Work, cooperation and professionalization : a multiple case study

This dissertation, originally aimed at investigating cooperation in heterogeneous as well as homogeneous groups, is based on a multiple case study presented in six separate, but partly related papers. These papers, preceded by Part 1 with an introduction and Part II, dealing with the method used, are divided into three different parts. Part III a case study of the introduction of self-regulating work groups at a paper mill and in an office, both homogeneous groups. For various reasons, the project objectives regarding change in division of labor were not fully implemented. I argue that the reason can be seen in terms of the workers´ collective and infer that "new" ways of opposing change might be observable in the future. Additionally, by analyzing my own recollections of blue-collar work, I conclude that the worker´s collective in the future, as a result of globalization, labor-saving technology and new production concepts might take a differentiated form. This means also that the "collective identity" of the worker or the relations of workers to work and to life outside work will, instead of being uniform, be differentiated. Other changes might be understood in terms of a weakened or even obliterated workers´collective. In part IV, based on empirical studies of how midwives cooperate with other professions within heterogeneous groups, I conclude that the problems regarding different hierarchical positions of group members can be described in terms of professionalization. Additionally, by carrying out a discourse analysis of the discourse of midwifery, I investigate what role it plays in the professonalization of midwives and show that it draws upon the concept of the female midwife and the male obstetrician and that the discursive professonalization strategies used both toward the medical profession and toward groups subordinate to the midwives - which are based on the discourse - are generated. These two groups of papers focus on and investigate different types of defensive strategies used to cope with the subordinate or intermediate position of respective group. They also explore the different ways (by the worker´s collective and the discourse of midwifery) whereby a collective identity is formed and transformed. The last part of the thesis, including one paper, focuses problems related to cooperation within inter-professional teams.Godkänd; 1998; 20061123 (haneit