title: Communication as a mechanism for cultural integration.
abstract: Providing autonomy for employees ensures innovation competence if balanced by integration  into the organization. The aim of this article is to study processes leading to the integration of  employees into the company culture. The two research questions are: What makes the culture of a  work group similar to the company culture? How is a work group culture constructed?  Theories that are employed concern culture as an organizing structure emerging in the interaction,  company culture as a way to exert control, and social networks as a way to describe the interaction.  Empirical data come from a merchant bank from which 105 respondents from ten work groups answered  questions about their communication and their integration into the company culture. The results  show that the sub-culture of the group emerges in communication between members of the group.  There seems to be a self-reinforcing spiral between collegial talk, especially about goals,  plans and changes at the work place, and cultural integration. All members of a group should be  included in this communication to create a strong culture. The value system of the supervisor  strongly influences the sub-culture of the work group. Appointing supervisors with values that  correspond to the company culture and provide for employee communications is thus central for  organizations using culture as a tool for control.
authors.affiliation: Malardalen University, Eskilstuna, Sweden. tomas.backstrom@mdh.se
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Backstrom
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hagstrom
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goransson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D004651:Employment / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007857:Leadership; D009934:Organization and Administration; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011361:Professional Competence; D012919:Social Behavior; D012945:Social Values; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology