Changed governance of public sector organisations=challenged conditions for intra‐professional relations?

Abstract

Purpose -Effects of NPM in professional work are often discussed on an overriding level, and professionals' own experiences of their working conditions in their specific work contexts have been less discussed (Hasselbladh et al. and Liljegren). In an attempt to consider this concern, this paper seeks to focus on individual professionals, exemplified by teachers and nurses, and their experiences of intra-professional relations, i.e. teachers' relations with other teachers and nurses' relations with other nurses. Design/methodology/approach -Applying a theoretical framework on professions and professional work, the aim is to discuss the meaning of intra-professional relations, and how NPM-influenced changes in the organisation of work affect these relations. Moreover, possible effects of the organisational changes for the professionals will be discussed. It is argued that intra-professional relations are essential for professionals; at the same time the cases discussed illuminate how changes in the organisation of work influence intra-professional relations, in ways that highlight the tension between profession and organisation. Findings -The findings can be seen as an illustration of consequences of the adoption of NPM-influenced governance ideals; this paper sees the organisational changes as deriving from the managements' focus on "the customer in centre of attention", in the form of interdisciplinary work teams and TAS. Originality/value -The paper shows that, through investigating how individual professionals experience their work, consequences of NPM-related governance changes are unveiled.

Differentiation as a Consequence of Choice and Decentralization Reforms—Conditions for Teachers’ Competence Development

“…For instance, in terms of how the workplace opens up for, or constrains, informal competence development, which is whether or not teachers can easily share with subject colleagues. These findings were neither new nor surprising; rather they were consistent with our previous studies (Jansson & Parding, 2011;Parding & Abrahamsson, 2010). Moreover, it could be argued that the local differences mirrored regional differentiation.…”

“…Moreover, it could be argued that the local differences mirrored regional differentiation. In other words, in relation to our previous research (Jansson & Parding, 2011;Parding & Abrahamsson, 2010), as well as to the empirical data presented in this paper, it can be argued that the issue of context must be seen in a broader sense. The local and regional circumstances of a workplace must be considered when examining the conditions for competence development among welfare-sector professionals, as school choice and municipalization reforms seem to have complex consequences on various levels.…”

“…It became clear that the intended-and perhaps unintended-consequences of state reform(s) were complex (see also Jansson & Parding, 2011). The analysis of the interviews revealed that the geographic location, budgetary resources, and size and age of a workplace were central to understanding how different interviewees described and experienced their working conditions.…”

Vol 7, No 2 (2017)

“…The main finding of this paper was that the conditions for competence development, in the context of school choice reform and municipalization, could be described as differentiated. It became clear that the intended-and perhaps unintended-consequences of state reform(s) were complex (see also Jansson & Parding, 2011). The analysis of the interviews revealed that the geographic location, budgetary resources, and size and age of a workplace were central to understanding how different interviewees described and experienced their working conditions.…”

Vol 6, No 1 (2016)

“…For example, a previous study on teachers and nurses found that changes in an organization resulted in changes in intra-professional relations that conflicted with the collective building of a knowledge base (i.e., collegiality decreased) (Jansson & Parding, 2011). Cheetham and Chivers (2001) highlighted the importance of professionals being physically close to colleagues, as this facilitates the development of competence in everyday work.…”