Phantasms collide: Navigating video-mediated communication in the Swedish workplace.

Global telecommunications companies sell new technologies and services that aim to increase communication possibilities. This case study of one Swedish telecommunications company (the Company) examines how employee notions of video-mediated communication are embedded social meanings. These social meanings are purposefully linked to notions of efficiency in the workplace, the environment, corporate social responsibility and economic gain. Through advertisements, slogans, in-house incentive programs and company policies, the Company has achieved what could be described as a shift in employee attitudes towards working using video mediated communication channels – so-called video meetings. The shift is however, far from comprehensive and this consciously constructed understanding of video-mediated communication co-exists and conflicts with multiple other meanings both explicit, implicit and purposefully ignored. By detailing these different understandings and their inter-relations, the complex and purposed nature of video-mediated communication phantasm in a global telecommunications company emerges.Keywords: video mediated communication, work, meetings, discourse, phantasms, shared imaginings9000 wordsRefereed articleThis article has not been submitted to any other publication.