다국적기업 자회사 현지 직원의 외국어 능력과 문화적응 스트레스: 상대적 박탈감의 매개효과

초록

In an international organizational context, language functions not merely as a communication tool but as a strategic resource that shapes individuals’ psychological experiences and career opportunities. This study empirically examines how local employees’ foreign language competence in multinational enterprise (MNE) subsidiaries affects their relative deprivation and acculturative stress. Survey data were collected from 456 Korean employees working in 49 MNE subsidiaries from 11 countries operating in Korea, and a multilevel analysis was conducted. The results indicate that foreign language competence reduces relative deprivation, while relative deprivation increases acculturative stress. Furthermore, foreign language competence directly decreases acculturative stress and indirectly influences it through relative deprivation, demonstrating a partial mediation effect. This study provides an integrated understanding of the critical role of language competence in shaping employees’ psychosocial experiences and acculturation processes, offering meaningful implications for developing local talent and managing psychological well-being in global organizations.

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