Cross-national merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is common and is argued to be a strategic tool for the growth of multinational corporations. Yet, M&A activity has a high failure rate which theorists have explained being due to cultural clashes. Previous research has explained these clashes being due to cultural distance. Other studies have focused on the extent to which the firms are culturally integrated and its relation to cultural clashes. In this study we investigate the relation between cultural distance and the extent to which the firms are culturally integrated as we believe that this relation in turn influences how cultural clashes are perceived by managers. As the human side of M&A has become of great interest within research we stress the importance of understanding what happens with managers in the organization during the post-acquisition process. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to investigate the managers’ perception of cultural clashes, in relation to the perceived extent of cultural integration and perceived cultural distance, in cross-national mergers and acquisitions. In order to achieve an in-depth understanding of a series of cross-national M&As and to answer the purpose of this thesis, a qualitative case study design was used. Semistandardized interviews were made with ten managers from a Swedish firm that has gone through a series of cross-national M&As involving Swiss, French and German managements. The findings show that managers’ perception of cultural clashes differs depending on to what extent two firms are culturally integrated and in relation to the cultural distance between the two firms. No matter if high or low cultural distance managers perceive few cul-tural clashes if the extent to which the firms are integrated is low. If the cultural integration, on the other hand, is high and the cultural distance is high, the cultural clashes are perceived as many. Our findings indicate that cultural clashes are perceived differently depend-ing on how they affect the managerial role and the organizational behaviour. We refer to these clashes as implicit agreements and explicit statements. Clashes in implicit agreements are evolved from behaviour deeply rooted in national culture and corporate culture. These clashes have minor effects on the managerial role and the organizational behaviour. Never-theless, managers need to be aware of the differences and adapt to the preferred behaviour when interacting with the acquiring firm’s management. Explicit statements, on the other hand, affect the managerial role and organizational behaviour and lead to cultural clashes that conduce to frustration, lack of motivation and inefficiency. These clashes are more ap-parent when the extent of culturally integration is high. Therefore, the acquiring firm should not attempt to assimilate its target company in cross-national M&As.

<p>Cross-national merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is common and is argued to be a strategic tool for the growth of multinational corporations. Yet, M&A activity has a high failure rate which theorists have explained being due to cultural clashes. Previous research has explained these clashes being due to cultural distance. Other studies have focused on the extent to which the firms are culturally integrated and its relation to cultural clashes. In this study we investigate the relation between cultural distance and the extent to which the firms are culturally integrated as we believe that this relation in turn influences how cultural clashes are perceived by managers.</p><p>As the human side of M&A has become of great interest within research we stress the importance of understanding what happens with managers in the organization during the post-acquisition process. The purpose of this thesis is therefore to investigate the managers’ perception of cultural clashes, in relation to the perceived extent of cultural integration and perceived cultural distance, in cross-national mergers and acquisitions.</p><p>In order to achieve an in-depth understanding of a series of cross-national M&As and to answer the purpose of this thesis, a qualitative case study design was used. Semistandardized interviews were made with ten managers from a Swedish firm that has gone through a series of cross-national M&As involving Swiss, French and German managements.</p><p>The findings show that managers’ perception of cultural clashes differs depending on to what extent two firms are culturally integrated and in relation to the cultural distance between the two firms. No matter if high or low cultural distance managers perceive few cul-tural clashes if the extent to which the firms are integrated is low. If the cultural integration, on the other hand, is high and the cultural distance is high, the cultural clashes are perceived as many. Our findings indicate that cultural clashes are perceived differently depend-ing on how they affect the managerial role and the organizational behaviour. We refer to these clashes as implicit agreements and explicit statements. Clashes in implicit agreements are evolved from behaviour deeply rooted in national culture and corporate culture. These clashes have minor effects on the managerial role and the organizational behaviour. Never-theless, managers need to be aware of the differences and adapt to the preferred behaviour when interacting with the acquiring firm’s management. Explicit statements, on the other hand, affect the managerial role and organizational behaviour and lead to cultural clashes that conduce to frustration, lack of motivation and inefficiency. These clashes are more ap-parent when the extent of culturally integration is high. Therefore, the acquiring firm should not attempt to assimilate its target company in cross-national M&As.</p>

