Att bygga broar över kulturgränser : Om svenskars kommunikation med icke-svenskar vid arbete utanför Sverige
(2010) In Lund Studies in Media and Communcation 14.- Abstract
- Globalization creates a need for increased communication competence among Swedes working on the global arena. This study is based on reports of communication processes used by Swedes when interacting professionally with non-Swedes. The reports are derived from interviews.
The study focuses on three areas.
The communication strategies developed by the respondents for intercultural communication.
The relationship beween the choice of communication strategies and the cultural backgrounds of the respondents - understood in terms of their personal and professional experiences.
The basic theoretical frameworks suitable for the analysis and interpretation of the intercultural communication processes in the... (More) - Globalization creates a need for increased communication competence among Swedes working on the global arena. This study is based on reports of communication processes used by Swedes when interacting professionally with non-Swedes. The reports are derived from interviews.
The study focuses on three areas.
The communication strategies developed by the respondents for intercultural communication.
The relationship beween the choice of communication strategies and the cultural backgrounds of the respondents - understood in terms of their personal and professional experiences.
The basic theoretical frameworks suitable for the analysis and interpretation of the intercultural communication processes in the described context and for the field more generally.
The study also addresses questions concerning language use, cultural training, and gender aspects.Further, wih a point of departure in a review of relevant communication theories, ealier research within intercultural communication both in Sweden and abroad, two principal theoretical approaches are discussed. Social constructionism is used to critically analyse the traditional concepts of "national culture", "culture", and "Swedishness". The other approach is a return to mainstream communication theory as a conceptual cornerstone in studying intercultural communication.
The empirical data consist of 30 qualitative interviews, including 10 international businessmen, 10 Swedish Red Cross delegates, and 10 researchers connected with universities in Sweden, all with wide international experience. Those respondents are all Swedish-born and Sweden-educated.
The interviews reveal five basic communication strategies, a wide selection of tactics, and many insightful observations. All the strategies and tactics can be used in professional communication/negotiations with non-Swedes. The choice of strategies differs greatly according to the professional cultures of those interviewed, while Swedish identity only rarely plays a part in the choice of strategies and the attitudes expressed in regard to working with non-Swedes. While many of the respondents admitted they lack both a deeper knowledge and understanding of the English language as well as a background in intercultural communication, they deny the need for more support and traning in these areas. The women respondents discussed gender difficulties, and they gave a number of examples of prejudicial behaviour they had experienced or heard about when working abroad.
It is clear that a mobilisation of selected traditions within mainstream communication theory would be fruitful for the analysis and theory-building of intercultural communication. In particular, the theoretical horizons of Erving Goffman and Jürgen Habemas serve as useful analytic tools in interpreting the experiences told by members of the different professional cultures. In this context, the conceptual foundation of "national cultures" associated with Geert Hofstede and other researchers are found inadequate. The thesis concludes with the proposal to replace this notion with a renewed approach to intercultural communication that builds upon a combination of social constructionism and mainstream communication theory. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Popular Abstract in Swedish
Den pågående globaliseringen skapar ett behov av ökad kommunikationskompetens bland svenskar som arbetar ute i världen. Denna studie baseras på beskrivningar av de kommunikationsprocesser som används av svenskar, när de möter icke-svenskar på yrkets vägnar vid arbete utanför Sverige. Beskrivningarna baseras på intervjuer.
Studien är inriktad på tre områden.
De kommunikationsstrategier som utvecklas av intervjupersonerna för att bemästra interkulturella möten.
Förhållandet mellan intervjupersonernas val av kommunikativa strategier och deras relationer till den svenska ursprungskulturen och respektive yrkeskulturer.
De grundläggande teoretiska ramar, som är... (More) - Popular Abstract in Swedish
Den pågående globaliseringen skapar ett behov av ökad kommunikationskompetens bland svenskar som arbetar ute i världen. Denna studie baseras på beskrivningar av de kommunikationsprocesser som används av svenskar, när de möter icke-svenskar på yrkets vägnar vid arbete utanför Sverige. Beskrivningarna baseras på intervjuer.
Studien är inriktad på tre områden.
De kommunikationsstrategier som utvecklas av intervjupersonerna för att bemästra interkulturella möten.
Förhållandet mellan intervjupersonernas val av kommunikativa strategier och deras relationer till den svenska ursprungskulturen och respektive yrkeskulturer.
De grundläggande teoretiska ramar, som är lämpliga vid analys och tolkning av interkulturella kommunikationsprocesser inom de beskrivna kontexterna samt för forskningsområdet Interkulturell kommunikation.
Studien behandlar också språkbruk vid arbete utanför Sverige, behovet av interkulturell träning och genusaspekter. Med utgångspunkt från en översikt av relevanta kommunikationsteorier och tidigare forskning inom omådet Interkulturell kommunikation i och utanför Sverige diskuteras användningen av två teoretiska ingångar i ämnet. Socialkonstruktivism används för att kritiskt analysera de traditionella begreppen "nationalkultur", "kultur" och "svenskhet". I avhandlingen förespråkas användningen av samma kommunikationsteoretiska utgångspunkter vid studiet av Intekulturell kommunikation som visat sig vara fruktbara vid analys och tolkning av kommunikationsprocesser i allmänhet.
Empriska data består av 30 kvalitativa intervjuer med 10 affärsmän inom svensk exportindustri, 10 delegater anställda av Svenska Röda Korset och 10 forskare anställda vid svenska universitet. Alla intervjupersoner har omfattande internationell erfarnhet och är födda och skolade i Sverige.
