Thesis (doctoral)--Universität München, 1972. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 185-195).

Thesis--Munich. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 185-195).

Thesis--Munich. / Bibliography: p. 185-195.

Thesis--Columbia University. / Photoreproduction. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 314-322).

Esta pesquisa investigou histórias de vida e trabalho de costureiras autônomas das classes populares. O objetivo foi conhecer e analisar suas histórias de vida e trajetórias profissionais, em particular seus saberes do trabalho, na perspectiva de saber como se tornaram costureiras. Participaram da pesquisa quatro costureiras moradoras do município de Esteio, RS, com mais de 60 anos de idade, que trabalham há mais de quarenta anos com costura, confeccionando peças por encomenda, de forma autônoma e no espaço doméstico. Para tal, foi realizado um percurso metodológico inspirado nas histórias de vida e biografias formadoras, entrevista narrativa e entrevista reflexiva. Serviram de base, para este estudo os referenciais da ergologia sobre o debate de normas, os usos de si e os saberes Schwartz (2000, 2003), o conceito de artífice, Sennet (2013) e, sobre trajetórias profissionais, Franzoi (2006). Foram realizadas entrevistas narrativas com cada uma das costureiras. O estudo mostrou trajetórias profissionais marcadas por questões de classe e de gênero, pelo distanciamento da educação formal e do espaço industrial de produção e suas formas. A formação e o processo de se tornar uma profissional da costura - uma costureira - se deu através do aprendizado com outras mulheres e diretamente na atividade de trabalho. A curiosidade, a necessidade de subsistência e o reconhecimento do trabalho, pela outra pessoa e por si mesma, foram fundamentais no seu processo de profissionalização. A costura como autônoma, realizada no espaço doméstico, foi responsável por grande parte, senão toda, do orçamento familiar. As entrevistas demonstraram uma invisibilidade dos saberes do trabalho para as próprias trabalhadoras que, ao longo da sua vida de trabalho, convocaram e renormalizaram seus conhecimentos de forma inconsciente. Saberes tão complexos transmitidos pelas mulheres, aprendidos, produzidos e mobilizados na atividade de trabalho são naturalizados e pouco valorizados de forma explícita por elas. Percebeu-se uma relação muito íntima e indissociável entre a execução e a concepção na atividade de trabalho e muitas aproximações com o trabalho artesanal e com a ideia de artífice: “fazer é pensar”. A criatividade, as renormalizações, certa autonomia sobre o trabalho, estão muito presentes na atividade dessas costureiras autônomas, além de se verificar uma diversidade e quantidade de saberes que estão além daqueles que formalmente (CBO) identificam uma costureira. São histórias de vida duras e de muito trabalho. Dar voz a essas histórias de vida e trabalho, socializar estas experiências, significa visibilizar saberes do trabalho, a história de aprender o ofício da costura e outros saberes que fazem parte da vida de muitas mulheres no espaço privado. São saberes e potências que podem e devem ser compartilhados e visibilizados visando ampliar autorreconhecimento, emancipação e empoderamento das mulheres. / This study investigated story of life and work of independent seamstresses from popular classes. The objective was to understand and analyze their life stories and professional careers, particularly their work knowledge, trying to know how they become seamstresses. The participants were four seamstresses residents of Esteio, RS, with an average age of 62 years, acting as seamstresses for over forty years, working independently and from home. To achieve it, a methodological approach inspired by the stories of life and forming biographies, narrative interview and reflective interview was conducted. The basis for this study are the ergology’s references about the rules debate, uses of self and knowledge from Schwartz (2000, 2003), the concept of craftsman, Sennet (2013) and professional careers, Franzoi (2006). Narrative interviews were conducted with each of the seamstresses. The study found professional careers marked by class and gender issues and the distance from the formal education and from industrial production space. The formation and the process of becoming a sewing professional - a seamstress - was through learning from other women and directly in the work activity. Curiosity, the need for livelihoods and recognition of the work by others and for their self, were instrumental in their professionalization process. The sewing as an independent, held in the home, was responsible for much, if not all, of the family budget. Interviews demonstrated the invisibility of knowledge of work for the own workers who, throughout their working life, used and renormalized their knowledge unconsciously. So complex knowledge transmitted by women, learned, produced and mobilized in work activity are naturalized and undervalued. It was realized a very intimate and inseparable link between the implementation and design in the work activities and many approaches with craftsman and with the idea of architect: "make is think". Creativity, the renormalizations, certain autonomy on the job, are very present in the activity of these independent seamstresses, in addition to assessing a variety and quantity of knowledge that are beyond those formally (CBO) identify a seamstress. Are stories of hard living and a lot of work. Give voice to the stories of life and work, socialize these experiences means making visible that work knowledge, the history of learning the craft of sewing and other knowledge that are part of life for many women in the private space. Are knowledge and powers that can and should be shared aimed to increase the self-recognition, emancipation and empowerment of women.