Tautinis ugdymas kaip integralinė pilnutinės asmenybės dalis yra vienas iš šiuolaikinio ugdymo sudedamųjų dalių, sudaranti jaunosios kartos ugdymo pagrindą, tačiau spartūs Vakarų demokratijos plėtojimo procesai tautiškumui kelia tam tikrų rūpesčių. Spartėjanti globalizacija, kultūrinė integracija, ekonominė emigracija – tai vis reiškiniai, kurie ne tik veikia asmenybės dvasinį pasaulį, bet slopina tautiškumą, daro įtaką tautų ir kultūrų, bendruomenių ir individų tapatybei, skatina žavėjimąsi kosmopolitizmu. Todėl tautinio auklėjimo problema tampa ypač aktuali. Kadangi jau pradiniame mokykliniame amžiuje pastebima vis didėjanti orientuotis ne į dvasines, o į materialines vertybes, šio darbo tikslas – atskleisti 3 – 4 klasių mokinių tautiškumo sampratą bei jų žinias apie:  tautos istorijos liudytojus;  Lietuvos valstybės ir tautos simbolius;  folklorą;  valstybines bei tautos šventes;  šeimos šventes ir tradicijas. Empirinėje tyrimo dalyje taikyti du metodai: anketavimas ir kūrybinių darbų analizė. Tyrimo imtis: 192 trečių – ketvirtų klasių mokiniai. Tyrimo rezultatai: - mokinių supratimas apie tautos istorijos liudytojus yra pakankamas ir dažniausiai formuojamas mokykloje; - nors tautos atributiką mokiniai yra neblogai įsisąmoninę, tačiau skirtumai tarp atskirų klasių ženklūs; - mokinių požiūris į folklorą yra palankus, tačiau tai nėra neatsiejama jų gyvenimo dalis; - mokinių požiūris į valstybines šventes yra pakankamai brandus, tačiau tautos tradicijas jie suvokia... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / National education as a constituent piece of full individuality is one of the nowadays education part, which contains the basement of education of young generation. But quick development of Western democracy raises some kind of concern about National Identity. Fast globalization processes, cultural integration – all it’s a phenomena, which impacts not only spiritual world of individuality, but also suppresses national identity, has influence to oneness of nations and cultures, communities and individuals, encourages to keen on cosmopolitanism. This is why the problem of National education becomes extremely actual. As already in young school age we can notice the growing orientation not into moral valuables, but to the tangible, the essence of this research work is to discover the National Identity conception between 3rd and 4th forms school learners and to reveal their knowledge about: 1. witnesses of the history of the nation, 2. symbols of State of Lithuania and it’s nation, 3. folklore 4. state and national holidays 5. Family holidays and traditions. Two methods were used in empirical part of the research work: questionnaire and analysis of creative works. Scope of the research work: 192 learners of 3rd and 4th forms. The results of the research work: - understanding of learners about witnesses of the history of the nation is sufficient and mostly this understanding is fashioned in the school, - national attributes are well known by learners, but there is marked difference... [to full text]

The purpose of the study was to seek a deeper understanding of how former unaccompanied refugees look at their situation in Sweden; how they describe their own sense of belonging, how they view participation in Swedish society and how they perceive "the Swedish culture". To answer the purpose of the study we have used a qualitative method in the form of semi structured interviews. During these interviews questions were raised based on three themes: KASAM (sense of context), cultural meetings and social interaction. The result showed that there are several reasons why cultural integration is difficult to achieve, that the respondents are to a small extent cultural-integrated and that the theories that exist about cultural integration cannot accurately be used to identify different types of integration. / Syftet med studien var att söka en djupare förståelse för hur före detta ensamkommande flyktingbarn ser på sin situation i Sverige; hur de beskriver och redogör för sin egen känsla av samhörighet, hur de ser på delaktighet i det svenska samhället och hur de uppfattar “den svenska kulturen”. För att besvara syftet med studien har vi använt oss av en kvalitativ metod i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Under dessa intervjutillfällen ställdes frågor utifrån tre teman, vilka handlade om KASAM (känsla av sammanhang), kulturmöten och social interaktion. Resultatet visade att det finns ett flertal skäl till att kulturell integration är svår att uppnå, att respondenterna i liten grad är kulturellt integrerade samt att de teorier som finns i ämnet om kulturell integration inte med exakthet kan användas för att identifiera olika typer av integration.

