1. Organized professions -A study of ScHool reforms Johan Alvehus, Högskolan i Kristianstad Sanna Eklund, Förvaltningshögskolan, Göteborgs universitet Gustaf Kastberg, Förvaltningshögskolan, Göteborgs universitet

2. ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Background
Lead teachers (förstelärare) and professors (lektorer) have made a entrance in the Swedish school sector
We regard this reform as an attempt to strengthen the teachers as a professional group
The strengthening of the profession is carried out with support from two central actors; the employer (the municipality and the principals at the schools) and the state.
We argue: The reform challenges and affects (or at least might affect) existing professional and hierarchical structures in schools.

3. ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Professional work
Strong professions are characterized by internal control and regulation
Professional workers tend to set standards and norms for their work, which they evaluate and follow up on their own terms and conditions
The core activity: application of expert skills to client problems
Theoretical knowledge and long experience is used when making these judgments and makes the operations of the professions hard to grasp for an outsider
The “pure” profession is autonomous in relation to market power, hierarchical organizational attempts to govern, and interference from the state

4. Challanged profession
ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Challanged profession
A recurrent theme during the last decades within the literature on the public sector and professional work has been how reforms (NPM inspired) carried out have affected the work force
The existing literature does not give a clear answer regarding the extent to and how which professional work has been affected
If there has been an impact it has been in the direction towards a lesser degree of professionalization
“De-professionalization” and “proletarization” of professions, but also as a “new professionalism”

5. ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Competing logics
A literature review shows that there are several factors that can be expected to have an impact on professions:
an enhanced external audit
(b) marketization and customer orientation
(c) hierarchization/centralization within organizations.

6. We can observe this in the school sector
ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
We can observe this in the school sector
Auditing: Skolinspektionen
Marketization: voucher model and customer orientation
Hierarchy: A strengthened role of principals
Still, there are several attempts at strengthening the profession: lead teachers, teacher’s license, now: less bureaucracy
So, we see a mix of initiatives…
… and an obvious risk of conflict

7. Research problem and purpose
ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Research problem and purpose
The different control and governance logics in play may be in conflict with each other
We therefore intend to scrutinize the ongoing attempts of professionalization
The purpose: to generate more knowledge about what happens when there is an active attempt by external actors to strengthen a profession
Can actions and measures taken by external actors strengthen a professional group?

8. ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Contribution
The study will contribute to our knowledge at different levels.
First, to the discussion about the conditions regarding the establishment and maintenance of professions
-The emphasis on conditions indicates our focus on strategies, choices and observable measures taken by different actors
Second, to contribute with an investigation of the reforms that aim at strengthening the profession of the Swedish teachers

9. Theoretical approach Actor-network theory as a starting point
ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Theoretical approach
Actor-network theory as a starting point
ANT places emphasis on regarding stability as temporal and focuses on how actors and structures operate in attempts to create strong, stable networks
Different groups of actors are expected to have different agendas and rationalities
Helps us with an approach that forces us to be open-minded, still systematic

10. Empirical investigation:
ORGANISATIONSNAMN (ÄNDRA SIDHUVUD VIA FLIKEN INFOGA-SIDHUVUD/SIDFOT)
Empirical investigation:
Seven schools, four municipalities
Longitudinal approach (each school 1–1,5 years)
Interviews, observations, and shadowing
Now? We are half way through the empirical investigation