Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

During environmental inspection meetings the conversations between environmental inspectors and
company representatives are an important part of the society’s legislation on environmental
management, since the degree of understanding between these parties is important for how excellent
environmental standard would be attained in the society since. Therefore, if these conversations do
not work effectively, it may result to less efficient implementation of environmental solutions, which
may result to health or environmental risk. The aim of the study is to describe and discuss the
communication experiences between the environmental inspectors and the company representatives
during these meetings, and to identify the dilemmas they encounter and how they try to improve upon
such conversational problems.
In order to get an in-depth understanding of their experiences semi-structured interviews and
observations were carried out with the participants involved, in five different municipalities in
Skaraborg County. The investigation revealed that although the company representatives have the
rights to deny the inspectors decision during and after meetings, they however see the inspectors as
having power over them because they are endowed with the authority to enforce environmental
legislations in the society. However some company representatives did also subtly exercised power
during some of the occasion. Attitude and anxiety also emerged as important factors that could
positively and negatively influence the outcome their meetings. Finally the more the involved actors
understand each other the better the environment is properly taken care of.