Becoming a “Normal” and “Ordinary” Organization through Strategic Communication? Discursive Legitimation of the Swedish Armed Forces

Figures & data

Table 1. The grammar of legitimation

Type	Definition	Operationalizations
Normalization	Rendering something as normal or natural.	Trend/Force: How something is made inevitable
Rationalization	Providing specific rational arguments to establish legitimacy. The utility of specific actions is based on knowledge claims that are accepted as relevant in a given context.	Factualization /Quantifications/Lack of alternative scenarios/Scientific terms
Authorization	Reference to authorities (tradition, custom, law or persons).	Explicit references to experts, authorities, research, history, or tradition
Moralization	Establishing legitimacy by moral arguments or specific value systems that provide the moral basis for legitimation.	References to higher/divine purposes, final causes, value systems, and emotional aspects
Narrativization	Legitimation by telling stories or constructing narrative structures to indicate how the issue in question relates to the past or the future.	Construction of compelling plots or visions of the future

Table 2. Topics related to the five legitimation strategies

Normalization /Naturalization	Rationalization	Authorization	Moralization	Narrativization /Mythopoesis
Unstable environment	EHS, Psycho-social environment, Personnel handbook/policies, Recruitment, Personnel surveys	Personally responsible as commander in chief	Comradeship, responsibility, diversity and dialogue as moral virtues	The future is international
The surrounding world takes no pause	The military profession	Leadership is important but individualization of problems	A cog in the wheel (everyone equally (un)important)	The total defence
Zeitgeist: Times of uncertainty and unpredictability	Workplace rankings	Leadership is about decisions	Harassment and “modern” values	Peace, crisis and war
The Baltic Sea: Militarization of Gotland as normal	(Gender) equality	Impersonal authority: “perspective-study”, “needs analysis”, “government bill”, and “annual report”	For the sake of society: Higher purpose (peace) justifies death and injuries	New arenas for warfare
Consensus on military growth as standard	No other way than coordination and cooperation		The nation as frame of reference
NATO cooperation as normal	Listen and learn (bottom-up)		Conservative (“stand firm”)
	Negotiations		SAF is supported by the broader society (politicians, the public, civil society)
			Pride and honour to be in SAF
			Uniqueness of the task