Esta pesquisa investigou histórias de vida e trabalho de costureiras autônomas das classes populares. O objetivo foi conhecer e analisar suas histórias de vida e trajetórias profissionais, em particular seus saberes do trabalho, na perspectiva de saber como se tornaram costureiras. Participaram da pesquisa quatro costureiras moradoras do município de Esteio, RS, com mais de 60 anos de idade, que trabalham há mais de quarenta anos com costura, confeccionando peças por encomenda, de forma autônoma e no espaço doméstico. Para tal, foi realizado um percurso metodológico inspirado nas histórias de vida e biografias formadoras, entrevista narrativa e entrevista reflexiva. Serviram de base, para este estudo os referenciais da ergologia sobre o debate de normas, os usos de si e os saberes Schwartz (2000, 2003), o conceito de artífice, Sennet (2013) e, sobre trajetórias profissionais, Franzoi (2006). Foram realizadas entrevistas narrativas com cada uma das costureiras. O estudo mostrou trajetórias profissionais marcadas por questões de classe e de gênero, pelo distanciamento da educação formal e do espaço industrial de produção e suas formas. A formação e o processo de se tornar uma profissional da costura - uma costureira - se deu através do aprendizado com outras mulheres e diretamente na atividade de trabalho. A curiosidade, a necessidade de subsistência e o reconhecimento do trabalho, pela outra pessoa e por si mesma, foram fundamentais no seu processo de profissionalização. A costura como autônoma, realizada no espaço doméstico, foi responsável por grande parte, senão toda, do orçamento familiar. As entrevistas demonstraram uma invisibilidade dos saberes do trabalho para as próprias trabalhadoras que, ao longo da sua vida de trabalho, convocaram e renormalizaram seus conhecimentos de forma inconsciente. Saberes tão complexos transmitidos pelas mulheres, aprendidos, produzidos e mobilizados na atividade de trabalho são naturalizados e pouco valorizados de forma explícita por elas. Percebeu-se uma relação muito íntima e indissociável entre a execução e a concepção na atividade de trabalho e muitas aproximações com o trabalho artesanal e com a ideia de artífice: “fazer é pensar”. A criatividade, as renormalizações, certa autonomia sobre o trabalho, estão muito presentes na atividade dessas costureiras autônomas, além de se verificar uma diversidade e quantidade de saberes que estão além daqueles que formalmente (CBO) identificam uma costureira. São histórias de vida duras e de muito trabalho. Dar voz a essas histórias de vida e trabalho, socializar estas experiências, significa visibilizar saberes do trabalho, a história de aprender o ofício da costura e outros saberes que fazem parte da vida de muitas mulheres no espaço privado. São saberes e potências que podem e devem ser compartilhados e visibilizados visando ampliar autorreconhecimento, emancipação e empoderamento das mulheres. / This study investigated story of life and work of independent seamstresses from popular classes. The objective was to understand and analyze their life stories and professional careers, particularly their work knowledge, trying to know how they become seamstresses. The participants were four seamstresses residents of Esteio, RS, with an average age of 62 years, acting as seamstresses for over forty years, working independently and from home. To achieve it, a methodological approach inspired by the stories of life and forming biographies, narrative interview and reflective interview was conducted. The basis for this study are the ergology’s references about the rules debate, uses of self and knowledge from Schwartz (2000, 2003), the concept of craftsman, Sennet (2013) and professional careers, Franzoi (2006). Narrative interviews were conducted with each of the seamstresses. The study found professional careers marked by class and gender issues and the distance from the formal education and from industrial production space. The formation and the process of becoming a sewing professional - a seamstress - was through learning from other women and directly in the work activity. Curiosity, the need for livelihoods and recognition of the work by others and for their self, were instrumental in their professionalization process. The sewing as an independent, held in the home, was responsible for much, if not all, of the family budget. Interviews demonstrated the invisibility of knowledge of work for the own workers who, throughout their working life, used and renormalized their knowledge unconsciously. So complex knowledge transmitted by women, learned, produced and mobilized in work activity are naturalized and undervalued. It was realized a very intimate and inseparable link between the implementation and design in the work activities and many approaches with craftsman and with the idea of architect: "make is think". Creativity, the renormalizations, certain autonomy on the job, are very present in the activity of these independent seamstresses, in addition to assessing a variety and quantity of knowledge that are beyond those formally (CBO) identify a seamstress. Are stories of hard living and a lot of work. Give voice to the stories of life and work, socialize these experiences means making visible that work knowledge, the history of learning the craft of sewing and other knowledge that are part of life for many women in the private space. Are knowledge and powers that can and should be shared aimed to increase the self-recognition, emancipation and empowerment of women.

