity of the participants was protected by masking their names in the data. The interview protocol comprised four main questions, with four subquestions each Four main topics were discussed during the interview. Firstly, the interviewees were asked about the effects of using English that they have come across in their business. They were encouraged to give examples and to explain situations they have faced. Secondly, they were asked about foreign languages other than English that they use in their business operations. Thirdly, their opinion about the correlation between languages and career choices was sought, while the fourth topic covered questions about LMSs they have In the second stage, two pilot tests were performed. The first pilot test was administered to seven managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs. Using the content from the interviewees' responses, 20 variables were created in order to identify variables and to ensure that the instrument -the questionnaire outline -was appropriate for this study. The participants were invited to answer the questionnaire and they agreed to do this before a business meeting they attended at the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce. All the respondents were asked to fill out the questionnaire on a 5-point Likert-scale. As they were going through the questionnaire, they were asked to critique it and evaluate each question and to add any suggestions. This was requested in order to ensure that the questionnaire matched the dimension it was intended to measure, in terms of relevance and one-dimensionality (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018). The responses given by the seven participants varied slightly from the responses provided by the interview participants. Descriptive statistics for Pilot Test 1 are presented in Appendix A. The reliability of the first pilot test was checked by performing Cronbach's alpha and the value was over 0.70. Based on these outcomes it was deemed appropriate to replace the items/questions ignored by the respondents with new/other items. Therefore, the second pilot test was performed and was administered to 29 managers of exporting SMEs. As with the first pilot test, participants were recruited by approaching the management of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce. The questionnaire for the second pilot test was designed; it contained five sections, including a total of 43 variables and using closed-ended questions. The first section included general data, such as the location of the participants' business operation, company size, the business type, participants' function in the company, and gender. Section 2 contained six variables regarding the use of English in business. Section 3 contained 15 variables regarding the use of foreign languages other than English. Section 4 contained eight variables dealing with the implementation of LMSs by Kosovan exporting SMEs. And Section 5 contained eight variables dealing with the effects of language skills in career development. Only one question was an openended question as it was intended to reveal the foreign languages that participants used with their business clients and partners. The descriptive statistics for Pilot Test 2 are presented in Appendix B. The reliability of the pilot survey was measured with Cronbach' alpha and was 0.83. Likewise, having the scale developed and having an acceptable reliability, consistency and strength within variables, the developed questionnaire was conducted in the third stage for the implementation of the quantitative approach.
In the third stage, once the instrument was developed, the final phase of the exploratory design was initiated. The developed questionnaire with a cover letter, was sent via email to managerial staff of exporting SMEs in Kosovo. The total number of complete and adequate responses received was 139. The qualitative and quantitative data were analysed separately. To analyse qualitative data, open coding techniques were used to develop the codes. An example of the coding procedure for the theme 'Managers of Kosovan SMEs develop multilingualism' is presented in Appendix C. The finalization of codes and descriptions provided a foundation for the codebook. On the other hand, the quantitative data were processed and analysed using SPSS for Windows (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) to answer the hypotheses.

Results and discussion
The research results yielded four groups: i) English -the foreign language mostly used in the business communication of Kosovan exporting SMEs; ii) foreign languages other than English are helpful in doing business; iii) there is the moderate use of LMSs and iv) foreign language skills enhance career development.

English -the foreign language most used in business communication of Kosovan SMEs
The qualitative empirical data, namely the interviews, clearly show that English is the main language used for business communication by Kosovan exporting SMEs. The reason for using English is practical, as English is the common language used with most foreigners, partners, clients and businesspeople in general. The participants consider English to be the global language nowadays and that it enables efficiency for their companies, promotion and better business presentation. According to them, the opportunities that English skills provide as a part of communication should make learning English appealing to everyone. Managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs, in addition to their native language, Albanian, speak local languages such as Turkish, Bosnian and Serbian, as well as international languages, such as English and German, but the foreign language they mostly use with business partners abroad is English. The managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs consider English the language that paves their companies' way to internationalization: "English is crucial to compete in international markets, English brings many benefits to my business; it spares me from being dependent on local agents or intermediaries. There is no other way to communicate with international clients unless you can speak or write English." Respondents confirm that English is important as it avoids communication difficulties. Kosovo's exporting SMEs find it impossible to operate abroad without the use of the English language, supporting the fact that English is indispensable.
