Benedicte Madsen

Occupational guidance and social change

The article discusses occupational guidance both as a solution to some of the problems arisen from social change and as part of the problem. A model depicting society as consisting of four spheres and borderline areas between the spheres serves as point of departure. Occupational guidance is related to dimensions of change such as complexity, divisiveness, formalization, the shift from ascription to achievement, contraction and expansion of various sectors of society, the balance between production and reproduction activities, transition from school to work, and prolongued social childhood.

Gunnar Hjelholt, a pioneer within group dynamics and organizational psychology. Part 1: Life and work

On the basis of extended biographical material regarding Danish social psychologist Gunnar Hjelholt (1920–2002), the two authors present a historically-oriented case study in professional culture construction. The culture thus portrayed is a particular brand of Kurt Lewin-inspired social psychology. From the 1960s and onwards, Hjelholt was a key figure in developing this field in Scandinavia and, indeed, in most of Europe. In the present Part 1 of a two-part article, Hjelholts life story is unfolded chronologically and in its historical context. It is shown how his internment in a concentration camp during World War II shaped his view of the relationship between individual and organization. Further, how a 1958 visit to the USA where he encountered the Lewinian tradition exerted paramount influence on his thinking and practice in such areas as organizational development, group dynamics, laboratory training, adult education and the consultant role. It is concluded that Hjelholts experiences with the Lewinian tradition, coupled with a talent for supporting organizational change and development, made him a central figure in shaping a European variety of consultancy and group dynamics. The follow-up article discusses characteristic professional themes in Hjelholts contribution to the field.

Gunnar Hjelholt, a Pioneer within Group Dynamics and Organizational Psychology: Part 2: Boundary making and Boundary Breaking as Consultancy Theme

On the basis of extended biographical material regarding Danish social psychologist Gunnar Hjelholt (1920–2002), the two authors present a historically oriented case study in professional culture construction. The professional culture thus portrayed is a particular brand of Kurt Lewin-inspired social psychology. From the 1960s and onwards, Hjelholt was a key figure in developing this field in Scandinavia and, indeed, in most of Europe. Building on a chronological sketch of Hjelholts life story presented in Part 1 of a two-part article, the present second part of the article endeavors, not only to paint a picture of Hjelholt as a professional person with a distinctive problem solving style and impact on his surroundings, but also to search for interactions between identified professional themes and Hjelholts personal life story as well as his political attitudes broadly conceived. The concept of boundary and the image of the consultant as boundary keeper play important roles as recurrent, unifying metaphors in the text. Among other themes covered, the following may be mentioned: doing versus reflecting; what is the good organization; and individuals versus organizations. In the epilogue, one overarching aim of the two texts is described as that of opening up for discussion and dialogue concerning organization consultancy in a historical perspective.

DEN FOREBYGGENDE EFFEKT AF UNGDOMS ARBEJDSLØSHEDSTILTAG

SUMMARY The article briefly explains the Danish projects for reducing juvenile unemployment, and discusses some of the many questions which have to be settled if a detailed evaluation is to be made of the preventive effect of the projects. Among these questions are the conceptions of prevention, effect, and motivation as well as the problems of making the total effect of the projects operational and measurable, finally, two important forms of unintended effects are introduced: the effects of favouring and structuring.