The Arabic cultural scene in Sweden is characterized by its richness and diversity, encompassing various forms of cultural expressions such as books, artistic events, films, and online platforms. These productions reflect a synthesis of values derived from both the host society and the longstanding Arabic cultural heritage. However, despite the abundance of cultural content, there exists a significant knowledge gap concerning their creation and development, necessitating further investigation. To gain a comprehensive understanding of this landscape, it is crucial to explore the social networks of Arabic-speaking writers. This entails examining the nature of their production, their geographical distribution, literary genres, and the dynamics of their interactions within postmigration contexts. The main objective of this research is to explore the efficacy of Arabic-speaking social networks in facilitating the movement of writing and creativity within the postmigration context in Sweden. The theoretical frameworks of Postmigration and Social Networks are applied to inform the research design, which incorporates a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods including surveys and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal the capacity of Arabic-speaking writers to establish extensive networks that transcend both their countries of origin and the host country. These networks encompass various domains such as geographic connections, publishing networks, and professional associations. Furthermore, the professionalization of the Swedish language has created opportunities for writers to forge new networks within Swedish society. This study serves as a foundation for future research endeavors that seek to delve deeper into the Arabic-speaking cultural productions. Moreover, it contributes to the broader discourse on postmigration research that explores the intersections of art, literature, and cultural expressions.

[pt] Das últimas décadas para os dias atuais, o fluxo de refugiados vindo para o Brasil vem aumentando cada vez mais. Preocupados com a inserção dos refugiados dentro da cidade, o governo, as instituições e a sociedade civil trabalham para integrar esse grupo de pessoas. Apesar de existirem diversas formas de integração, a maneira mais visada desde então é a integração econômica, ou seja, a obtenção de um emprego no país de acolhida e consequente empoderamento econômico do(a) refugiado(a). Assim, outras formas de integração tão importantes quanto esta acabam por ficar esquecidas. Este trabalho, com o intuito de contribuir para o debate de políticas públicas voltadas para a integração dos imigrantes forçados, parte da premissa que a desatenção às políticas culturais ligadas à integração dos refugiados no Rio de Janeiro se relacionam às dificuldades de pertencimento e visibilidade dentro da cidade. Em primeiro lugar, é discutido a importância desse debate nos dias atuais, seguido de uma revisão bibliográfica que discute processos de integração e a importância da cultura nesse cenário. Em segundo lugar, o relatório traz, dentro do seu estudo de caso, um olhar mais aprofundado sobre o deslocamento dos congoleses diante desse quadro e como o ensino da língua portuguesa é peça-chave na integração cultural. Por fim, são feitas algumas recomendações, dando ênfase na preponderância da atuação dos atores governamentais, a fim de que o processo integratório seja feito de maneira mais humana. / [en] From the last decades to the present day, the flow of refugees to Brazil has been increasing. Concerned about the inclusion of refugees within the city, government, institutions and civil society are working to integrate this group of people. Although there are various forms of integration, the most targeted approach since then is economic integration, ie obtaining employment in the host country and consequent economic empowerment of the refugee. Thus, other forms of integration as important as this are eventually forgotten. This work, with the aim of contributing to the debate of public policies aimed at the integration of forced immigrants, starts from the premise that the lack of attention to the cultural policies related to the integration of refugees in Rio de Janeiro are connected to the difficulties of belonging and visibility within the city. Within this work, firstly, the importance of this debate in the present day is discussed, followed by a bibliographical review that discusses integration processes and the importance of culture in this scenario. Secondly, the report brings, in its case study, a more indepth look at the displacement of Congolese in this context and how the teaching of the Portuguese language is a key element in cultural integration. Finally, some recommendations are made, emphasizing the preponderance of the performance of governmental actors, so that the integration process is done in a more humaneway.

