The aim of this study is to provide understanding and knowledge about strategic communication of core values in a fast growing company. In addition, the study highlights communication challenges posed by companies establishing abroad. The study was conducted at the Swedish retail company Clas Ohlson. The company's rapid expansion rate is making increasing demands on the management, making this company an interesting object of study.
The first objective of the study was to investigate how the internal communication at Clas Ohlson is impacted by their expansion rate. Secondly, this study was to examine the challanges created when business culture meeting new national cultures. The theories used for this purpose were theories about internal communication, communication channels and sensemaking. The data was drawn from qualitative interviews with key management personell at the head office as well as representatives of the company in Germany.
The results of this study corroborate the findings of much of the previous work in this field, especially regarding the relation between formal and informal communication. The study shows that the dialogue between managers and their subordinates is of a essential character when it comes to communication of core values. Secondly the study shows the benefits of a combination of formal and informal communication in order to communicate the core values successfully. The adjustments of communicating core values to the staff in Germany did not significally differ from the same work in Sweden.