2.5 Ideological effect and the meaning of the social context
In the following analyses, I do not examine the effects of specific statements. This is
necessary, but cannot be done here. Rather the characteristics of the collective body of
empirical statements (and individual statements) and how they come to be are in the
foreground. Nonetheless, reasons will be provided as to why certain effects are to be
expected. Characteristics of statements (e.g. being devoid of meaning) unfold their effect
neither by themselves nor in a social vacuum, but rather are received and used by
individuals and groups in social contexts. Statements from empirical research, e.g.
about the effects of employee participation, trickle down through the media (such as
the press, scientific and practical or political publications, radio, television, the new
media) into the cognitive structures and constitute consciousness, as they deliver the
material for the construction of an image. In a conflict between capital and labour,
such images and elements of the images are used by certain actors as arguments in order
to directly (in a company) or indirectly (e.g. via the law) influence the exchange relations
within companies. Not every actor can use empirical results to the same extent;
in addition to the corresponding prerequisites regarding qualifications, it especially depends
on access to the areas of decision making. This means that, in order to estimate
ideological effects, one must take into account not only the statements and their characteristics,
but also the social context, which means that one must make certain assumptions,
particularly about its power structure. This is not only about material but
also about symbolic power (Bourdieu, 1992, p. 153), which reverts to the accepted
value-knowledge systems and is communicated via language: conclusions of empirical
research are generated against the backdrop of particular thought systems, where they
encounter more or less fertile ground, but also reinforce them. Concerning the power
structure, I make a simplifying supposition; I act on an ideal-typical assumption of an
asymmetric distribution of material and immaterial, symbolic power in favor of the
employer.
Regarding the effects in a business context, the question is to what extent the
core bodies (management in particular) in companies take notice of empirical research
or use it in one form or another to push their interests. I argue here that scientific