"Foreign language competency within Schlumberger is an extremely valuable and useful skill to have and it is one that we utilize to our advantage on a day to day basis.

Schlumberger is a culturally diverse, international organization employing over 65,000 people in over 100 countries. The most distinct part of Schlumberger is its international multicultural focus. For example, our Product Centers located in Sugar Land, Texas has a mix of nationalities and foreign language competencies. The Product Center is responsible for providing their technical expertise to our clients and other Schlumberger centers all over the world. Our ability to communicate successfully with other countries both client base and internally is essential to the overall success of our business. In addition, Schlumberger has long recognized the technical value of centering projects around a diverse group of development teams. This natural diversity of backgrounds and languages is a key competitive advantage for our organization." (C.G. Shaw)

"Siemens’ philosophy is that it is an added skill to have someone who speaks German, Spanish and/or Portuguese but it is not a requirement for the job. Only if an employee will be working closely with another location, i.e. Germany, Mexico or Brazil, then it is possible that foreign language skills would be required." (J. White)

"For global businesses such as Amoco (soon to be BP-Amoco), it took us far too long to realize that 'business' in parts of the world outside North America is about 'relationships'. While many will tell you that the language of business is English, relationships are forged through common experiences and respect, and in a common language (typically NOT English). While many of us are not 'fluent' in another language, even the most basic efforts to understand and communicate in the language of the host are greatly appreciated, and often form the basis for a business deal to be struck.

For many, the 'value' of knowing another language is difficult to quantify. To those who have been able to 'strike the deal', it is invaluable." (S. Delaney)

"Why foreign language skills are valuable, [not only here at Compaq]:

1) Anybody who can speak a foreign language can, on average, sell twice as much as someone who can't.

2) There is no other G7 nation whose inhabitants speak only one language. Multi-national companies often have a need to communicate with someone who doesn't speak English well. I would prefer an employ who has enough basics to communicate nonetheless.

3) Speaking multiple languages is equivalent to being both a mechanical and electrical engineer. I perceive both scenarios as requiring a tremendous amount of bandwith and discipline. Employees with bandwith and discipline are easier to hire, retain and promote than those who have demonstrated neither.

4) Business is a function of competence, respect, and integrity. By knowing another language, one inherently learns another culture. If a customer has an option of buying a similar product from competing vendors, a tie goes to the one with whom the customer is most comfortable. As a former small business owner, I was more comfortable with those who at least knew my culture enough to respect it. Business decisions are not made solely by empirical models. It boils down to at least two people respecting each other enough to agree and mutually benefit.

5) People who speak another language tend to recognize how much they don't know and have become accustomed to saying, in effect, "I don't know" and overcoming the barrier of knowing how to communicate. In my mind, they are more confident, less arrogant, more truthful, and more susceptible to instruction than those who chose not to explore the world of not being able to communicate and overcoming such a fundamental yet prodigious barrier.

6) FYI, the CEO, and Senior VP of HR at Compaq are both German.

7) The H1-Visa cap gets raised every year. The technical world is fast becoming dominated by those who were not born in the US. (R. Ross)