Robert Salomon

Older workers in a sustainable society

The book brings together work of leading international researchers, following a conference in Oslo in June 2010, hosted by the Centre for Senior Policy. Demographic change is considered from many perspectives around the world, with implications for policy. A number of chapters consider the Baby Boomer generation, who are now approaching retirement. In many countries there has been little consideration of Older Workers, who have been the focus of policy development and implementation in Norway.

Modification of Public Policies by Street-Level Organisations: An Institutional Work Perspective

The literature on policy implementation is divided with regards to the impact of street-level bureaucrats on the implementation of public policies. In this paper, we aim to add to and nuance these debates by focusing on ‘institutional work’ – i.e. the creation, maintenance and disruption of institutions – undertaken by central authorities and street-level bureaucrats during public reform processes. On the basis of a case study of the organisational implementation of a retirement pension reform in the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration, we argue that institutional work is a useful heuristic device for conceptualising the variety of responses available to street-level bureaucrats during public reforms. We also argue that the responses demonstrate the impact of street-level bureaucrats in these reforms in the context of managerial control and regulation. Finally, we argue that the effectiveness of policy change is dependent on the institutional work of street-level bureaucrats and, in particular, on institutional work that supports the institutions created by politicians and public administrations.