Communicative power in multicultural workplaces in southern Sweden
(2026) Media and Communication: Research and Practice- Abstract
- This project investigates how power operates as performative in the everyday work experiences of employees of different ethnic backgrounds in a multinational organization. Rather than treating power as a stable possession held by individuals or institutions, the study conceptualizes power as enacted, reproduced, and negotiated through routine individual and organizational practices.
For migrants to be able to be part of society and to be able to influence their own development, they need to master communication and speech behavior in different contexts. They need to be able to use language and communication as a tool for participation, expression of opinions, implementation of thoughts and ideas, and to be able to carry out their... (More) - This project investigates how power operates as performative in the everyday work experiences of employees of different ethnic backgrounds in a multinational organization. Rather than treating power as a stable possession held by individuals or institutions, the study conceptualizes power as enacted, reproduced, and negotiated through routine individual and organizational practices.
For migrants to be able to be part of society and to be able to influence their own development, they need to master communication and speech behavior in different contexts. They need to be able to use language and communication as a tool for participation, expression of opinions, implementation of thoughts and ideas, and to be able to carry out their work. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to map out communication processes that can facilitate equal opportunity of communication at multicultural workplaces.
The study was conducted in collaboration with a large multinational corporation in Sweden. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with both migrant employees and Swedish born employees, including managers, the study examines how inclusion, agency, and inequality are produced in communication. The analysis explores how employees—knowingly or unknowingly—participate in the reproduction of organizational power dynamics through organizational and interpersonal communication, and how migrants navigate, resist, or internalize these practices. The following research question guided the study:
RQ1: How do migrants experience power in communication with other employees and managers?
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/60a4264a-8387-4266-8370-1e45b2f9af0b
- author
- Storie, Leysan LU and Zachrison, Mozhgan
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-06-18
- type
- Contribution to conference
- publication status
- unpublished
- subject
- conference name
- Media and Communication: Research and Practice
- conference location
- Bucharest
- conference dates
- 2026-06-18 - 2026-06-19
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Conference web page: https://fjsc.unibuc.ro/2026/02/10/call-for-papers-media-and-communication-research-and-practice-2026/
- id
- 60a4264a-8387-4266-8370-1e45b2f9af0b
- date added to LUP
- 2026-06-18 16:47:31
- date last changed
- 2026-06-24 13:43:46
@misc{60a4264a-8387-4266-8370-1e45b2f9af0b,
abstract = {{This project investigates how power operates as performative in the everyday work experiences of employees of different ethnic backgrounds in a multinational organization. Rather than treating power as a stable possession held by individuals or institutions, the study conceptualizes power as enacted, reproduced, and negotiated through routine individual and organizational practices. <br/>For migrants to be able to be part of society and to be able to influence their own development, they need to master communication and speech behavior in different contexts. They need to be able to use language and communication as a tool for participation, expression of opinions, implementation of thoughts and ideas, and to be able to carry out their work. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to map out communication processes that can facilitate equal opportunity of communication at multicultural workplaces.<br/>The study was conducted in collaboration with a large multinational corporation in Sweden. Drawing on interviews and focus groups with both migrant employees and Swedish born employees, including managers, the study examines how inclusion, agency, and inequality are produced in communication. The analysis explores how employees—knowingly or unknowingly—participate in the reproduction of organizational power dynamics through organizational and interpersonal communication, and how migrants navigate, resist, or internalize these practices. The following research question guided the study: <br/>RQ1: How do migrants experience power in communication with other employees and managers?<br/>}},
author = {{Storie, Leysan and Zachrison, Mozhgan}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{06}},
title = {{Communicative power in multicultural workplaces in southern Sweden}},
year = {{2026}},
}