MÄTNINGAR: ”DET BÄSTA VI HAR” En diskursanalys av kommunpolitikers värde– konstruktioner av mätningar inom socialnämnden

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine measurements as a knowledge producing, governing and controlling phenomenon within the Swedish social services. This was done through a discourse analysis of municipal politicians’ views on measurements function and value for the management and organization of social services. The empirical material consisted of six semi-structural interviews with municipal politicians who held positions within social committees in Gothenburg districts or surrounding municipalities. The interviewees consisted of four males and two females who represented four different political parties. We used a qualitative method and analyzed our empirical material through a discourse analysis. The analysis also built on a theoretical framework consisted of concept such as organization professionalism, occupation professionalism, governmentality, discourse theory and theories about evaluation in the assessment society. Our study showed that politician’s viewed measurements within the social services as something given and indispensable for the social committee’s duty. The construction of measurements was viewed as on point with the prevailing systems organization-professionalism witch also mirrored the politician’s attitude towards measurements and statistics as a source of knowledge. Finally, the study showed that the usefulness of measurements for politicians regarding accountability, control and management got precedence despite a good awareness of its knowledge-producing stipulations.