After conducting interviews and receiving the participants' responses regarding the use of English in business communication from Kosovan exporting SMEs, we measured quantitatively the use and role of English in business communication with the largest sample of 139 respondents. The respondents were asked to check one out of seven languages (English, German, Turkish, Macedonian, Serbian, French and Russian) provided on a 7-point Likert scale. The Likert scale comprised foreign languages used for specifically identified export markets, as identified and described in the ELAN study (Hagen et al., 2006), as well as the languages other than Albanian that are spoken in Kosovo, such as Turkish, and the languages of Kosovo's neighboring countries, Macedonian and Serbian. These three languages were also included in the scale based on the qualitative data analysis findings, which revealed the usage of these foreign languages by Kosovan SME managers in their business operations. The frequency table (Table 1) shows that English is the foreign language that managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs use most with their clients and business partners. It clearly shows that managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs speak and use English with their clients and business partners 53% of the time, with managers of 88 companies speaking English. The second most used and spoken foreign language is German (14.5%), the third is Turkish (7.2%) while the last and least used languages are Serbian (6.0%) and Macedonian (3.0%). It should be pointed out that other foreign languages on the scale, namely French and Russian, received no percentage, which means that they are not spoken by this study's sample. As in the ELAN study (Hagen et al., 2006) and the PIMLICO Project (Hagen, 2011), Kosovan SMEs cite English as the primary language used for business communication in major export markets, but there is also a use of other languages as well, such as German and Turkish. English language measures had reasonably high scores, with all mean scores being above 4 ( Figure 1), meaning that the respondents assessed English to be rather beneficial in their business operations and practices as it was the managers' linguistic tool of choice, which facilitated their exporting techniques and procedures while doing business with foreign partners, and at the same time eased their negotiations and avoided misunderstanding. Furthermore, the variables regarding the choice that English provides in terms of respondents' occupations and qualification at work also scored above 4, corresponding with the qualitative findings and ensuring that one of the factors for them to work as managers is their ability to speak English, which also strengthens their individual qualifications and the company's growth. Therefore, another advantage of learning English is in obtaining employment, as most job providers ask for language skills, especially communication skills in English. This is because most companies deal with international companies (Srivinas Rao, 2019). Likewise, the findings match the hypothesis that English is the foreign language most used by business managerial staff.
On the other hand, Figure 2 shows a significant difference of male and female's foreign language proficiency due to the gender imbalance in this study sample. However, the findings discover the usage of the same foreign languages, i.e., both male and female participants use English and German in their business activities. It should be added that Kosovan SMEs contribute strongly to business sector employment, accounting for 81% of the sector's total value added (European Commission, 2018). Business English as a lingua franca in international business has facilitated a rise in international trade (Sing, 2017). A good command of English in the business of Kosovan business managers opens the way to internationalization and integration into regional, European and global markets. Turkish, Macedonian and Serbian are the local and regional languages used by Kosovan SMEs, whereas English and German are the international languages most used by them when doing business. The findings of this study regarding the effects of English in business are in line with the findings of other studies. The British Chambers of Commerce language survey (2004) explicitly looked at the impact of language skills on export performance. The survey found there was a direct correlation between the value an individual export manager placed on language skills within their business and annual turnover. Using English can make it possible to share information and transfer knowledge. With regard to the impact of language differences on communication methods, it is found that a lack of a shared language is associated with misunderstanding and a lower level of communication (Tenzer et al., 2017). Scholars have therefore started to point to the role of shared language for tacit knowledge flows in business enterprises. An increasing number of multinational enterprises have started to implement shared language policies, usually in the form of a mandate for English as the language of global business and as a common corporate language, leading to significant improvements in communication, coordination and control, and, in turn, performance (Harzing & Pudelko, 2014). The process of internationalization has given rise to a rapid increase in the use of English by companies (Truchot, 2002). Frankel and Rose (2002) and Helliwel (1999) attempted to measure language differences as trade barriers and quantified the cost of language barriers as being between 15% and 22% in terms of tariff equivalents. They also estimate that sharing a common language can increase bilateral trade by between 75% and 170%. English proficiency is now seen by businesses more as a generic skill much like computing skills or numeracy, which people in international trade are assumed to possess. The study by Selmier and Hoon Oh, (2012) shows that the English language has continued to gain the power to the present day as it has the greatest advantages, while Spanish and Arabic have the lowest advantages among four trade languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic).