Esta pesquisa investigou histórias de vida e trabalho de costureiras autônomas das classes populares. O objetivo foi conhecer e analisar suas histórias de vida e trajetórias profissionais, em particular seus saberes do trabalho, na perspectiva de saber como se tornaram costureiras. Participaram da pesquisa quatro costureiras moradoras do município de Esteio, RS, com mais de 60 anos de idade, que trabalham há mais de quarenta anos com costura, confeccionando peças por encomenda, de forma autônoma e no espaço doméstico. Para tal, foi realizado um percurso metodológico inspirado nas histórias de vida e biografias formadoras, entrevista narrativa e entrevista reflexiva. Serviram de base, para este estudo os referenciais da ergologia sobre o debate de normas, os usos de si e os saberes Schwartz (2000, 2003), o conceito de artífice, Sennet (2013) e, sobre trajetórias profissionais, Franzoi (2006). Foram realizadas entrevistas narrativas com cada uma das costureiras. O estudo mostrou trajetórias profissionais marcadas por questões de classe e de gênero, pelo distanciamento da educação formal e do espaço industrial de produção e suas formas. A formação e o processo de se tornar uma profissional da costura - uma costureira - se deu através do aprendizado com outras mulheres e diretamente na atividade de trabalho. A curiosidade, a necessidade de subsistência e o reconhecimento do trabalho, pela outra pessoa e por si mesma, foram fundamentais no seu processo de profissionalização. A costura como autônoma, realizada no espaço doméstico, foi responsável por grande parte, senão toda, do orçamento familiar. As entrevistas demonstraram uma invisibilidade dos saberes do trabalho para as próprias trabalhadoras que, ao longo da sua vida de trabalho, convocaram e renormalizaram seus conhecimentos de forma inconsciente. Saberes tão complexos transmitidos pelas mulheres, aprendidos, produzidos e mobilizados na atividade de trabalho são naturalizados e pouco valorizados de forma explícita por elas. Percebeu-se uma relação muito íntima e indissociável entre a execução e a concepção na atividade de trabalho e muitas aproximações com o trabalho artesanal e com a ideia de artífice: “fazer é pensar”. A criatividade, as renormalizações, certa autonomia sobre o trabalho, estão muito presentes na atividade dessas costureiras autônomas, além de se verificar uma diversidade e quantidade de saberes que estão além daqueles que formalmente (CBO) identificam uma costureira. São histórias de vida duras e de muito trabalho. Dar voz a essas histórias de vida e trabalho, socializar estas experiências, significa visibilizar saberes do trabalho, a história de aprender o ofício da costura e outros saberes que fazem parte da vida de muitas mulheres no espaço privado. São saberes e potências que podem e devem ser compartilhados e visibilizados visando ampliar autorreconhecimento, emancipação e empoderamento das mulheres. / This study investigated story of life and work of independent seamstresses from popular classes. The objective was to understand and analyze their life stories and professional careers, particularly their work knowledge, trying to know how they become seamstresses. The participants were four seamstresses residents of Esteio, RS, with an average age of 62 years, acting as seamstresses for over forty years, working independently and from home. To achieve it, a methodological approach inspired by the stories of life and forming biographies, narrative interview and reflective interview was conducted. The basis for this study are the ergology’s references about the rules debate, uses of self and knowledge from Schwartz (2000, 2003), the concept of craftsman, Sennet (2013) and professional careers, Franzoi (2006). Narrative interviews were conducted with each of the seamstresses. The study found professional careers marked by class and gender issues and the distance from the formal education and from industrial production space. The formation and the process of becoming a sewing professional - a seamstress - was through learning from other women and directly in the work activity. Curiosity, the need for livelihoods and recognition of the work by others and for their self, were instrumental in their professionalization process. The sewing as an independent, held in the home, was responsible for much, if not all, of the family budget. Interviews demonstrated the invisibility of knowledge of work for the own workers who, throughout their working life, used and renormalized their knowledge unconsciously. So complex knowledge transmitted by women, learned, produced and mobilized in work activity are naturalized and undervalued. It was realized a very intimate and inseparable link between the implementation and design in the work activities and many approaches with craftsman and with the idea of architect: "make is think". Creativity, the renormalizations, certain autonomy on the job, are very present in the activity of these independent seamstresses, in addition to assessing a variety and quantity of knowledge that are beyond those formally (CBO) identify a seamstress. Are stories of hard living and a lot of work. Give voice to the stories of life and work, socialize these experiences means making visible that work knowledge, the history of learning the craft of sewing and other knowledge that are part of life for many women in the private space. Are knowledge and powers that can and should be shared aimed to increase the self-recognition, emancipation and empowerment of women.

