Uncertainty in the English of Executives: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This paper explores executive communication through a comparative study between Finnish and US companies’ earnings conference calls. The goal is to determine whether there are differences in the levels of certainty in the executives’ statements regarding the outlook for their companies. Reasons for these differences are also explored.

Earnings calls and particularly their Q & A sections are something which has received relatively little attention in the study of executive communication. The ownership of Finnish companies is becoming more international by the day, so the English used by Finnish corporate management should receive more attention.

The English used by executives of Finnish companies in this study proved to contain significantly more certain statements than the language used by US executives. It cannot be said for certain, whether the differences highlighted actual differences in the outlook of the companies. Therefore, cultural and language proficiency related reasons were offered as explanations for the differences. The study provides useful information for analysts and investors following Finnish companies and should be replicated with a larger sample and by incorporating interviews.