The fact that the managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs have a good command of domestic languages and international languages, and in particular English, enables them to integrate their business globally, to negotiate cross-culturally and communicate with business people of different languages. Besides the many barriers that business companies face while communicating worldwide, language barriers are considered as the most important factor in miscommunication in businesses. Studies show that language barriers have a big impact when doing business worldwide. Furthermore, it is proved that cultural differences constitute the most important reason for miscommunication and misunderstanding when doing business. Cross-cultural or intercultural communication involves the process of exchanging information between people who understand and, therefore, interpret verbal and non-verbal messages differently, which is related to the different cultural backgrounds involved (Erkkila, 2010). Companies that lack language skills often miss business proposals that are announced by local government communications or in the local media. Corporations without capabilities in certain languages very often fail to see a request for proposals that are written in the languages in which a company is not proficient (Grzeszczyk, 2015). One distinguishing feature is that many do not regard cultural differences as problematical, but as enriching and stimulating. Understanding the culture of negotiations and the business mindset of different cultures is identified as an essential requirement for international business (Hagen, 2011).

Foreign languages other than English are helpful in doing business
Results generated from both qualitative and quantitative data analysis regarding the use of foreign languages other than English were in agreement. Qualitative empirical findings clearly show that the knowledge of English is crucial in their business operations and helpful for the internationalization of their companies; aside from English, the other foreign language that is spoken by some companies is German. Participants point out their awareness of the importance of knowing another foreign language in order to develop their national and international partnership: "It is very difficult to survive if you do not speak a foreign language. Speaking foreign languages opens many paths for you: different business situations, cooperation, career development and promotion." "Not only outside the country but even here in Kosovo you need to use foreign languages in order to be successful and to extend your business abroad." The second part of the questionnaire was used to find the implication of foreign languages other than English in business communication. The respondents were asked to assess the effects, usage and opportunities that foreign languages provide in their business. They were asked to express their agreement with a given statement, using a 5point, Likert-type scale (from 1 = strongly disagree, to 5 = strongly agree). The descriptive statistics showed that the means for the use of foreign languages in business communication ranged from 4.39 to 4.94, providing a rational rate, presented in Appendix D, wherein it is reflected clearly that the mean for the variable, foreign languages enable the ability to work multilingually, scored the highest means. The research supports the theory that Kosovo offers good grounds for a multicultural business environment due to the fact that English and German are widely spoken in Kosovo, as well as local languages such as Turkish, Serbian and Bosnian (The World Bank, 2018) and they use these foreign languages for integrating their business worldwide. Likewise, living and doing business in an environment where several local languages are spoken, and having a good command of English and/or any other foreign language to grow their business at home and overseas, provide a strong indication to business managers in Kosovo to develop multilingualism and foster intercultural communication.
A Pearson correlation analysis was performed to further see whether there was a correlation between the use of the English language and other foreign languages in business. Three variables regarding the use of foreign languages in business communication and two variables regarding the effects of the English language in business communication were analyzed to find their correlation (See Appendix E). The data analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between the role of English and other foreign languages. The respondents confirmed that they have understood the value of a multiplicity of languages, implying that the importance of English in business communication and competence in other foreign languages influence international buyer and seller relationships, establish trust, and have a major effect on the atmosphere that characterizes the relationship (Turnbull & Welham, 1985). The other variables that were assessed highly by the respondents confirmed that having no command of foreign languages emerged as a loss and an expense for their business, based on the fact that all business practices could be undertaken by means of language skills. Furthermore, they agreed that language diversity provides the opportunity to negotiate with internal clients and excludes the need to recruit native speakers. According to them, foreign languages make available active business, cross-cultural communication, knowledge sharing, knowledge management, worldwide integration, negotiations and ease of professional expression. The creation of websites with linguistic adaptations is another variable that scored means of 4.77. This indicates that managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs reflect on the usefulness and advantage of creating websites in a foreign language and this study revealed that their business websites are in English. Studies show that the majority (56%) of Internet sites are designed in English, whereas in the other languages, the Internet sites' percentage is low i.e., 6% and below. So, it is evident that English is the international language that is used even to design websites and browse the Internet (Srinivas Rao, 2019).
