The sociotechnical concepts of responsible autonomy and to be in control were originally developed
from men?s work in order to describe and develop mostly industrial work. This article explores
how these conceptions may be useful in modern service work, when working with humans. It is
based on a set of development projects in mainly municipal care institutions in Norway, between
2000 and 2011. The projects were theoretically grounded in the Norwegian and international
sociotechnical system theory (STS) tradition. It argues that there are many valuable lessons to be
learnt from this tradition also concerning nursing and care work in the municipalities. However, the
article points to a need for development of the concept control as autonomy to embrace ?working
with humans.?
A central finding is that assistance and support from and to colleagues are prerequisites for ?being
in control.? Moreover, that development of trust through communication alongside work is necessary
in order to establish relations of mutual support. Trust and mutual support point to the social
relations at work; so in this way it takes the concept control as autonomy from an individual to a
more collective concept as Trist et al. (1963) and Herbst (1974/1993) defined their concept of
control as collective responsible autonomy.
In a prospective perspective, the article sets up the hypothesis that an organization that combines
the two, an individual together with a more collective scope on autonomy when working with
humans, will meet what Kira (2006) calls as regenerative work. This means sustainability?in
resources involved; health, quality, and milieu?through the staff ?s dominion over the conditions
of their work.
Author Biography
Nina Amble, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Science (HiOA), Faculty of
Education and International Studies (LUI)
