Language can also create a barrier in an increasingly competitive environment. It is a fact of life that English is the international language of business. In practice, all important engineering publications are either written in English or translated into English. There are situations, however, when the knowledge of local procedures and language can decidedly influence the success of a project. Similarly, there is a need for uniformity of codes and standards.
Standardization is often a give and take process with some partners losing and others gaining.
The former often resist the change. An example is the European Community, which is developing a new generation of Eurocodes. The process is very difficult, as different countries oppose changes that may lead to additional costs. Even in the United States, it is difficult to introduce uniform national code provisions to replace or supercede state codes. Flexibility in hiring engineers from different countries requires uniformity in educational standards.