Both theoretical sources and empirical data analysis reflect that Kosovan exporting SMEs target countries that speak a different language, such as Germany, Albania, Switzerland, Macedonia, Serbia and Italy, while the largest groups of Kosovan migrants are seen to be in Germany, and such findings agree with the findings derived from our study, which revealed that the foreign language they speak most is English and the local languages they use in their business communication with their clients are Albanian, Turkish, Bosnian, Macedonian and Serbian. The positive effects of foreign languages bring them success, export promotion, profits and economic development. Findings also confirm that the use of foreign languages in business influences the relationship between Kosovan SMEs and international partners in the export process. Languages help Kosovan exporting SMEs to establish an understanding and an ease in their business cooperation. It is revealed that managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs have a good knowledge of the foreign languages that their business partners speak, that is English and German. This knowledge enables them to easily make decisions, to negotiate, to build relationships and compete in international markets (Hagen et al., 2006). While English is revealed to be the language of the Internet, other foreign languages, such as German, Russian, Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese are also spoken to some extent; they are important in the business world and help enterprises enter new markets (Hagen, 2011). Moreover, the role of the managers in developing multilingualism is seen to be indubitable and matches the theoretical source that managers mastering foreign languages integrate their companies globally (Zahra & George, 2002). English is the foreign language that is most spoken by the managerial staff of Kosovan SMEs but they are also aware of the importance of a multiplicity and diversity of languages in business activities. Rižnar and Rybnicek (2017) (Hagen, 2011), while most companies recognize English as a 'given' and essential requirement in international trade, they also recognize that there are many countries, situations and places where it is not sufficient. The more successful companies in the case studies tend to adopt a multilingual approach to trade, expanding their linguistic capability to suit the specifics of the local marketplace. Knowledge of several languages, rather than one or two, can make all the difference between an average performance and an exceptional one, and can provide a vital competitive edge. Furthermore, Hagen (2011) specifies that the most effective performers amongst export SMEs tend to have a language or communication strategy in place with which to handle their language issues. In the next decades, foreign language skills are going to become more important than ever, even for people whose mother tongue is English. We are thus likely to consider learning Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, and Spanish, Portuguese or Turkish or any other language spoken in territories that are considered to be an emerging market. Not only will this help businesses, but it might also help enhance our ability to simply understand one another better, to increase our awareness of different cultures and ways of thinking (Kohonen et al., 2014).

Moderate use of LMSs
While theoretical sources specify that companies entering new markets should adapt their strategy to new linguistic and cultural needs, qualitative empirical findings in our study show only a moderate level of employment of these strategies. Managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs consider that only those who cannot speak a foreign language On the other hand, the questionnaire set regarding the LMSs was developed based on the language management strategies as identified and described in the PIMLICO Project (Hagen, 2011) and the ELAN Study (Hagen et al., 2006). The questionnaire's set of eight variables regarding the employment of LMSs was used and it had a 5-point Likert-type scale to measure the frequency of each LMS: 1 'Always', 2 'Very often', 3 'Sometimes', 4 'Rarely' and 5 'Never'. The descriptive statistics showed that the means of LMSs ranged from 3.25 to 4.35 and are presented in Table 2. All measures scored above 3, meaning that the respondents perceived their command of foreign language skills as very beneficial but were aware of the usefulness and effectiveness that LMSs impose due to the fact that the variables 'Lost contracts due to the lack of language skills' and 'Employment of formal LMSs' scored above 4, denoting that the managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs implemented formal LSMs to a moderate degree and have lost contracts because of the lack of language skills. This statistic indicates that either the LMSs to be implemented by the managerial staff or to have a good command of a foreign language skills. Emphasis was placed on the language ability