'Damned if you do and damned if you don't': a framework for examining double binds in public service organizations

A key challenge for contemporary public service organizations is the requirement to incorporate different, at times conflicting, demands into their operations. Such demands and the organizational challenges they impose have been described in theories of institutional complexity, organizational paradox(es) and conflicting public values. In this paper, we complement these existing theories by developing an analytical framework based on the 'double bind' theory. The framework enables understandings of conflicting demands stemming from double communication and elusive mixed messages. We demonstrate the usefulness of the double bind framework by examining the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.

Automated summary

Contemporary public service organizations face the challenge of incorporating different, sometimes conflicting demands into their operations. The 'double bind' theory provides an analytical framework to understand conflicting demands and address organizational challenges effectively. This framework is demonstrated through examining the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.