Although much previous literature has concentrated on the experiences of male migrants, recent research has begun to shed some light on the role of women in migration processes as well. This research paper explores the integration experiences of three immigrant Turkmen women in California. In addition, the role of networks in the facilitation of the integration process is considered. Within this ethnographic study, the following methods are used to obtain information: semi-structured interviews and participant observations. The concepts of human agency and structure are employed when analyzing the content. The findings illustrated that successful integration is dependent upon the following indicators: education, language proficiency, naturalization, labor market assimilation, and participation in the social sphere. Also, networks of these immigrant women act as facilitators of integration into host society. This particular topic was chosen due to a lack of research in the field of migration in the United States concerning the integration of immigrants, male or female, from Turkmenistan. This research could serve as a departure for a larger future project in the field of migration research.

La répartition des chapelles rurales en Gascogne et au Pays Basque qui semble « statique » révèle dans le courant des XVIème et XVIIème siècles, une mainmise de plus en plus étroite de l’Eglise tridentine. Ce phénomène s’intensifie dans les courants des XVIIème et XVIIIème siècles, avec la construction de nouvelles chapelles majoritairement vouées au culte de Marie. L’Eglise adapte un système préexistant et le perfectionne. Elle réinvestit la culture religieuse locale, dont les chapelles rurales sont un fondement et un support de l’identité gasconne et basque. Elle favorise les pèlerinages et les processions dans ces chapelles vouées au culte de Notre Dame, sapant l’influence de certaines chapelles rurales, qui constituent pour certaines, des cadres de pratiques « superstitieuses » et « profanes », à la limite de la religion légale. Elle crée, ainsi un réseau hiérarchisé, fer de lance de la réforme tridentine. Les confréries, un clergé dévoué et dans certains cas, la présence d’un ordre religieux (couvents, monastères…) encadrent les fidèles.Les chapelles rurales constituent des relais d’une « re-catholicisation ». En effet, un vaste mouvement d’acculturation des populations rurales semble mis en place par l’Eglise tridentine. Enfin, en tant que vecteur de cette « re-catholicisation » des populations rurales, les chapelles s’intègrent dans une volonté de lutter contre le protestantisme dont la forme dans le Sud-ouest est le calvinisme. Certains sanctuaires créent de véritables zones d’influence délimitant l’aire culturelle de Gascogne et du Pays Basque. / The spreading of the rural chapels in Gascony and in the Basque Country which seems « static » reveals a growing takeover by the tridentine Church in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this phenomenon is intensified by new chapels mainly devoted to Mary. The Church adapts a pre-existing system and improves it. It reinvests the local religious culture founded on rural chapels which are deeply part of the Gascon and Basque identity. In these chapels devoted to Our Lady, pilgrimages and processions are furthered, undermining the influence of some rural chapels, some of which shelter “superstitious” and “secular” practices at the limit of the legal religion. Thus it creates a hierarchic organization which constitutes the spearhead of the tridentine reform. The faithful are guided by the brotherhoods, a devoted clergy and sometimes a religious order (convents, monasteries …). The rural chapels take over the “re-catholicization”. A wide movement of the rural populations’ cultural integration actually seems to be set up by the Tridentine Church. Finally, as a “re-catholicization” medium of the rural populations, the chapels integrate into a will to fight against Protestantism known as the Calvinism in South-Western France. Some sanctuaries create a real zone of influence delimiting the cultural area of Gascony and the Basque Country.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) formed public-private partnerships (PPPs) with local and international private companies during the construction of the Port of Miami Tunnel (POMT) project. These PPPs had employees from different cultural backgrounds who brought new cultures, ideas, innovation, and experiences to their PPPs. The limited PPP literature did indicate that different cultures should be properly integrated to avoid challenges and conflicts in the new organization. If not properly managed and integrated, cultural conflict can create communication problems, increased employee dissatisfaction, higher turnover, and poor employee performance. Using Risberg's communication theoretical foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of PPP employees to see how their intercultural communication facilitated cultural integration. Data were generated through semi-structured, open-ended interviews with 11 employees of the PPPs formed with FDOT during the POMT project. Data were coded and analyzed using a thematic analaysis procedure. Findings were that cultural aspects like social interaction, comfort in interacting with people from different cultures, empathy, respect for others, knowledge about other cultures, open-mindedness, and managerial support helped in facilitating cultural integration in the respective PPPs. Positive social change implications may include the improvement of PPP efficiency and efficacy with: greater leadership awareness of the challenges and opportunities of diversity; new policies and management strategies that take advantage of different cultural contributions; and, policies that encourage cultural competency and sensitivity.