Introduction How we can increase children’s opportunities to participate and influence society is a highly topical issue. Against the background of a reduced commitment to political participation and a reduced trust in politicians (see e.g. Amnå & Ekman, 2013; Öhrnvall, 2023), it becomes more important to work on promoting dialogues between decision-makers and citizens. These dialogues can contribute to deepening and strengthening democracy (Bornemark, 2017). The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (SFS 2018:1197) describes the child’s right to form and express his or her views and to have these considered. Swedish youth policy describes the goal as "all young people should have good living conditions, the power to shape their lives and have influence over the development of society" (Prop. 2013/14:191). In addition to the statutory requirements for children’s and young people’s opportunities for participation and influence, there are positive individual and societal benefits. The work with children’s and young people’s participation strengthens social capital and reduces social exclusion (Andersson & Sandgren, 2015; Wennerholm, Juslin & Bremberg, 2004). Municipalities must ground their efforts in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is incorporated into Swedish law and stated in political objectives. However, in several municipalities, politicians and civil servants find it difficult to put their knowledge of the Convention into practical work (see e.g. Barnombudsmannen, 2022; Stern & Jörnlund, 2011).  Children and young people have been the main focus in previous studies regarding the work with children’s and young people’s influence. These studies have examined children’s and young people’s political interest and commitment (see e.g. Amnå & Ekman, 2013; Amnå, Ekström & Stattin, 2016; Tukkannen, Kankaaranta & Wilska, 2012) and the significance of forums for the future of democracy such as youth councils (Kassman & Vamstad, 2019; 2022). Other studies have shed light on forums for children’s and young people’s opportunities for participation and influence and how children and young people are given the opportunity to develop by participating in these forums (Andersson, 2018a; Harada, 2023; Kassman & Vamstad, 2019). Informal learning focuses mainly on how children and young people learn to cooperate (Harada, 2023), develop their thoughts by listening to others (Kassman & Vamstad, 2019), and develop their democratic skills (Andersson, 2018a; Harada 2023; Kassman & Vamstad, 2019). There are also studies that have emphasized pedagogical perspectives on adults’ attitudes and the consequences for the way they approach children and young people (Andersson, 2015, 2018a, 2018b, 2022). Viewing young people as future citizens rather than current citizens has been described as a risk that limits their opportunities for participation (Taft & Gordon, 2013). While these previous studies have focused to a greater extent on children and young people, they lack in focus regarding adults and their learning (politicians and civil servants), meaning what skills, abilities, and knowledge adults develop (see e.g. Andersson, 2015, 2018a; Harada, 2023; Kassman & Vamstad 2019; Svensson, 2006; Waara et al., 2010). This study focuses on the adults by highlighting the conditions and expressions of politicians’ and civil servants’ learning in their work on increasing children’s and young people’s influence. A large proportion of the decisions concerning children and young people are made at the municipal level. Local civil servants and politicians deal with a wide range of issues relating to schools, social services, leisure, and community planning, a complex task that requires both education and acquired knowledge in these areas. In a changing world with various demands on the organization, knowledge development and learning processes become central to meeting the challenges they face (see e.g. Argote, 2011; Tjulin & Klockmo, 2023; Sunnemark et al., 2023). The point of departure for this study is that politicians and civil servants have both individual and collective experiences as well as knowledge that can be made visible when they work with children’s and young people’s influence. The learning that takes place within organizations thus becomes central to adapting, developing, and managing the changes in the work that politicians and civil servants are faced with (see e.g. Argote & Miron-Spektor, 2011).  