Discretions of managers : To fulfill wishes in group homes

The aim of the study was to understand limitations and possibilities to the discretion of managers in order to fulfill wishes of users. The study is based on six interviews, three with managers and three with staff in common homes for mentally disabled people. The study took place in a municipality in Sweden in the spring of 2010. We used an interview guide with specific themes and questions. The theoretical framework was based on organizational theories as well as theories about management and discretion. The result suggests that there are limitations to a certain degree such as the quantity of staff and economy. There are some possibilities to enable discretion including the use of the hierarchy within the organization. Another possibility is to make use of the knowledge of the staff about the demands and wishes of users. The conclusion of the study is that there are both limitations and possibilities that have an effect on the discretion of managers in a complex organization. These limitations and possibilities affect each other and the meaning of them depend on the unique situation