Lokala bidragsnormer för boendekostnader - en studie om kommuners anpassning och likformning

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to examine municipalities local norms of financial support regarding housing costs, and to analyse the municipalities from a new institutional perspective, more specifically adaptation to national guidelines and their isomorphism. The study did not aim to examine or analyse individual social workers’ methods and reflections, but to analyse the municipalities local guidelines and routines regarding housing costs. Four smaller rural municipalities were examined using semi-structured interviews, and the respondents consisted of the municipalities in question head of the unit for financial support. An interview guide was used, and the interviews was recorded and transcribed afterwards. The analysis was based on a new institutional perspective and focused on the theory of institutionalized organisations and institutionalized norms, and on organisational fields and isomorphism. When analysing the results, I found that three of the municipalities showed high levels of adaptation to national guidelines and different forms of isomorphism was discovered. One of the municipalities showed signs of strong local traditions and norms that promoted individual methods rather than adaptation to national guidelines, and showed low levels of isomorphism. The analysis also showed that this municipality was in the early stages of adaptation to national guidelines, and could be hindered by the strong traditional norms of individuality.