of the managers and it was pointed out that the staff in charge of exports spoke English. Language proficiency is regarded as one of the most important factors for generating better relationships with their business partners. Studies indicate that the companies that implemented LMSs in the operations of their business have noticed an increase in turnover. Individual executives' backgrounds and experiences have a direct impact on the managers' knowledge and skills and on their cognitive capabilities, which are strictly related to their information-processing ability (Kor, 2003). Consequently, managerial positions always require good knowledge of the language of another company or country and our study revealed that managers of Kosovan SMEs possess this knowledge. When comparing the rate of employment of LMSs produced from the ELAN study on the European level with the rate of employment of LMSs produced from our study, the statistics show the ELAN study reports that, on average, 22% of the firms in the total sample have employed native speakers full time to support foreign trade. This demonstrates a recognition on the part of European companies that employing native speakers is an important part of an international communication strategy (Hagen et al., 2006, p. 76), whereas our study revealed that only 12.50% of Kosovan exporting SMEs have employed native speakers to support their business. While the ELAN study shows that, on average, 40% of firms hired staff with specific language skills in line with their export needs, our study sample reveals a low percentage of employment of staff with language skills, with 10.4%. According to the ELAN study, employment of external translators and interpreters provides another measure of language usage, and may indicate how dependent an SME is on external providers of language support. On average, 45% of firms have employed external translator/interpreters to support their foreign trade, whereas in our study this rate reaches 12.52%, due to the fact that, according to respondents' statements, most managers of Kosovan SMEs can speak a foreign language, especially English or German, and are able to conduct business communications with foreign partners and clients. In addition to the economic and financial case for languages, research on the organizational models of international entrepreneurship has suggested that top managers play an important role in firms' internationalization efforts (Musteen et al., 2014).
Our findings revealed that the strategy of hiring people for business communication is expensive but, in cases when there was no option, companies implement it. Respondents stated that 'strategies like hiring a translator are seen as useless nowadays', and when asked how their business communication was managed, the response was that they used English, and in case they did not have the language skills necessary, translators were provided from the respective business countries where exporting activities were conducted. As Feely and Harzing (2003) point out, such a response is by no means an end to language barriers. For a start, these services can be very expensive, with a top simultaneous interpreter commanding daily rates as high as a partner in an international consulting company. Secondly, any good translator or interpreter will insist that to be fully effective they must understand the context of the subject matter, while, according to Feely and Harzing (2003), this is not always possible. In some cases, it is hindered by the complexity/specialization of the topic, sometimes by lack of preparation time, but most often the obstacle is the reluctance of the parties to explain the wider context to an 'outsider'. So, in situations requiring negotiation, persuasion, humour, etc., the use of an interpreter is a poor substitute for direct communication. While a good interpreter will attempt to convey not only the meaning but also the spirit of any communication, there can be no doubt that there is a loss of rhetorical power when communications go through a third party (Hagen, 2011). On average, 62% of the firms in the European sample (ELAN study, 2006) have produced websites in other languages for the sole purpose of export. However, taking the full sample, firms that adapt their websites for export do so principally in English (57%). Other important languages used by SMEs in their websites include German, French and Russian. On the other hand, our study sample shows a percentage rate of 12.47% of adaptation of websites and the languages used in their websites are English and their native language, Albanian. Similarly, the vast majority of PIMLICO exemplar companies have invested in multilingual websites -the range of languages depends on the market size and their attitude towards English. Kartographie Huber is an example of a company that invests substantial sums and effort into training its staff and adapting culturally, yet at first glance, their website only exists in two languages: German and English.
