Creating Mutual Understanding in Human-Machine Collaboration: A Linguistic and “Intercultural” Endeavor

In the era of digital transformation, companies are increasingly confronted with the challenge of organizing human-machine collaboration to ensure seamless and efficient operations. This paper explores the evolving landscape of organizational functions, where the convergence of human resources and automation resources is giving rise to a new productivity resources management function. As organizations adapt to the digitalization of work, the need for an integrated approach to managing productivity resources—whether human, machine, or a combination of both—becomes paramount. Central to this integrated approach is the role of language as part of an “intercultural” communication between humans and machines. By examining the linguistic and intercultural dimensions of mutual understanding in human-machine collaboration, this paper systematizes the conceptual tasks ahead that have to be strategically incorporated into companies’ digitalization of work initiatives.