Concertive Bureaucracy in Knowledge-Intensive Work: Loosening the Iron Cage

Abstract: Thesis Purpose: The main purpose of our thesis is to provide a worker perspective on bureaucratic control in a knowledge-intensive context. Methodology (Empirical Foundation): Our research has been carried out from an interpretive perspective. The empirical material has been constructed through a qualitative case study performed within a knowledge-intensive work context. Theoretical Perspective: Whereas existing research on control often takes on a managerial perspective, we have explored bureaucratic control from a worker perspective. In addition, we have investigated the paradox of bureaucratic control in a knowledge-intensive context. Research Question: How do knowledge-workers at Visualize experience and react to bureaucratic control? and How does Visualize manage to combine the perceived benefits of bureaucratic control with the problem-solving capacity of knowledge-intensive work. Basic Findings: The workers at Visualize had an overall positive perception of the implemented bureaucratic framework. The implemented processes were valued for their provided clarification of expectations. The workers are involved in the creation and reviewing of the processes, and are also allowed to deviate from the processes when they deem it necessary. Conclusion: The workers at Visualize have experienced the bureaucratic framework as emancipating. The clarity provided by the work-descriptions serves to relieve them of work-related anxiety and stress. Visualize has been able to combine these benefits of bureaucracy with a maintained knowledge-intensive capacity, by allowing the employees to jointly construct the bureaucratic framework and by empowering them to decide to deviate from the processes when needed.