The ANOVA test performed in our study enriched the understanding of the effectiveness of language strategies and language skills. The results prove that fluency in foreign languages is significantly correlated with a company's loss. When the mean scores were compared between groups and presented on means plots (Figure 3), they showed that the lower the investment in language skills and returns, the higher the losses and expenses incurred due to the lack of foreign language skills. Generally, the results show that there was a significant difference between groups: ANOVA (F (4,134) = 3.915, p = .005). The findings revealed that the number of managers who rarely and very often made investments in language skills was the highest (4.94 ± 0.22, p = .003), and this was followed by the number of managers who never and sometimes made investments (4.90 ± 0.42, p = .004), whereas the number of managers who always made investments in language skills was the least (4.37 ± 1.20, p =.024). The findings proved that managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs are aware of the losses that the lack of foreign language skills may bring. It is also seen that managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs are aware of the increase in turnover due to the implementation of LMSs. The analysis reveals that SMEs in Kosovo have realized the value of optimizing their communication skills in order to avoid lost opportunities in their business, on the one hand, and to develop intercultural competence on the other (See Appendix F/complete set of ANOVA Test).They demonstrate that they have realized the link between language skills, cultural competence and exporting performance, and that languages enable them to receive better information about the business environment and new ideas about production, raw materials, marketing and trade channels (ELAN study, 2006). Our study leads to several managerial implications. Foreign languages in business communication, which have been found important by earlier studies (GEM, 2012;Hagen, 2011;Hagen et. al., 2006) are used less by the managerial staff of Kosovan exporting SMEs. Most of the managerial staff of Kosovan exporting SMEs speak English and German, which is quite effective since English is the chosen foreign language that enables communication between companies with different first languages. The disadvantage of only using English is a high probability that the speaker will have difficulties with negotiations because the contracts and regulations are always written in the local language of the partner (Grzeszczyk, 2015). Lack of knowledge in local languages renders a company defenseless and vulnerable (Feely & Harzing, 2003, p. 11). Therefore, the use of other foreign languages is a necessity, as language diversity has an influence on almost all management decisions in modern SMEs. Managers play a crucial role in the effective implementation of LMSs. Language issues need to be considered on both an individual and a company level. Therefore, the managers' role is to create opportunities for employees to gain language skills. This way an intercultural atmosphere, to further foster multilingualism and to promote diversity by using both international and local languages of Kosovan multi-ethnicities and making the language strategy match the company's business needs, will be encouraged. Furthermore, being able to communicate will help Kosovan SMEs to succeed in a widespread range of different careers and business types. Studies indicate that good communication abilities are crucial to success in the following positions and careers: leaders and managers; sales personnel; public relations and advertising professionals; accountants; purchasing professionals. Other essential communication skills include: leading meetings and managing teams; solving problems and managing negotiations; building interpersonal relationships; and delivering presentations (Morreale & Pearson, 2008). Our recommendations for Kosovan enterprises and their managers are the following: take actions to implement an LMS appropriate to your markets; evaluate cost-effectiveness of the various language management techniques; network with other SMEs and share resources and good practices; invest in language skills by offering language trainings; and make contact with support organizations to obtain necessary information.

Foreign language skills enhance career development
Theoretical findings as well as qualitative and quantitative empirical findings in this study reveal a good relationship between doing business, language skills and career choices and at the same time this meets with our hypothesis. The interviews make clear that having good foreign language skills or a lack of language skills can direct individuals to different professional paths. The ability of managerial staff of Kosovan exporting SMEs to speak English and other foreign languages contributes to career enhancement and is often linked to overseas education, promotion, entrepreneurship, managing and company success. They say that foreign languages, and especially English, are important for appointments, meetings, presentations and business expansion. Based on their experiences, they can confirm that foreign language skills strengthen one's qualifications: "There are situations when, for example, you make an appointment for a meeting or go abroad to expand your business or to present a product, and if you cannot communicate in their language, you will almost certainly fail." By using SPSS, descriptive statistics was also performed (Appendix G) to reveal the association between the effects of language skills and career development. This questionnaire set, consisting of eight variables, had a 5-point Likert-type scale: 1 'A great deal ',2 'Much',3 'Somewhat',4 'Little' and 5 'Never', and all variables were related to career development. The descriptive data presented in Table 4 show that the means of the variables ranged between 1.92 and 1.68 whereas their standard deviation varied within 0.75 and 0.67, indicating the linguistic and career correlation.
The graphs of the variables, 'language skills contribute to shaping your career' and 'successful managing' are presented in Figures 4 and Figure 5, and indicate that 43.88% of them thought that language skills contributed a great deal to shaping their career and their successful managing. These results suggest that the managerial staff of Kosovan exporting SMEs are aware of the advantage of English and other foreign language skills in their business operations. They have a good command of English and believe that such knowledge helps them with integration abroad, to compete in global markets, enhance their career, get promoted and face business barriers.