Aim and research question In this study, the focus is on conditions for and expressions of politicians’ and civil servants’ learning in their work on children’s and young people’s influence. Conditions are understood as what enables and hinders learning, which reflects the premises for what kind of learning is made possible in their work. Central to their work on increasing children’s and young people’s influence is dialogue, which makes it possible to share experiences and knowledge.  The purpose of this study is to examine the conditions and expressions of politicians’ and civil servants’ learning in their work with children's and young people's influence. The following research questions guided the study:  x How do politicians and civil servants describe the experiences they bring with them from their work with children and young people?  x What conditions enable and hinder the learning processes of politicians and civil servants in their work with children’s and young people’s influence?  Method This study emanates from data produced between October 2020 and June 2022, primarily through observations of meetings in which nine politicians and 16 civil servants participated. The study is designed as a case, where the case is framed by the model that the municipality has designed for their work on children’s and young people’s influence. The study’s empirical data has been collected through observations and dialogue sessions. Through these observations of their work, it became possible to see how their understanding is expressed (see e.g. Lalander, 2015; Kawulich, 2005). In doing so, the observations have been a prerequisite for studying conditions and expressions that emerge while they work and how these can enable or hinder politicians’ and civil servants’ learning. The study’s dialogue sessions were inspired by unstructured focus groups (Wibeck, 2010) and reflexive participant collaboration (Motulsky, 2021). Prior to the dialogue session, participants viewed a stimulus material based on the observations. These meetings allowed politicians and civil servants to develop their thoughts about the work previously observed (see e.g. Motulsky 2021; Wibeck, 2010). The empirical material that forms the basis of the analysis consists of three parts, (1) observation notes, (2) transcripts from dialogue sessions and (3) written documents. In the current study, data triangulation has been used. By collecting data in such a way, it’s possible to see what commonly occurs on different occasions and what becomes visible in situated contexts (Fusch, Fusch & Ness, 2018). It can be described by the way observations relate to different activities between people and groups where the context becomes central. Triangulation has been used in this study to deepen knowledge about how these different factors complement each other in the municipality’s work. All data was analysed through a thematic analysis based on the work of Braun and Clarke (2006). The analysis aimed to identify and investigate patterns in the material in relation to the purpose of the study and resulted in five themes with subthemes. Results The study’s material shows how politicians’ and civil servants’ experience external demands and internal expectations become prerequisites for the shaping of their learning processes. The external and internal contexts create conditions for what knowledge both individuals, groups, and the organization obtain (see e.g. Argote 2013; Argote & Miron-Spector, 2011). The study shows how their work is shaped by external requirements which contain overall goals based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the national goals for youth policy (SFS 2018:1197; Prop. 2013/14:191). The external context is also shaped by existing norms, such as norms about age, and the way politicians formulate policies that are institutionalized in their work (see e.g. Butler, 1980). Norms regarding children and childhood shape their work including policies and politics. In the external contexts of the work, there is also a contradiction that can be exemplified by nationally prevalent political expressions such as "being the adult in the room" which comes into conflict with the point of view regarding children as competent actors, stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (SFS 2018:1197). The different demands formulated by the external context also have an impact on how the local goals and efforts are shaped.  