The View | Hong Kong’s language advantage is good for business. Tech can make it better
- Technology has changed the game, making it easier to acquire and improve language and communication skills
- An international business hub like Hong Kong, where languages are critical for deal-making, must leverage technology to promote learning
One characteristic of small, open, advanced economies like Switzerland and Singapore is a recognition of the importance of a multilingual workforce for economic competitiveness.
The case for promoting the learning of languages is not new. Mastery of Chinese and English enables young people to pursue career goals and achieve upward social mobility.
What is new in 2021 is how much technology has changed the game, levelling the playing field and allowing motivated students from all backgrounds to acquire language skills efficiently, effectively and at a reasonable cost.
Writing assistants like Grammarly offer suggestions for improving spelling, grammar and punctuation. And the popularity of Netflix and YouTube means there are informal ways to learn languages.
