Knowledge and position: How to manage ambiguous public welfare work

Abstract

This study draws on 41 interviews with managers and employees in the Norwegian public welfare services. The findings describe how employees in ambiguous semi-professional work experience frontline managers as knowledgeable. Underscoring the importance of managers with knowledge of the tasks at hand and field of work, the findings challenge existing theory on how managers support employees in discretionary work. An explanation for this may be found in the ambiguous, semi-professional setting requiring managerial input. The findings identify acts relevant for managing employees experiencing tensions between standardization and discretion.