Hester Paanakker

Such classic conceptions of the distinction between the manager and the professional are increasingly called into question, as the art of management has undergone a serious professionalization process and “manager” seems to have become an occupational category of its own (Noordegraaf & Schinkel, 2011, p. 115). Conversely, professionals throughout the public sector seem to move more easily into (and out of) management positions and tasks, creating fuzzy distinctions between the hybrid professional, on the one hand, and the professional manager on the other hand (Noordegraaf, 2007, 2016; Noordegraaf & Schinkel, 2011; Van Bockel & Noordegraaf, 2006). Nevertheless, different organizational logics seem to persist in practice due to different types of work activities. One could even argue that the amalgamation of the professional and the managerial role further complicates organizational unity and unequivocal role differentiation, and exacerbates the complexities of the inherent underlying differences that have never really disappeared. Perhaps not surprisingly, for some line managers their role overload negatively impacts their view of values and the conflicts between them: in a study in the health care sector, Oldenhof, Postma and Putters found that “middle managers appear to experience value conflicts more intensely and more concretely than executives do” (2014, p. 57). In addition, Frederickson et al. describe how role differences can spur perceived differences rather than actual differences, and this can have grave impact on organizational functioning: “role theorists have consistently demonstrated that role occupants […] tend to misperceive the role expectations of others [which] results in excessive managerial caution and organizational inertia” (2012, p. 108).” Misperceiving the role expectations of others, specifically of other staff levels in the organizational hierarchy, may lead to a misunderstanding of their value focus in street-level craftsmanship. These insights raise the question if, as a result from role differences in the institutional hierarchy, different levels of actors have strongly diverging value perceptions of street-level craftsmanship. 4.4 Professional Socialization Optimizes Value Convergence? Alternatively, studies on professional socialization tend to argue the opposite and claim that professionals are bound by shared norms that are decisive “steerers” of professional conceptions 98 Chapter 4