Intervjuerna visar att intervjupersonerna använder någon eller några av fem grundläggande kommunikationsstrategier och ett stort antal kommunikativa taktiker. Alla strategier och taktiker kan användas vid professionell kommunikation eller förhandlingar med icke-svenskar. Valet av strategier skiljer dock avsevärt mellande professionella kulturer som de intervjuade ingår i. Den svenska identiteten spelar endast sällan någon roll för valet av kommunikativa strategier i samspelet med icke-svenskar. Medan många av intervjupersonerna tillstår att de saknar en djupare förståelse av det eneglska språket liksom kunskaper i interkulturell kommunikation, önskar de inte ytterligare stöd och undervisning inom dessa områden. De kvinnliga intervjupersonenra diskuterar genusproblem och ger ett antal exempelpå fördomsfulla beteenden,som de erfarit eller fått rapporterade under arbete utanför Sverige.
Det är tydligt att en ökad användning av forskningsmönster som favoriseras vid kommunikationsteoretisk analys och tolkning i dag skulle framgångsrikt kunna användas också vid analys och teoribygge inom delområdet Interkulturell kommunikation, vilket inte alltid är fallet. I avhandlingen rekommenderas särskilt analysmönster beskrivna av Erving Goffman och Jürgen Habermas som användbara analysredskap. I detta sammanhang visas hur utgångspunkterna för begreppet "nationalkultur", som de används av Geert Hofstede och andra forskare, inte är adekvata. I avhandingen föreslås att detta begrepp ersätts de med en kombination av de ovan nämnda, väl etablerade kommunikationsteorierna och socialkonstruktivism. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1580770
- author
- Larsson, Inger LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Rydin, Ingegerd, Högskolan i Halmstad
- organization
- publishing date
- 2010
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Swedishness, Communication Strategy, Cultural Training, National Culture, Intercultural Communication, Culture, Swedish Red Cross, Communication
- in
- Lund Studies in Media and Communcation
- volume
- 14
- pages
- 226 pages
- publisher
- Lund University
- defense location
- Kulturens auditorium i Lund
- defense date
- 2010-04-29 10:00:00
- ISSN
- 1104-4330
- ISBN
- 91-7267-312-5
- language
- Swedish
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- d7f316e4-a61b-4682-acef-c1acb558f84a (old id 1580770)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 14:54:56
- date last changed
- 2021-11-17 11:33:32
@phdthesis{d7f316e4-a61b-4682-acef-c1acb558f84a,
abstract = {{Globalization creates a need for increased communication competence among Swedes working on the global arena. This study is based on reports of communication processes used by Swedes when interacting professionally with non-Swedes. The reports are derived from interviews.<br/><br>
The study focuses on three areas.<br/><br>
The communication strategies developed by the respondents for intercultural communication.<br/><br>
The relationship beween the choice of communication strategies and the cultural backgrounds of the respondents - understood in terms of their personal and professional experiences.<br/><br>
The basic theoretical frameworks suitable for the analysis and interpretation of the intercultural communication processes in the described context and for the field more generally.<br/><br>
The study also addresses questions concerning language use, cultural training, and gender aspects.Further, wih a point of departure in a review of relevant communication theories, ealier research within intercultural communication both in Sweden and abroad, two principal theoretical approaches are discussed. Social constructionism is used to critically analyse the traditional concepts of "national culture", "culture", and "Swedishness". The other approach is a return to mainstream communication theory as a conceptual cornerstone in studying intercultural communication.<br/><br>
The empirical data consist of 30 qualitative interviews, including 10 international businessmen, 10 Swedish Red Cross delegates, and 10 researchers connected with universities in Sweden, all with wide international experience. Those respondents are all Swedish-born and Sweden-educated.<br/><br>
The interviews reveal five basic communication strategies, a wide selection of tactics, and many insightful observations. All the strategies and tactics can be used in professional communication/negotiations with non-Swedes. The choice of strategies differs greatly according to the professional cultures of those interviewed, while Swedish identity only rarely plays a part in the choice of strategies and the attitudes expressed in regard to working with non-Swedes. While many of the respondents admitted they lack both a deeper knowledge and understanding of the English language as well as a background in intercultural communication, they deny the need for more support and traning in these areas. The women respondents discussed gender difficulties, and they gave a number of examples of prejudicial behaviour they had experienced or heard about when working abroad.<br/><br>
It is clear that a mobilisation of selected traditions within mainstream communication theory would be fruitful for the analysis and theory-building of intercultural communication. In particular, the theoretical horizons of Erving Goffman and Jürgen Habemas serve as useful analytic tools in interpreting the experiences told by members of the different professional cultures. In this context, the conceptual foundation of "national cultures" associated with Geert Hofstede and other researchers are found inadequate. The thesis concludes with the proposal to replace this notion with a renewed approach to intercultural communication that builds upon a combination of social constructionism and mainstream communication theory.}},
author = {{Larsson, Inger}},
isbn = {{91-7267-312-5}},
issn = {{1104-4330}},
keywords = {{Swedishness; Communication Strategy; Cultural Training; National Culture; Intercultural Communication; Culture; Swedish Red Cross; Communication}},
language = {{swe}},
publisher = {{Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{Lund Studies in Media and Communcation}},
title = {{Att bygga broar över kulturgränser : Om svenskars kommunikation med icke-svenskar vid arbete utanför Sverige}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4238548/1580798.pdf}},
volume = {{14}},
year = {{2010}},
}