By possessing language skills, the managerial staff possess a modern tool and upto-date skills and qualifications (Buchholz et al., 2006). Through language skills, the prospects of managers' careers were enhanced. What is more, language skills can secure one's position in the field of international business and offer possibilities to perform international tasks well and effectively (Bloch, 1995). In every organization, communication serves two imperative roles: it is used by employees to disseminate the information needed and creates a sense of trust and commitment (Optum, 2015). Effective workplace communication ensures that all organizational objectives are achieved (Ergen, 2010). This is tremendously important to organizations because it increases productivity and efficiency, and misunderstanding can be avoided. Through this research, we tried to highlight the importance of understanding the link between doing business and business-related foreign language skills. The research revealed that linguistic and business correlation is of significant importance and that English is spoken and used as a shared language for business communication. Given that the English language connection to doing business among managers of Kosovan SMEs and companies worldwide has not been thoroughly researched in Kosovo, this research revealed that managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs have a good command of English and use it in their everyday business activities. This study matches the hypotheses that English is the language most spoken and used in business and that English is also used to replace LMSs and to provide career enhancement for the managerial staff of Kosovan SMEs nationally and internationally. The use of English and other foreign languages plays an important role in business communication. Studies that elaborated the effects of foreign language skills in business communication have proved that statistically significant positive correlations exist between foreign languages and their influence in business practices (Grzeszczyk, 2015;Hagen et al., 2006) and on career development (Bloch, 1995). The results of our study indicate that the point of international and intranational communication by Kosovan SMEs is to effectively cooperate with people from different backgrounds in order to develop the multicultural business environment because small companies need multilingual employees who can help them explore new business opportunities in foreign countries (Bilingua, 2017). Our study disclosed that the managerial staff of Kosovan SMEs is developing multilingualism on both a national and an international level. A good command of English in their business opens the way to internationalization and integration into regional, European and global markets. English and German are the international languages that are most spoken by the managers of Kosovan exporting SMEs when doing business. This finding is in line with the ELAN  (Hagen et al., 2006) and PIMLICO Project (Hagen, 2011), which show that English and German are the foreign languages mostly used in business by European countries. In addition, the research proves that language knowledge is valuable in employability and overseas assignments. The use of LMSs highlights two important points. First, in addition to the statistics that the implementation of language strategies is challenging and expensive, Kosovan SMEs rarely implemented such strategies and instead, they use their opportunity of having a good command of the English language. Second, successful cooperation and exchange of experiences were bound to the successful usage of foreign languages that in turn generated company efficiency and growth. Findings in this study are to be found relevant to construct trade and industry models and measuring the influence of foreign language skills on business performance based on the truth that the demand for language skills is increasing worldwide in all professions. This level of changing demand is closely related to the level of education and experience. Investment in the development of foreign language skills in Kosovo and beyond would produce economic benefits and prosperity.

Recommendations
Given that only the role of foreign languages in business communication was elaborated, there are still other language-related issues that require wide-ranging studies. Further research with reference to the use of foreign languages would be useful to organizations and particularly to the younger generation in Kosovo. This study used a rather small sample. Another study covering a larger sample and including the international level would reveal a wider understanding of the subject matter. The results of the study cannot be generalized across different corporations, large companies, countries or time frames. Another limitation of this study was the gender imbalance due to Coronavirus diseases and participants were not willing to partake. Consequently, the gender imbalance might have not produced real findings and subsequently, the results of the study may not be generalizable to all Kosovan SMEs. The research will deposit its effects in education, academic success and occupation for businesspeople operating in Kosovo and abroad, based on the grounds that language proficiency opens the way to two main objective indicators of integration that is employment and income.

Conclusion
Knowing English seems to be indispensable for companies trying to compete in global markets. The findings of our study are noteworthy because they provide existing and valuable data regarding the impact of English and other foreign languages on the performance of business managerial staff as well as for developing multilingualism and cross-cultural communication. Therefore, we support the idea that increased foreign language knowledge inevitably leads to the parallel acquisition of foreign market knowledge. Our study attempted to contribute new knowledge and reflection on the