Post on 27-Feb-2023
A built-‐in conflict? The informa5on dilemma of the
Swedish premium pension
Claes Ohlsson, PhD Gothenburg Research Ins5tute & the Department of Swedish language
Göteborg University
NOVA, Oslo. June 17, 2008
Presenta5on overview
• Background: the Swedish premium pension system, the PPM authority and its texts
• The language-‐based func5ons, traits and strategies of the informa5on texts from the PPM authority about the premium pension
• The rela5ons between the PPM texts and the genre conven5ons of Swedish governmental informa5on
• The perhaps impossible informa5on task of the PPM?
Research background
• Empirical studies of texts related to fund and pension savings (Ohlsson 2007a, 2007b). Focus on texts as expressions of societal phenomenons: 1. Texts in adver5sements from Swedish banks and
similar companies on savings in mutual funds and pension funds (1958–2006)
2. Texts from the government authority PPM (Premiepensionsmyndigheten) about the premium pension (premiepensionen) (2000–2006)
The premium pension and the PPM • The premium pension is part of the new Swedish pension system, as of 2000 (den allmänna pensionen), and consists of a savings system for the individual ci5zen, based on commercial funds. This constructed pension fund market is administered by the state through the PPM
• PPM also has the responsibility to inform ci5zens about the new pension system (together with Försäkringskassan), about the premium pension part and about the individual's selec5on of commercial pension funds
Texts of the PPM
• The informa5on task has resulted in campaigns where several types of texts are used: brochures and leaflets (e.g. the annual fund catalogue), personal leaers (e.g. the orange envelope) and also extensive resources on the PPM website,hap://www.ppm.nu
Func5ons of the PPM texts • All types of PPM texts have the same dis5nguishable func5ons: – The texts should inform the reader about the premium pension and explain it as one of the parts in the public pension system
– The texts should inform the individual reader of his or hers rights and obliga5ons and also about personal accumulated assets
– The texts should persuade the reader to ac5vely select funds for a pension porcolio and also help the reader to maintain this porcolio over 5me in a ra5onal and effec5ve way
Language traits in the PPM texts
• The texts are informal: – avoidance of technical language – everyday style of language – systema5c use of "step-‐by-‐step" composi5on paaerns
• The texts are reader-‐oriented: – very strong focus on the reader as "you" (du) – construc5on of a model reader that serves as an example in terms of ac5ons and values
– dialogicality, "conversa5on" between the voice of the PPM and the model reader
Strategies of the PPM texts • The texts focus on individualis5c aspects of the pension: – informality and the focus on the individual person's future pension can be seen as a detachement from the older, collec5ve-‐based ATP-‐system
– focus on "your own" selec5on of funds but more on the "how to" than the "why"
• The texts "domes5cate" the finance-‐based fund market – the voices of the par5cipa5ng commercial fund actors are highly restricted and framed
– the PPM as mediator between "you" and "the market"
Informa5on problems
• However, the PPM is cri5cized in evalua5ons, by the media and by market actors
• The informa5on is pinpointed as a specific problem (with the excep5on of the system's first year, 2000)
• Ci5zens are not making proper use of the premium pension according to na5onal evalua5ons: – A majority of people are not ac5ve and they do not select funds
– If people select funds, a majority do not ac5vely care for and maintain their fund porcolio over 5me
– People do not make selec5ons in a financially ra5onal way
The role of genre conven5ons
• Swedish government informa5on can be seen as an established genre with some norms and conven5ons that gradually have changed
• In general, Swedish government informa5on for ci5zens has become more informal and accessible over the last 25–30 years (du-‐reform, plain language, new technology, etc.)
• But there is also a strong tradi5on with emphasis on communica5on of facts, openness, objec5vity and of a dialogue focused on the rights and obliga5ons of two actors (the state and the ci5zen)
The PPM texts as part of the genre of government informa5on
• Analysis of text strategies and the breaks of established genre conven5ons may be of help to explain the informa5on problems of the PPM: – Use of language paaerns, which not are associated with the theme of pension savings in funds
– The PPM texts brings in a third part: "the market" – False sense of security. PPM "manages" – Unclear roles of responsibility. "The PPM takes the reader by hand, leads her to the market and then lets her go"
– Not enough emphasis on the expected responsibilites of the individual
A built-‐in conflict? Could this have been avoided? • "Naive" view on texts, informa5on and communica5on from the poli5cians
• A message that fits badly within an earlier welfare tradi5on and its genre conven5ons for government informa5on
• Blurring of voices – PPM informa5on makes use of same strategies as commercial pension fund adver5sements
– Many compe5ng voices in this field: the state, commercial actors, the media, etc.
Contact
Claes Ohlsson (claes.ohlsson@gri.gu.se) Gothenburg Research Ins5tute GRI, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University P.O Box 600, SE-‐405 30 Göteborg, Sweden Ph: +46 31 786 4481 Fax: +46 31 786 5619
Literature • Ohlsson, Claes (2007a). Folkets fonder? En textvetenskaplig studie av det svenska pensionssparandets domes=cering. Göteborgsstudier i nordisk språkvetenskap 9. Ins5tu5onen för svenska språket, Göteborgs universitet, Göteborg.
• Ohlsson, Claes (2007b). Välgrundade val. I: Lundberg, Urban (red.). Mellan folkbildning och fondrådgivning. Nya perspek=v på pensionssystemet. Ins5tutet för Fram5dsstudier, Stockholm. S. 47–65.