Frontières linguistiques et communautés de travail : un bilinguisme à l’épreuve du changement industriel

This article puts into perspective the results of a preliminary survey conducted in an automotive company (Smart) situated in Hambach in France and in direct proximity to the German border. The company employs 1500 employees, the great majority of whom are French, while the management are German. This survey aims to throw light on the effects of the nearby border on the internal organisation and life of the company.

The study has been an opportunity to apply an innovative methodology in border studies. The method aims to reconcile two approaches: the conventional approach based on law, geography and politics and more recent approaches that look at the cultural dimensions of borders. To do this, the method draws on the tools and expertise of four disciplines: geography, management science and sociology. These different viewpoints are able to come together thanks to the adoption of the concept of the "boundary object".

The main tools used for this study were interviews and mind maps. The main data produced are socio-linguistic and geographical and are organised according to three dimensions: that of company, that of the linguistic practices of the employees and that of the territory. The borders the study focuses on are present in the use of languages (French, German and English) in the work and in the company's relations with its local area.

The finalisation of the survey was hampered by certain difficulties: the installation of a new management on the human sciences side, and unfavourable labour relations. The success of this type of research therefore depends on good collaboration between members of the company, which is actually likely to benefit from such an initiative.