Mellan kritik och tystnad : En kvalitativ studie om handlingsutrymme i arbetslivet

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how employees describe, interpret and explain silence as apossible course of action in situations where they perceive a problem or criticism atwork, but choose not to express it openly. The aim of the study is to contribute to asociological understanding of how room for action is shaped in the social relations ofworking life.The main research question is: how do employees describe silence as becoming areasonable alternative in everyday working life, in situations where criticism ordissent may lead to social or organizational consequences? The study is based oneight semi-structured interviews with employees from different parts of working life,including school, transport, municipal services, social psychiatry and other serviceorganizations. The material was analysed through thematic analysis.The theoretical framework combines Albert O. Hirschman’s concepts of exit, voiceand loyalty with Steven Lukes’ three-dimensional view of power. Hirschman is usedto analyse which courses of action employees perceive as possible in situations ofdissatisfaction, while Lukes is used to analyse how power, norms and organizationalconditions shape what is perceived as possible, appropriate or meaningful to say.The results show that silence is not simply the absence of criticism, but a sociallysituated action shaped by risk, previous experiences, informal norms, relationships,loyalty and responsibility. Employees describe situations in which criticism isformally possible, yet not experienced as meaningful, safe or likely to lead to change.The study also shows that silence can be linked not only to fear, but also to strategicconsiderations and efforts to protect relationships or make everyday work function.Overall, the thesis shows that silence becomes understandable when there is a gapbetween the formal possibility to speak and the actual possibility of being heard,understood or protected.