This study shows how commitment and motivation are prerequisite for sharing experiences and knowledge at work. Politicians and civil servants participate in various knowledge-raising activities related to work with children’s and young people’s influence and then bring these experiences to their smaller working groups. The discussions that take place at work can be understood as a way of assimilating knowledge, i.e. how they try to make sense of others' experiences and knowledge in their own context (see e.g. Cohen & Levinthal, 1990; Vaghefi, Lapointe & Shahbaznehad, 2018). However, the results reveal challenges in transferring the information to new situations and making use of it. The results show that the new forms of work largely resemble their previous structures. An explanation could be seen in terms of how their experiences affect the knowledge they acquire (see e.g. Argote, 2013; Argote & Miron-Spektor, 2011). An alternative way of understanding this might be that reaching out to a wider range of young people is a complex issue. It also appears from previous studies that organizations can encounter difficulties in dealing with complex problems and that individuals and groups tend to propose solutions that are familiar to them (Fang, Lee & Shilling, 2010). These issues can be difficult to address in the context of previous experience, and this demonstrates the need to develop new knowledge in and for efforts to increase children’s and young people’s influence.  The results of the study also indicate that the information and knowledge gained at work is mostly limited to discussions in smaller working groups. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of information and knowledge being discussed between individuals with different backgrounds, which benefits the organization’s ability to utilize it in and for work (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990). Experiences and knowledge are mainly discussed in smaller constellations, limiting the possibility of making these discussions into a common knowledge resource.  Discussion and Conclusions The results of the study show that external and internal contexts of work, together with experiences, affect directions that politicians and civil servants see as viable in their work on increasing children’s and young people’s influence. The external context for work includes goal formulations, legal provisions as well as norms that shape conditions for the way politicians and civil servants make sense of their work within a local context. The results also show vague goal formulations in both the external and internal contexts of their work, which contributes to creating implicit goals for work. Previous studies have emphasized the importance of breaking down overall goals, to make the core of the work visible and for individuals and groups to create the circumstances for sharing relevant experiences and knowledge (see e.g. Goswami & Agrawal, 2020). The results of the study highlight the importance of working within the organization to develop a common understanding of goals and the reason for working to increase children’s and young people's influence. The results also indicate that existing norms regarding children and childhood constitute a hinderance to the conditions needed for politicians’ and civil servants’ learning processes. The division between children’s rights and children’s protection contributes to the challenges that politicians and civil servants encounter in their work. The results of the study show that politicians and civil servants need to reflect upon their experiences of children and understanding of childhood and how doing this is a condition for doing their job. This is to bridge a dichotomous way of thinking about children’s rights and children’s protection. These two perspectives do not have to create contradictions but can be united in the efforts to increase children's and young people’s influence. These two perspectives have been highlighted in previous studies which found that they do not have to imply contradictions, but rather that it is necessary to include both concerns in their work (see e.g. Hellman, Hekkilä, Sundhall, 2014; Gustafsson, 2022). The results indicate that there is a need to pay attention to norms about age that appear in the work done by politicians and civil servants. This study contributes to other findings showing it is important to think critically about one’s previous notions regarding age and what these experiences add to new situations at work. / Den här studien belyser villkor och uttryck för politikers och tjänstemäns lärande i deras arbete med barns och ungas inflytande. Studien tar sin utgångspunkt i hur politiker och tjänstemän beskriver erfarenheter de tar med sig från arbetet med barn och unga och vilka villkor som möjliggör och hindrar deras lärprocesser i arbetet med barns och ungas inflytande. Studien är en fallstudie som ramas in av politikers och tjänstemäns arbete med den modell som de utvecklat för arbetet med barns och ungas inflytande. I studien har nio politiker och 16 tjänstemän deltagit. Materialet har samlats in genom observationer, dialogmöten samt dokument. Observationerna genomfördes vid möten som har en relation till kommunens modell, under tidperioden oktober 2020 – juni 2022. Inför studiens dialogmöten användes tematiseringar från de genomförda observationerna som stimulusmaterial. Avslutningsvis genomfördes dialogmöten i två grupperingar, politiker respektive tjänstemän. Dialogmötena möjliggjorde för politiker och tjänstemän att resonera och reflektera kring det arbete som tidigare observerats.  