https://kkrva.se/hot/2024:4/05-palme-kultur-och-makt-i-nato.pdf

Kultur och makt i Nato av Linnéa Palme (2024) publicerad i Kungl.Krigsvetenskapsakademiens Handlingar och Tidskrift 4 (4), s. 55-73.
Résumé NATO is a political organization with both military and civilian staff, made up of a diverse cultural environment, as it consists of individuals from 32 countries, each with its own unique history and experiences. These countries exhibit varying degrees of power distance, and while NATO is defined by its member states, there are those who work for NATO in a detached capacity and others who represent their countries, with distinct roles. NATO operates on consensus-based decision-making, and although all countries are formally equal, in practice, their influence varies depending on how well they navigate cultural complexities. These individuals also function within an organizational culture that differs from national culture, as it is a social system they only inhabit during work hours, usually chosen, and not one they have grown up in. Furthermore, they operate within a military organization, which has its own military culture adapted to NATO’s needs. These cultural layers—national culture, organizational culture, military culture, and international culture—are stacked upon each other like translucent, sometimes opaque, laminates, and at times they are delicate but impenetrable layers. They can be difficult to dissect, like fragments that require interpretation and deeper understanding to correctly reassemble, or at least perceive accurately in a blind context. This is crucial if one wishes to work effectively and achieve goals within a set timeframe without cultural layers becoming obstacles instead of transparent elements. Mastery of culture grants greater influence within the organization, so to thrive in an environment like NATO, one must learn to swim, as NATO’s multinational nature demands the ability to adapt to different cultures and navigate intercultural interactions, where our own culture is like the air we breathe, while a foreign culture is like water, requiring specific skills to manage these intercultural encounters.