Russian Jews who left the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and its Successor States after 1989 are considered as one of the best qualified migrants group worldwide. In the preferred countries of destination (Israel, the United States and Germany) they are well-known for cultural self-assertion, strong social upward mobility and manifold forms of self organisation and empowerment. Using Suzanne Kellers sociological model of “Strategic Elites”, it easily becomes clear that a huge share of the Russian Jewish Immigrants in Germany and Israel are part of various elites due to their qualification and high positions in the FSU – first of all professional, cultural and intellectual elites (“Intelligentsija”). The study aimed to find out to what extent developments of cultural self-assertion, of local and transnational networking and of ethno-cultural empowerment are supported or even initiated by the immigrated (Russian Jewish) Elites. The empirical basis for this study have been 35 half-structured expert interviews with Russian Jews in both countries (Israel, Germany) – most of them scholars, artists, writers, journalists/publicists, teachers, engineers, social workers, students and politicians. The qualitative analysis of the interview material in Israel and Germany revealed that there are a lot of commonalities but also significant differences. It was obvious that almost all of the interview partners remained to be linked with Russian speaking networks and communities, irrespective of their success (or failure) in integration into the host societies. Many of them showed self-confidence with regard to the groups’ amazing professional resources (70% of the adults with academic degree), and the cultural, professional and political potential of the FSU immigrants was usually considered as equal to those of the host population(s). Thus, the immigrants’ interest in direct societal participation and social acceptance was accordingly high. Assimilation was no option. For the Russian Jewish “sense of community” in Israel and Germany, Russian Language, Arts and general Russian culture have remained of key importance. The Immigrants do not feel an insuperable contradiction when feeling “Russian” in cultural terms, “Jewish” in ethnical terms and “Israeli” / “German” in national terms – in that a typical case of additive identity shaping what is also significant for the Elites of these Immigrants. Tendencies of ethno-cultural self organisation – which do not necessarily hinder impressing individual careers in the new surroundings – are more noticeable in Israel. Thus, a part of the Russian Jewish Elites has responded to social exclusion, discrimination or blocking by local population (and by local elites) with intense efforts to build (Russian Jewish) Associations, Media, Educational Institutions and even Political Parties. All in all, the results of this study do very much contradict popular stereotypes of the Russian Jewish Immigrant as a pragmatic, passive “Homo Sovieticus”. Among the Interview Partners in this study, civil-societal commitment was not the exception but rather the rule. Traditional activities of the early, legendary Russian „Intelligentsija“ were marked by smooth transitions from arts, education and societal/political commitment. There seem to be certain continuities of this self-demand in some of the Russian Jewish groups in Israel. Though, nothing comparable could be drawn from the Interviews with the Immigrants in Germany. Thus, the myth and self-demand of Russian “Intelligentsija” is irrelevant for collective discourses among Russian Jews in