En utgångspunkt i studien är att politiker och tjänstemän har individuella och kollektiva erfarenheter och kunskaper som synliggörs i arbetet med barns och ungas inflytande. Dessa erfarenheter blir, tillsammans med de yttre och inre kontexterna i arbetet, centrala för vilka vägar de ser som framkomliga. De yttre kontexterna innehåller målformuleringar, lagrum och normer som formar villkor för hur politiker respektive tjänstemän begripliggör arbetet inom deras lokala kontext. De vaga målformuleringarna inom de yttre och inre kontexterna bidrar till att det skapas implicita mål för arbetet. Resultatet visar även på att normer kring barn och barndom utgör ett hindrande villkor för politikers och tjänstemäns lärande. Uppdelningen som finns i såväl omgivningen som organisationen mellan barns rätt och barns skydd kan här förstås bidragande till de utmaningar som de möter. Studiens resultat visar ett behov av att rikta uppmärksamhet mot normer kring ålder som framträder i arbetet och vad de erfarenheter som de formar bidrar med till och för arbetet.  I studien framträder även hur engagemang och motivation hos politiker och tjänstemän blir förutsättningsskapande för att utveckla arbetet likväl som för att skapa lärandeprocesser. Diskussionerna som sker i arbetet, kan förstås bidra till att politiker respektive tjänstemän delar erfarenheter och kunskaper. För att dessa erfarenheter och kunskaper ska bli till en resurs för arbetet krävs att dessa assimileras, det vill säga omsätts i nya situationer. Studiens resultat visar att de individer som deltar i olika former av kunskapshöjande aktiviteter får en viktig roll i att dela och begripliggöra information och kunskap till övriga inom organisationen. Det framgår även att de erfarenheter och kunskaper som utvecklas framför allt delas i mindre arbetsgrupper. Här framträder ett behov av att utveckla arbetssätt för att ta vara på de erfarenheter och kunskaper som utvecklas, för att dessa framåt kan utgöra en gemensam kunskapsresurs för och i arbetet.

Work process knowledge (WPK) is a concept for systems-level knowledge of the workplace and has been shown to be most important in organisations requiring multi-functional working. Most of the previous body of knowledge on WPK has focussed mainly on manufacturing industries; there has been less investigation of WPK in the service sector and none in the visitor attraction (VA) industry, an important employer in Scotland. The VA industry is extremely dynamic and many businesses are rapidly moving towards multi-functional team working, driven by an urgent need to develop quality, customer-focussed strategies to survive in an over-supplied and very competitive market. This study identifies the nature of WPK in Scottish VAs, what relationship WPK has to customer service, how WPK in this service sector differs from selected published studies in manufacturing and other service sector contexts and what factors affect the development of WPK in VAs. Following recruitment of a number of VAs using an online questionnaire and subsequent site visits, six sites were selected for case study, on the basis that they demonstrated most evidence of multi-functional working and staff with developed WPK. The research design was comparative case studies of the work processes and knowledge within these six VAs, based on a social constructivist framework, using the methods of key informant interviews and shadowing. Although these six sites represent a cross-spread of attractions in terms of types, location and size, they nonetheless show strong similarities in their basic business structure. The data show that WPK is an essential element of workers’ roles and a vital requirement in providing good customer service. Although VA managers do not use the term ‘work process knowledge’, they nonetheless recognise the importance of having staff with a wider view of their business and are actively encouraging its rapid development. Multi-functionality and job rotation are main ways of developing WPK but sites also use key workers with job roles that help develop high levels of WPK, who are then used as a staff resource. The main factor contributing to the development of WPK is communication, especially of systems-level information. Cultural information-sharing is an essential pre-condition for the development of WPK in this context. Other determining factors are flexibility, employee biographies, seasonality issues, how weddings and functions are handled on-site and the size and complexity of the site. WPK is the foundation on which good customer service is based and elements of it deliver customer service. It is the closely integrated nature of the employee-customer relationship that has such a profound effect on WPK development in this service sector industry and is essentially what differentiates it from previously published studies. The identification of the customer as a hitherto unrecognised key driver of WPK is the most important contribution to knowledge made by this work.