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.

Citation

Jansson, A. and Parding, K. (2011), "Changed governance of public sector organisations=challenged conditions for intra‐professional relations?", International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 177-186. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513551111121329