Germany. / Russischsprachige Juden, die nach 1989 die Sowjetunion und ihre Nachfolgestaaten verlassen haben, zählen weltweit zu den bestqualifizierten Migranten. In ihren bevorzugten Zielländern (Israel, USA, Deutschland) zeichnen sie sich durch sichtbare Formen der kulturellen Selbstbehauptung, eine starke Aufstiegsmobilität und einen relativ hohen Grad der Selbstorganisation aus. Auf Grund des hohen Bildungsgrades und der dominierenden Berufsbilder konnte in Anlehnung an das Modell der „Strategic Elites“ von Suzanne Keller ein generell hoher Anteil an Eliten in der untersuchten Gruppe von Immigranten in Deutschland und Israel ausgemacht werden – v.a. professionelle, kulturelle und intellektuelle Eliten. Die Studie fragte danach, inwiefern Prozesse der kulturellen Selbstbehauptung, der lokalen und transnationalen Vernetzung und der ethno-kulturellen Selbstorganisation von den zugewanderten Eliten unterstützt oder sogar selbst befördert werden. Als empirische Grundlage dienten je 35 Experten-Interviews mit russisch-jüdischen Immigranten in beiden Ländern – dabei vorwiegend Wissenschaftler, Künstler, Schriftsteller, Publizisten/Journalisten, Lehrer, Ingenieure, Sozialarbeiter, Studenten und Politiker. Die qualitative Auswertung des Interviewmaterials in Deutschland und Israel ergab zahlreiche Gemeinsamkeiten, aber auch markante Unterschiede. Auffällig war, dass fast alle Interviewpartner mit russischsprachigen Netzwerken und Community-Strukturen gut verbunden blieben – unabhängig vom bisherigen Erfolg ihrer individuellen Integration. Fast durchweg waren sie sich ihrer überdurchschnittlichen beruflichen Kompetenzen (70% Akademiker) bewusst, die kulturellen, beruflichen und häufig auch politischen Ressourcen wurden mindestens als ebenbürtig zu jenen der Aufnahmegesellschaften betrachtet. Das Interesse an direkter gesellschaftlicher Partizipation und Akzeptanz war entsprechend hoch. Für das Zusammengehörigkeitsgefühl der Immigranten in Israel und Deutschland bilden russische Sprache, Kunst und (Alltags-) Kultur nach wie vor eine Schlüssel-Rolle. Dabei entsteht für die meisten Immigranten kein zwingender Widerspruch, sich "russisch" im kulturellen, "jüdisch" im ethnischen und "israelisch" / "deutsch" im nationalen Sinne zu fühlen - insofern ein klassischer Fall von additiver Identitätsbildung, der auch die zugewanderten Eliten charakterisiert. Assimilation in die Mehrheitsgesellschaft ist keine Option. Tendenzen ethno-kultureller Selbstorganisation, die erfolgreiche individuelle Integrationsverläufe im neuen Umfeld keineswegs ausschließen, zeigten sich am intensivsten in Israel. So reagiert ein Teil der russisch-jüdischen Eliten auf allgemeine Ausgrenzungserfahrungen und/oder Schließungsprozesse der lokalen Eliten bewusst mit der Bildung eigener Vereine, Medien, Bildungseinrichtungen und sogar politischer Parteien. Insgesamt widersprechen die Ergebnisse der Studie dem weitverbreiteten Stereotyp vom russisch-jüdischen Migranten als eines pragmatisch-passiven „Homo Sovieticus“. Zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement war bei den untersuchten Eliten eher der Regelfall. Zu den Traditionen der frühen, legendären russischen „Intelligentsija“ gehörten fließende Übergänge zwischen Kunst, Bildung und gesellschaftspolitischem Engagement. Dies setzt sich in Israel in einigen Gruppierungen der russisch-jüdischen Immigranten nahtlos fort. Dagegen machten die Experten-Interviews in Deutschland deutlich, dass ein vergleichbarer „Intelligentsija“-Effekt hier nicht zu erwarten ist - und daher für kollektive Orientierungsprozesse der russischen Juden irrelevant bleibt.