Intercultural communication at the work place: An explorative study using a phenomenological approach

Abstract: The aim of this explorative study using a phenomenological approach is to have a closer look at individual perceptions of the phenomenon of intercultural communication and how it is constituted within at a work place. Eventual communication difficulties based on different cultural origins, as well as forms of interaction and working conditions in the enterprises, will be analyzed as possible reasons for eventual communication difficulties. The paper has the further aim of looking for eventual benefits from multiculturalism, when it is seen as a resource rather than a possible reason for conflicts. The study examines and compares two different work places in southern Sweden, Hyllie Park Folkhögskola and Italia il Ristorante, from which 21 respondents participated in the study. Narratives were collected by self reports and analyzed with the software applications MCA Minerva and Le Sphinx Lexica. The outcomes indicate that cultural backgrounds seem to influence the constitution process and the different ways in how intercultural communication is perceived. Furthermore, a contextual influence is indicated about how intercultural communication is perceived and functions at a particular work place.